Former Liberian dictator, on trial for war crimes, implicates U.S. con man Pat Robertson.

[Donnachaidh]

http://seminal.firedoglake.com/diary/29911

As reported by Foreign Policy, former Liberian dictator Charles Taylor has implicated U.S. con man Pat Robertson as being complicit in war crimes carried out by Taylor.

Former Liberian President Charles Taylor, testifying in his own war crimes trial today, said that the American conservative evangelist Pat Robertson was awarded a Liberian gold-mining concession in 1999 and subsequently offered to lobby the Bush administration to support his government.

The revelations came in the midst of a U.N.-backed trial of Taylor at The Hague on 11 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity during Sierra Leone’s 1990s civil war. Taylor is accused of directing a Sierra Leone rebel group, the United Revolutionary Front (RUF), in a campaign aimed at securing access to the country’s diamond mines. The rebel movement stands accused of committing mass atrocities in the late 1990s in the West African country, including the mutilation of thousands of civilians.

The international prosecutors contend that Taylor offered concessions to Western individuals in exchange for lobbying work aimed at enhancing his image in the United States. The prosecution maintains that Taylor also spent $2.6 million on lobbying firms and public relations outfits in the hopes of influencing the policies of former President Bill Clinton and George W. Bush.

much more at the link above --

[Stevepol]

1. It's not corruption if God tells you to do it.

[Swamp Rat]

2. Osama Bin Robertson, BUSTED!

[aquart]

3. You've captured his essence.

[uppityperson]

4. bwahahahahaha k&r

[Initech]

5. Somewhere Frank Zappa has to be loving this.

Time to make the 700 Club go away.

[peacetalksforall]

6. But, but, but - he is so pure. Not Pat, who knows all of God's mind or mines.

[malaise]

45. In Pat's mind

a mine is a terrible thing to waste - now praise be Jebus and pass the profits for the prophet!!!

I'm lovin' this - expose that hypocrite.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

7. Much corruption in Uncle Pat's closet

Good article from 2005 the Nation... I KNEW I remembered hearing that his Mammon Amalgamation Christian Coalition charity corporation was actually using profit from his never-ending calls for donations (puke) to finance his daimond interests

Much more in this article...Ol' Scratch's Pat's activities are pretty convoluted. Not an easy read (for two reasons. So much dirty scheming, and second, the PUKE factor.)

Pat Robertson's Katrina Cash
By Max Blumenthal

September 7, 2005
<snip>
In 1994 he made an emotional plea on The 700 Club for cash donations to Operation Blessing to support airlifts of refugees from the Rwandan civil war to Zaire (now Congo). Reporter Bill Sizemore of The Virginian Pilot later discovered that Operation Blessing's planes were transporting diamond-mining equipment for the African Development Corporation, a Robertson-owned venture initiated with the cooperation of Zaire's then-dictator Mobutu Sese Seko.

http://www.thenation.com/doc/20050919/blumenthal

another article, OFFICIALS MUM ON ROBERTSON DIAMOND MINE OPERATION PROBE http://www.skeptictank.org/robem2.htm

[zeemike]

54. nothing that Pat does is corrupt.

Because God told him to do it.
And so it is just god's blessing that made him so rich and powerful.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

59. oh right! I forgot!! Thank you zeemike!!!

my bad, I haven't been keeping up withh my Daily Recommended Requirement of Evangelistic BrainSuds™ Moral Compass Reprogramming sessions.

[zeemike]

60. That is one creepy smiley n/t

[Union Yes]

8. PR's Christian Broadcast Network had $459 Million in revenue in 2005. knr nt

[eppur_se_muova]

37. "Behind every great fortune there is a crime." - Honore de Balzac (1799-1850) nt

[Union Yes]

39. Words of wisdom! thanks for adding. nt

[WeDidIt]

9. HAve you got a reliable source for this?

I need a link to somebody reliable and you link to a site which is unreliable.

