Leeches of Arabia

[Byron Virgo]

Looking at the United Nations Compensation Comissions' website - this month alone Iraq is paying them $200m, which the comission will then share out amongst the various claimants who have been approved in the last 13 years since 1991 and the end of the first Gulf War. This is only part of a total $18bn that Iraq has to pay back, taxed largely through 5% of it's oil revenue going straight to the UNCC.

The website tells you exactly who's claimed, how much they've claimed for, if they've been approved or denied, and, if they've been approved, for how much. Lots of companies just apply on the offchance that they'll get some money, without even a genuine claim to back them up. But many more are given exorbitant compensation - for example:
-$6m: British Airways (for 'business decline')
-$18m: Halliburton
-$5m: Nestle
-?900: Walkers Shortbread ('lost buscuits')

To my eyes, the whole thing seems insanely immoral when Iraq is in the midst of a massive securtiy crisis and almost the whole country is plagued with problems with their electrical and water infrastructures, and when the country is trying to recover from more than a decade of sanctions, and needs investment more than ever.

[Byron Virgo]

Forgot the link - sorry!

Link: http://www.unog.ch/uncc/" target="_blank">The United Nations Compensation Comission

[Oddboy]

Another reason why Nestl? are evil.

[Garry]

Blimey
That really is amazing.We never hear about these things in the press do we.
Why nestle need money because of the war I'll never know.

[+rufus+]

Wow as I sit here drawing another Nestle Nesquik commercial my eyes fill up...
Rufus, Evil Empire employee of the month

[Oddboy]

Byron - where did you get the figures above, re Nestl?, BA etc? Can't find them on the website, which section is it under?

[Byron Virgo]

I have to admit that I took the figures from an article in today's Private Eye, but I did actually find them somewhere, only I can't find them on the site either now. If I manage to track down the page I'll post a link.

As for Nestle, I believe their claim is based around replacement of holdings in Kuwait, damage to business, etc, but as I can't find the page with the info, I can't confirm this.

Rufus - do you get to draw the Nesquik Bunny?

[Quirkafleeg]

Halliburton... there's a surprise.

[Generally Contrary]

So.  Tax dollars (and a few pounds) pay for the war.  This buys horribly expensive and horribly destructive equipment from arms companies, increasing profits.  The reconstruction of Iraq is paid for by tax dollars (and a few pounds), which is used to pay private companies operating in a non-competitive market.  The wealth of Iraq is then siphoned off to pay reparations to fantastically profitable companies.

Doesn't this bunch of corporations look like a bunch of unaccountable, inhuman gangsters?

[Byron Virgo]

Such has always been the way of the world.

I just wish they wouuldn't try and hide it all under the banner of the 'free market'...

[Trout]

Mmm. Kit-Kats.

[Byron Virgo]

Its not the same since they changed their catchphrase.