Galloway ally sells US arms kit to Iraq

[cal04]

The Jordanian businessman at the centre of claims that George Galloway secretly bought oil from Saddam Hussein has a major contract to sell US military technology in Iraq, The Independent on Sunday can reveal.Fawaz Zureikat has been accused by a US Senate committee of orchestrating illegal oil deals with the Iraqi dictator allegedly on behalf of Mr Galloway, the Respect MP for Bethnal Green and Bow, and a charity they jointly ran. Both men deny the claims. Mr Galloway last week confronted the senators involved in Washington, and accused them of being "cavalier with justice" and making "schoolboy" errors.

It has now emerged that a firm run by Mr Zureikat, 51, and other members of his family, has the exclusive rights to sell highly sensitive military encryption technologies made by a US firm in Iraq.Their company, Middle East Advanced Semi-conductors, was awarded the contract in January 2004 by the US firm Transcrypt to sell its specialised chips to the Iraqi military, police and government. The same chips are heavily used by the US army, other major US federal agencies and other secret military clients in the Middle East.

A Transcrypt spokeswoman confirmed that all exports and sales contracts - including its deal with Mr Zureikat's firm - first have to be authorised by the US government under strict export control rules.Mr Zureikat has been named several times as an oil dealer with Saddam's regime, handling contracts to trade eight million barrels of oil. But the Senate committee and various Iraqi documents - of disputed authenticity - have also alleged that he illegally traded in black market oil, and paid kickbacks to Saddam's senior officials.

Last night, Mr Galloway's spokesman claimed the revelation about Mr Zureikat's military contract suggested he was a far more credible and substantial figure than the US Senate Permanent Sub-Committee on Investigations had alleged.A spokesman for the committee's Republican chairman, Senator Norm Coleman, said that the contract was irrelevant to its investigations into abuses of the UN-controlled "oil for food" programme in Iraq.

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/story.jsp?story=640428

[NNN0LHI]

1. Who thinks Levin didn't know about this before he made an ass of himself?

[LynnTheDem]

4. How about that scrubbed Galloway testimony...

And now we know why.

[NNN0LHI]

8. We also now know why the Galloway Inquisition was cut short n/t

[LynnTheDem]

10. Somebody musta whispered who Z was, LOL!

What a total bunch of total f-ups.

HOW SAFE do you feel...

Reminds me of Cosby's "God";

HOW LONG CAN YOU TREAD WATER...hah hah hah...

[Al-CIAda]

39. .

[Chicago Democrat]

2. I don't understand this...

Is selling " highly sensitive military encryption technologies made by a US firm in Iraq."- illegal?

If the contract was awarded in January 2004, what does this even mean?

I really dont get the significance of this. Is this good or bad for Zureiket or not? How does this affect Galloway, who admits that the charity took money from rougues, but used it to save live. How is that illegal?


On edit: I guess this is pretty good news. Complicated.

[LynnTheDem]

5. No ot isn't illegal; what it means is Zureiket was VETTED by the US Gov

VERY CLOSELY because to handle US military highly sensitive technologies, they run checks on you, your family, your family's family, your pets, your pets' friends...ok maybe not that far.

But OH YEAH they check you out BIG TIME.

The US Senate the other day, when Galloway was here, ACCUSED THEIR OWN VERY HIGH SECURITY CLEARANCE-HOLDING MAN of being a cheap fraudster illicitly selling oil to Galloway.

I mean WOW OH WOW OH WOW talk about OOPS. LOL!

1. SO are they so STUPID they don't even know their own TOP SECURITY CLEARANCE people???

HOW SAFE do you feel now...

2. SO are they so STUPID that they GAVE TOP SECURITY CLEARANCE for highly sensitive US military technology...to a CROOK???

HOW SAFE do you feel now...

rotflmao!!!!

WHAT a F*CK UP!

And now we know what Galloway meant by "you're making schoolboy errors". LOL!

[Chicago Democrat]

13. Thank you, that's kindof what i thought, but

its not really spelled out too well.

Oh hurray.... MAYBE just maybe the will keep it in the news next week.

[MADem]

27. And the real point was, he was not an ALLY of Galloway

...he was more of a contributor to Mariam's Appeal. A hefty contributor, but a contributor nonetheless. Galloway would have taken money from the devil himself to get that charity off the ground, he as much as said so.

The subcommittee tried to get all 'nefarious' on his ass, ascribing evil, profiteering motives to Galloway, and he was not having any of it.

Now, it has all turned around and bitten the subcommittee, and by extension, BUSHCO, square in the ass!!!

