al-Yamamah

al-Yamamah... Never heard of it? Quite possible. The reason is the British government doesn't want you to know even the broad outlines – never mind the details – of one of the biggest corruption scandals of modern history. Anyway, some facts are bubbling to the surface... (The Sunday Times: How much hypocrisy can Britain get away with on this sordid deal?, Bandar lobbied No 10 to drop Saudi bribes inquiry)

British Aerospace seems to have paid huge bribes to Saudi princes, including Prince Bandar bin Sultan who allegedly received a billion pounds, for the privilege of selling 72 Typhoon jets. Blair's government is hiding behind the fig leaf of 'national security' to bury the facts. 'National security' was not the issue, rather the fact that the Saudi dictators threatened to cut intelligence and even diplomatic ties if an investigation into the corruption scandal would continue.

The British government violated international anti-corruption treaties and illegally impeded investigations by the Serious Fraud Office and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). If the international community fails to bring Blair to justice for war crimes, perhaps it could nab him as a corrupt arms dealer?

As to Prince Bandar, long-time Saudi ambassador to the U.S. and intimate friend of the Bush Dynasty, perhaps he will now be denied entry to the U.S. or be arrested as a common thief and join Scooter Libby behind bars, where they could together contemplate the criminal and disastrous invasion of Iraq.

The price of the al-Yamamah contract was deliberately inflated to win by corruption. Clean guys, Bandar and Blair...