December 18, 2006
NO WONDER HE WANTS SADDAM BACK:
Israeli reveals: James Baker hired me to bypass US sanctions on Iraq (Israel Insider staff and partners, December 18, 2006)
Ben Caspit, journalist from Maariv, has obtained documentation which shows that the law firm in which former American secretary of state James Baker is senior partner used an Israeli agent to bypass the US sanctions on business dealings with Iraq.Houston-based Baker Botts, with extensive dealings in the Arab world, earned tens of millions of dollars from a deal it made between the Korean Hyundai concern and the Iraqi government at the peak of the sanctions imposed on the government of Saddam Hussein, according to Israeli businessman Nir Gouaz, who has been asked in 1998 by Baker's office to mediate in the deal.
What's best for the Shi'a and Kurds? Whatever's best for me.
Posted by Orrin Judd at December 18, 2006 9:20 AM
If true, a super-Whitewater: a law firm acting as a bagman for graft.
Do the math. $33 Million is how many hours ar what rate?
Posted by: Lou Gots at December 18, 2006 10:25 AMBaker thought the ISG was his ticket back to Washington pre-eminence. Instead it is destroying his reputation.
Posted by: AWW at December 18, 2006 11:06 AMBut the Dems probably won't attack Baker because he is their 'bagman' with the ISG.
Plus, there has to be somebody on their side of the aisle who profited from all the money trails into and out of Iraq, someone comparable to Baker.
Posted by: ratbert at December 18, 2006 12:00 PMThe place in Hell where "public servants" like Baker wind up must be one of the more crowded parts...
Posted by: M. Murcek at December 18, 2006 1:08 PMAll you need to know about James Baker is that his law firm has three offices: Houston, DC, and Riyadh.
Posted by: ghostcat at December 18, 2006 4:56 PMratbert - Jimmy Carter?
Posted by: pj at December 18, 2006 7:28 PMSo at the same time South Korea was helping Kim Jong Il get nukes it was helping Saddam bypass UN sanctions.
Looks like the Koreans are cousins to the French.
Posted by: pj at December 18, 2006 7:33 PMpj:
I was thinking more along the lines of a relatively up-to-date Ron Brown (somebody friendly with both the Russian and the UN executive who were implicated in Oil-for-Food), but Jimmy might do. I'm sure the donor's list for the Carter Center is top heavy with Saudis, Europeans, and their kinfolk (like Hugo Chavez).
Posted by: ratbert at December 18, 2006 7:46 PM