[KittyWampus]

15. Well, They Gave Guckert/Gannon Free Reign... Security Around The

White House & Government sure seems to be easy when you're a crony and up until they try to use you as a patsy.

[Al-CIAda]

32. Correction, that would be 'Schoolboy Howler", lmfao n/t

[daleo]

3. The U.S. government seems to trust this guy with sensitive technology.

It seems odd that one hand of the government would accuse him of corruption and influence peddling with Saddam, and another arm of the government would allow him to trade in the most sensitive military technology around (the misuse of which could result in U.S. military deaths, presumably).

[bobdobbs6]

6. they use who knows the region...

I agree. The Oil for Food scandal is deep, but Americans and US firms are clearly involved as well.

[anitar1]

9. Of Course They Are Involved and

I think this all started on Poppy's watch. If I am wrong, someone please correct me. I think Coleman is just stupid, but Levin struck me as the evil rat.Wonder if the committe will take a long break now?

[Chicago Democrat]

16. Levin was tame by comparison to Coleman... Levin, as he said in committee

, since he, unlike Kerry voted against the Iraq War resolution.
That gives him alot of slack in my book.
So, I dunno what was up his butt. I guess any Democrat has to publically express distaste for Saddam, as if he was the worst dictator in the world. That rubs off on anyone who disagreed with the sanctions policy. Those sanction policies should have been ended long ago.

[LynnTheDem]

7. Because the Senate people weren't told who the guy was.

But lookit how the US public would take it!

Hey maybe THAT'S why we can't find OBL...he's hiding in plain site selling US military highly sensitive technology, too.

LOL!

[ausiedownunderground]

11. Does the US military really want their Encryption technology sold

to Iraqi forces??? Iraq has more Engineers per capita than any other Middle Eastern country. Some will be working for the Guerrilla's. If they get their hands on these chips, then it could possibly compromise US communications. But i'm sure the US military knows what it is doing.

[alcibiades_mystery]

12. Senator Levin, would you be TROUBLED by the notion

That Mr. Zureikat currently has US government authorization to sell encryption technologies in Iraq? Would you be TROUBLED?

:rofl:

[halobeam]

17. LOL...

very good one!:rofl: :popcorn: This is some show, ain't it?:popcorn:

[nittygritty]

25. i'm quoting that exact line in a letter

to Carl Levin.

my letter:

Senator Levin,

I voted for you and even petitioned to get you on the ballot when you were running.

I am generally pleased with what you have done so far; especially pleased that you voted NO to authorize military action in Iraq.

Concerning your questioning of George Galloway's testimony this last week, I have but one question for you:

Senator Levin, would you be TROUBLED by the notion that Mr. Zureikat currently has US government authorization to sell encryption technologies in Iraq? Would you be TROUBLED?

From the UK's Independent:

Galloway ally sells US arms kit to Iraq
By Severin Carrell
22 May 2005


The Jordanian businessman at the centre of claims that George Galloway secretly bought oil from Saddam Hussein has a major contract to sell US military technology in Iraq, The Independent on Sunday can reveal.

Fawaz Zureikat has been accused by a US Senate committee of orchestrating illegal oil deals with the Iraqi dictator allegedly on behalf of Mr Galloway, the Respect MP for Bethnal Green and Bow, and a charity they jointly ran. Both men deny the claims.

Mr Galloway last week confronted the senators involved in Washington, and accused them of being "cavalier with justice" and making "schoolboy" errors.

It has now emerged that a firm run by Mr Zureikat, 51, and other members of his family, has the exclusive rights to sell highly sensitive military encryption technologies made by a US firm in Iraq.

Their company, Middle East Advanced Semi-conductors, was awarded the contract in January 2004 by the US firm Transcrypt to sell its specialised chips to the Iraqi military, police and government. The same chips are heavily used by the US army, other major US federal agencies and other secret military clients in the Middle East.

A Transcrypt spokeswoman confirmed that all exports and sales contracts - including its deal with Mr Zureikat's firm - first have to be authorised by the US government under strict export control rules.

SNIP

read the rest of the story here:

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/story.jsp?story=640428

Sincerely,

Your Constituant, XXXX

[Al-CIAda]

34. Fantastic. n/t

[Gabi Hayes]

36. great letter, but ......

try spellcheck when sending stuff to congress/senate

constituant?

[KittyWampus]

14. Reminder- RJ Reynolds Was Laundering Money In Iraq.

who has recieved money/favors from RJ Reynolds?

