Fifa corruption scandal: 'Germany sent Saudi Arabia weapons' in exchange for support of their bid to

[HuckleB]

Source: The Independent

Germany reportedly sent Saudia Arabia a shipment of rocket-propelled grenades in exchange for support of their bid to host the 2006 World Cup, it has emerged.

The allegations are the latest revelations in the widening Fifa scandal, which was sparked by the arrests of seven top Fifa officials in Zurich, Switzerland, as part of a US-led investigation.

Sepp Blatter, who has been Fifa president since 1998, stepped down in the wake of the scandal just days after he was re-elected to serve his fifth term.

According to reports by the Die Zeit newspaper seen by MailOnline, then-Chancellor Gerhard Schroder’s government allegedly complied with a request from the German Football Association to send Saudi Arabia arms, in an attempt to steer the Middle Eastern nation away from backing Morocco in the knife-edge vote in 2000.

Read more: http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/international/fifa-corruption-scandal-germany-sent-saudi-arabia-weapons-in-exchange-for-support-of-their-bid-to-host-the-2006-world-cup-10301221.html

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Clearly, FIFA is the real Illuminati!

[christx30]

1. Just when you think this story couldn't get any crazier.. n/t

[HuckleB]

7. Indeed. -eom-

[sofa king]

2. Whuuuuut?

I prefer to watch the leaves change, but seriously, the implosion of international football is swiftly becoming my favorite spectator sport.

[HuckleB]

3. It's going to be a fun summer.

This thing is going to bring down government officials, too, and it will be interesting to see how many countries are involved in the end.

[libdem4life]

4. Are these the same Germans who are holding up the Grexit for ransom/austerity? n/t

[herding cats]

5. This just keeps getting better and better.

I'm looking forward to the next installment.

[YOHABLO]

6. If the U.S. and Germany are sending all these weapons to Saudi Arabia, then let them go after ISIS.

[JonLP24]

12. They are ISIS

they are very likely giving weapons to ISIS but either way they are the same with the Hisbah, religious courts & judges with same punishments for a similar range of offenses but as far as to your point I don't want US involvement, especially since the double standards and the usual using of their exploited labor to do all the grunt jobs.

[Zamen]

8. Realistically though, what can be done about it?

Saudi Arabia in particular is notorious for having bribery as an accepted part of their culture. Foreign companies have to grease someone's palm with baksheesh in order to get their foot in the door there, nevermind compete with everyone else.

[HuckleB]

9. I'm not sure if much could be done regarding Saudi Arabia.

OTH, one would think that the German population might just want their pols to be held accountable.

[Zamen]

10. I'm not as hopeful, unfortunately

The truth is, I think, most Germans (and most people in any country, for that matter) would turn a blind eye to corruption if it meant their country got to host the World Cup.

[HuckleB]

13. They already did get to hold it.

They have nothing to lose by expecting justice now.

[JonLP24]

11. I don't think it is culture as greed is universal

The US companies have the advantage over the local ones because of the bribe money they have in the banks but corruption in Afghanistan and Iraq went way up with our involvement and we are backing Saudi backing the top 5 corrupt Yemen government. The Halliburtons/KBRs, defense and oil & gas industries love their business model of exploiting labor which the DoD did the same thing when it comes to the "World Cup workers". The economies are built off the backs of imported labor where their passports are taken and beaten. Bribes for business contracts is so common, in Arif Jan Army officers tasked for giving contracts to local businesses began soliciting bribes asking for more and more. One convinced his wife to leave the US because she'd make more money than she could as a teacher stateside next thing you know someone's dropping off "suitcases full of cash" at her hotel room. They killed themselves when CID caught them but the show goes on when it comes to the contractors. We sanction Iran because they nationalize oil rather than give or sell business contracts to US or European multinationals.

Here the corruption is mostly legalized but bribery is about the only thing we prosecute on foreign related as Halliburton violated the corrupt business act the 20th time for a bribe in Nigeria where Dick Cheney was even indicted there but they settled for a fine (which was less than the bribe itself) but the investigation revealed a Swiss bank account with over a trillion just for bribes alone.