The board led by Halbwachs was created by the Security Council to
watch over the stewardship of Iraq's natural resources during the U.S.
civil administration of Iraq, which began in April 2003 and ended last
June.
The board has previously accused the U.S.-led Coalition Provisional
Authority of sloppily managing billions of dollars of Iraqi oil money
and moving at a glacial pace to guard against corruption.
The watchdog last month ordered a special audit of all sole-source
Halliburton work, to be completed in early 2005.
Cheney headed the Texas oil services company between 1995 and 2000,
and its cost overruns on Iraq contracts became an issue in the U.S.
presidential campaign.
From Reuters, 1/14/05:
http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=worldNews&storyID=2005-01-14T231950Z_01_N14662584_RTRIDST_0_INTERNATIONAL-IRAQ-OIL-WATCHDOG-DC.XML
UN Told of Weaknesses in U.S. Handling of Iraqi Oil
By Irwin Arieff
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) -
U.S. handling of Iraq's oil money after the defeat of Saddam Hussein
was marked by weaknesses including problems tracking oil production
and cash, a watchdog told the U.N. Security Council on Friday,
diplomats said.
The criticisms follow accusations by U.S. policymakers that the United
Nations mismanaged a separate oil-for-food program for Iraq under
Saddam.
"These shortcomings (in the U.S. management) have to be kept in mind
when we judge the management of other programs such as oil-for-food,"
said one council diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity.
U.N. Controller Jean-Pierre Halbwachs, who heads the International
Advisory and Monitoring Board set up to oversee U.S. management of
Iraqi oil, briefed the Security Council on the issue in a closed-door
meeting.
He discussed problems tracking how much oil was produced and how the
proceeds were spent, and how noncompetitive contracts were awarded to
Halliburton Co., formerly led by Vice President ***** Cheney, the
envoys said.
__________________________________________________________
Where'd the dough go? We'll never know. Suffice it to say that George
W. Bush will retire to his ranch a very rich man.
Harry
.
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