Everyone knows by now that the U.S. has had a crack audit team – headed by ex Federal Reserve chief Paul Volcker – looking into Saddam’s finances.

The main thrust of this exercise seems to be to weaken the position of U.S. policy detractors; from the United Nations all the way down to Australia’s AWB.

Volvo Construction – part of Swedish-based Volvo Group – gave a “So What” response to Volker’s reports of kickbacks.

Their stated argument is that the only way possible to do business with the Iraqi regime was to pay the Middle Men and that this was legitimate.

By contrast, Australia’s AWB has been subject to a witch hunt!

Australia’s real concern in this story is that the wheat exports that
were consistently ours now belong to the U.S.

Arguably the main reason for giving our support to the U.S. led invasion of Iraq in the first place is now predictably gone.