Loftus on Fox April 21, 2003

The Iraqi airwaves had their hands out, they submitted plans for their plans to carry sick people and the disabled. That includes 10 airplanes, a couple of hundred cars, trucks and buses, and kitchen equipment for catering. I guess that means the in-flight meals that could be oil for food if you are on the airplane. As for other stuff, it's like a Christmas wish list -- typewriters, laptops, laser jet printers. CDs, DVDs, televisions, digital cameras, video cameras, carpets, air conditioners. Get this, a laser show system, a laser light show, armored vehicles. The Iraqis said they would use it for valuables. Critics say the program was nothing but a cash cow.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN LOFTUS, FORMER FEDERAL PROSECUTOR: And don't forget for the last year that Kofi Annan has been officially in charge of that program. It wasn't under international oversight, it was under his personal oversight and the people who did the books were the French. So, there was a lot of opportunity for corruption in this program. They still haven't opened their books, but I'm afraid that a lot of the money that we thought was going to help the poor and needy people in Iraq was really going to help the greedy politicians.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SHAWN: The program did not respond to our repeated requests for interviews and explanations for all this. As for the French ambassador, he also refused an interview with us today. Some believe at the Security Council that France and Russia have been fighting to try and keep some of the sanctions in the oil-for-food program in place, not to benefit the Iraqi people, so to speak, but to try and protect their billions of dollars in contracts and all the money that they've made through the years by dealing with Saddam Hussein's regime. the head of the oil-for-food program, front and center tomorrow afternoon is front of the Security Council -- John.

Return to John's Media Appearances Section