Congress Keen to Investigate UN Mismanagement of Oil for Food, but Lackadaisical about American mismanagement

Congress has been investigating, with strong Republican support, the UN-administered Oil for Food program. But Republican concern for mismanagement of the Iraqi people's money--which after all is what this is about--would seem more genuine if they were also concerned about our own mishandling of Iraqi money. How many American corporations connected to Republican party interests have become wealthy with Iraqi funds controlled by an American-led Coalition Authority? And what services and goods did they provide to earn their profits?

Questions about Sevan’s role are among several issues the subcommittee was exploring at a hearing Tuesday. Its chairman, Sen. Norm Coleman, R-Minn., said the panel was looking into “a pattern of fraud, waste and total mismanagement among a number of people at the highest levels.”

The subcommittee was looking into questions raised about possible conflicts of interest involving Kojo Annan, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s son. Kojo Annan worked for Cotecna, a Swiss company that won a contract to inspect humanitarian goods imported under the program.