Pull Up To The Bumper

Maybe Volvos should start sporting a new bumper sticker, alongside the de rigueur NPR and “FREE TIBET!” stickers:

“This Car’s Manufacturer Bribed Saddam Hussein,

And All I Got Was This Lousy Bumper Sticker!”

MOSCOW – A scathing report on corruption in the U.N. oil-for-food program for Saddam Hussein’s Iraq drew widespread denials, terse dismissals and protestations of innocence Friday. But there were also pledges to investigate from some of the 2,200 companies cited and countries with citizens named.

Russian officials angrily alleged that documents accusing companies and officials in that country were fake, and the head of the nation’s electricity monopoly called for the report’s writers to be punished. But in a rare partial admission, Sweden’s Volvo AB acknowledged making payments through an agent to Iraqi authorities but said it did not consider that bribery.

Of course.

As Roger L. Simon writes, “Don’t tell the soccer moms”; but I think he just did!