It takes a Thief? Many are aware of the investigation that the right-wing wants us to pay special attention to, the "Oil for Food" scandal involving the United Nations and the former Iraqi government. On the UN's part it involves kickbacks, on Hussein's part payoffs to western politicians from funds that should have gone for the feeding of his people. The most famous alleged payee to this point, is left-wing nutjob [yes, we have them too] and Saddam apologist, British MP George Galloway. Now this has been known for a while, the accusations against Galloway have existed for more than a year, but make no mistake it is a scandal. But there is a reason it is being pushed now. First, and most particularly, the complete and utter tatters of the neo-con fantasy are at an end and as things go worse in Iraq what is left, in classic fashion is payback time. Second, the item above hurts Bush's reelection efforts -- but of course its a collective number of things in Iraq that are conspiring to hurt Bush's reelection effort, such as the realization that Bush has committed the most profound strategic error any U.S. President has ever made...yes, ever. But in order to offset this scandal, people like the WSJ Editorial Page and The Corner need something...anything to offset it and the UN Scandal is the best they've got. But here are two obvious and logical problems with this approach, not that logical problems ever deterred either of those august publications. 1. Bush is now relying on the UN to save his ass in Iraq. 2. American Soldiers dying is always more compelling than money scandals. As to point one, that is specifically the problem the Neo-Cons and wingers have, their hatred of the UN is essentially permanently set on "Black Helicopter" level, to think the UN is being relied upon by Bush makes them apoplectic. As for point two -- well, one gets the feeling when it comes to the WSJ Editorial Page at least money does exceed the value of human life... But finally, in the midst of all these numerical points comes the tragi-comic kicker. Who will investigate the Oil for Food scandal on the Iraqi end. How about the Thief of Baghdad? A bureaucratic wrestling match over who is in charge of a Baghdad-based investigation into the oil-for-food scandal threatens to provoke a dispute between Iraq's U.S. administrator and the Iraqi Governing Council over control of a small number of documents underlying the most controversial charges. L. Paul "Jerry" Bremer, the U.S. administrator of Iraq is determined that there should be an independent audit of the $10 billion network of illegal financial translations surrounding the U.N. oil-for-food program, and wants to take the probe "out of the hands of politicians," the CPA official who oversees the program told United Press International. But members of the U.S.-appointed Iraqi Governing Council insist they will continue to supervise an inquiry they regard as already underway, conducted by a team from accounting giant KPMG and London law firm Freshfields, hired by the council's finance committee and overseen by an adviser to Ahmed Chalabi the committee's chairman. Since Chalabi has bilked Jordan out of about $300 Million, and the United States out of several million dollars and 700 plus lives based on his lying (and/or conspiring) I suppose he knows about swindles, but other than that what possible basis is there for him having any association with this? The man should be getting his assed shipped back here for his own criminal trial.