[struggle4progress]

18. kick

[Rainscents]

19. This is deep shit...

[johnfunk]

20. Galloway ally sells US arms kit to Iraq

Well, isn't this interesting? More details on the guy Norm Coleman tried to use to smear Galloway:

Galloway ally sells US arms kit to Iraq
By Severin Carrell

22 May 2005

The Jordanian businessman at the centre of claims that George Galloway secretly bought oil from Saddam Hussein has a major contract to sell US military technology in Iraq, The Independent on Sunday can reveal.

Fawaz Zureikat has been accused by a US Senate committee of orchestrating illegal oil deals with the Iraqi dictator allegedly on behalf of Mr Galloway, the Respect MP for Bethnal Green and Bow, and a charity they jointly ran. Both men deny the claims.

Mr Galloway last week confronted the senators involved in Washington, and accused them of being "cavalier with justice" and making "schoolboy" errors.

It has now emerged that a firm run by Mr Zureikat, 51, and other members of his family, has the exclusive rights to sell highly sensitive military encryption technologies made by a US firm in Iraq.

A question for the FReeper lurkers: Ever feel like you've been cheated?

[slor]

21. Good grief, these...

mutha' fuckers are the personification of hypocrisy. Send this to mr. carl levin, see what he thinks, after he gleefully joined the smear campaign against a real hero, Mr. Galloway.

[leftchick]

22. Yeah, I would like to see Levin eat some crow.

That was a despicable performance.

[slor]

31. Responding to bookmark. n/t

[Vladimir]

23. I'm just waiting for this to be used to smear Galloway on the left

along the lines of : "He's friends with the occupation now..."

You just can't win with this shit. If they can't smear you one way... switch it around 180 degrees and try the other direction.

Mass murdering motherfuckers.

[TankLV]

26. It already has here on this very board by a few suspect "du'rs" who post

on threads only to question genuine truthful du'rs.

I mentioned this very fact in the one 239 responce thread from last Wednesday.

[Zhade]

30. Yes, it's a "tragedy" when idiots here echo LIES about Galloway...

...all the while thinking we're not onto them.

I think you get my drift. ;)

[many a good man]

24. Kick for Greatest

:kick:

[Daphne08]

28. I'm wondering why no one told Norm Coleman of this

before his grilling of Galloway.

So,

--if Mr. Zureikat IS a crook, why are we allowing him to sell "sensitive military encryption technologies made by a US firm" in Iraq?

--if Mr. Zureikat IS NOT a crook, then why does the sub-committee (investigating the UN Oil-for-Food Program) have egg on its face now?


Interesting development in this story.
Makes one say, Hmmmm... :eyes:

[cal04]

29. another interesting blog comment

Fawaz Zureikat, if you can believe it, is still involved with the United States in Iraq. A firm run by him has the exclusive rights to sell highly sensitive military encryption technologies made by a US firm, Middle East Advanced Semi-conductors, to the Iraqi military, police and government. This contract had to be authorized by the U. S. government under strict export control rules. If he is such a bad guy, how did he meet the extremely strict American security tests to be involved in sales of such secret encryption technology?

As we dig further into this scandal, it appears that the attack by Coleman was an ill-advised attempt to hide the real scandals - real scandals involving supporters of the Republican Party and even Dick Cheney and George Bush themselves - behind an attack on a British politician who Coleman thought couldn't, or wouldn't, defend himself. These scandals go back to illegal support for Saddam in the 1980's, and tie into the Republican nexus of corruption involving Iran-Contra, BNL, BCCI, and more recent scandals involving illegal support for Saddam in the 1990's.

Coleman's timing, right after the revelations in the Downing Street Memo that the attack was inevitable (as was the divvying up of the oil fields planned by Cheney and American oil interests), and right after the revelations that the main players in the oil-for-food scandal were none other than big American oil companies connected to the highest levels of the Republican Party, is so bad it's almost comic. When you add the involvement of Chalabi and MEMRI (an arm of the Likudniks in Israel) in the defaming of Galloway you have pretty much a summary of all the co-conspirators in the war crimes against the people of Iraq.

http://xymphora.blogspot.com/

[SoCalDem]

33. George Bush ally (Saudi Arabia) was home to 15 of the WTC terrorists

and halliburton sold stuff to Saddam all during the "embargo"..under the guise of being a French subsidiary..

Tangled webs abound..

[Auntie Bush]

35. Let me get this right. Are you saying all the condemnation of the French

for selling goods to the Iraqies...weren't French but actually Halliburton subsidiaries? It's just hard to believe!

[SoCalDem]

37. Who knows anymore??

:shrug:.. If we actually had a media, we might have known about this stuff YEARS ago.

[Al-CIAda]

38. And STILL after the firworks of last week, NO ONE is even

investigating Galloway's statements. Incredable.

[0007]

40. bttft