ITV reports: The Respect MP for Bethnal Green and Bow has vowed to clear his name at the senate hearing.
He said: “I am going to accuse them of being involved in a huge diversion from the real issues in Iraq, which are the theft of billions of dollars worth of Iraq’s wealth by the United States of America and its corporations and the deaths of more than 100,000 people in Iraq, the destruction of the country, the opening of the doors to Islamic extremism of the al-Qaeda variety, tremendous crimes they have committed in Iraq.”
I think I know who is engaging in a diversion with that statement. Quite how reshashing arguments against the war in Iraq is going to clear Galloway’s name is beyond me. It sounds like he is going there to grandstand, which may help bolster his support with the SWP-Respect and the anti-war movement but will do nothing to deal with the issue at hand.
What might help Galloway clear his name over his alleged involvement in the Oil for Food scandal is if the Senate ask him some relevant questions and he is able to provide some credible answers.
Obviously the Senate will have specific questions relating to the documentation they have reported on. But among the other questions I’d like to see them put to Galloway on Tuesday are:
1. Was the amount of around £300,000 Galloway says was donated by Fawaz Zureikat to the Mariam Appeal a personal donation or was it rather revenue from a voucher deal related to the Oil for Food programme?
2. Why were the accounts and other documents of the Mariam Appeal moved out of the UK to the Middle East?
3. Where is the documentation now?
4. Will Galloway make that documentation avaliable as he promised to do so two years ago?
5. Why did Galloway make oil for food dealer Fawaz Zureikat chairman of the Mariam Appeal and why did he sign a letter designating him his representative in Iraq?
6. How was the £900,000 the Mariam Appeal raised in donations actually spent? Can Galloway show documented proof of where the money went?
Update: Liberty Cadre looks at the power of the Senate sub-committee and what could face Galloway if he doesn’t play by the rules.