I'm hoping this is true, but I cannot trust your source, nor can I click that link.

[donheld]

10. Here's where they got it

http://turtlebay.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2010/02/05/charles_taylor_pat_robertson_was_my_man_in_washington

[DeSwiss]

11. "As reported by Foreign Policy..."

...were the first words in the post.

- How could you have missed that, I wonder???? Maybe you should have your eyes checked. Seems they're not reliable.....

[Donnachaidh]

17. reliability, it seems, is your opinion

Try reading the article for the other sources :sheesh: :eyes:

[WeDidIt]

22. I do not click on LiardogFake links n/t

[Donnachaidh]

23. and your fingers are too crooked to google?

Seriously, the childishness levels of some are embarrassing. :eyes:

[WeDidIt]

24. I discount anything from LiarDogFake

until proven otherwise by the OP.

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

27. try GOOGLE. Article in Washington Post today

Liberia's Charles Taylor, now facing trial, was no stranger to Washington
By Colum Lynch
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, February 15, 2010
...
The conservative evangelical preacher Pat Robertson received a 1999 concession to run a gold-mining exploration in southeastern Liberia.

Robertson, meanwhile, offered to approach top Bush administration officials on Taylor's behalf, Taylor told prosecutors. Frustrated that the United States would not do anything to prevent Taylor's fall from power, Robertson lashed out at Bush in 2003, accusing him of "undermining a Christian, Baptist president to bring in Muslim rebels to take over the country."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/14/AR2010021402649.html

[Occulus]

34. Heh. OOOoops.

Look like WeDidIt has egg on its face. Couldn't click a link, couldn't Google, couldn't accept that FDL might be telling the truth, wrong on all counts.

I just love seeing that happen.

[Name removed]

49. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[WeDidIt]

57. One in a million shot

LiarDogFake reposted something true.

Color me shocked.

[RoccoR5955]

48. Here, I fixed it for ya!

I discount anything from LiarDogFake until proven otherwise by the GOP.

[mod mom]

42. FDL is a reliable site unless you prefer the coporatist slant.

:eyes:

[WeDidIt]

58. I trust aboslutely nothing from LDF

Nor do I ever click a link to LDF.

[Name removed]

55. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[LeftishBrit]

35. It's in the Washington Post...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/14/AR2010021402649.html

[WeDidIt]

56. Thanks n/t

[Name removed]

47. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[BREMPRO]

12. common knowledge for anyone who knows the story... not sure taylor will be seen as credible

given his position... but if they have proof of his involvement and present it at trial- Pat Robber's son will be BUSTED for what he is: a con man, scammer, greedy, opportunist hypocrite Cretan.

[upi402]

13. Would be rich if we have to turn to Africa for anti corruption

How we have fallen

[juno jones]

16. I'm not a spelling nazi

But please don't impugn Cretans...They have enough problems what with the mediterranean regions going belly-up financially. :D

The spelling is Cretin, and by god, you're right there, I hope that bunch gets theirs!

[Dr.Phool]

29. Robertsons ties to Taylor have been reported for years.

His fake charity flights to deliver expired artificial sweetener to starving Africans. And the pilots said, they just happened to have room on the plane for Pat's diamond mining equipment.

[Bette Noir]

40. But, but.... that's his *job.*

[Prof Lester]

14. Cheer Up God Fans

Cheer up, God fans.. I understand the Lord really hates fake preachers who make God look bad. As I understand it you can't con God. You can't bullshit God. So when Mr. Pat checks out.. well.. I don't know but I been told, his rotten ol' ass will roast in hell forever. That's a long time between gold mines. :evilgrin:

[Bette Noir]

41. Nice post. Welcome.

[Hannah Bell]

15. Unanswered Questions: Evangelism or Just Doing Business?

http://www.skeptictank.org/robem2.htm

Robertson was President and sole stock holder of African Development Co. which was chartered in Bermuda (a center for offshore banking-corporate activity) in June, 1992. In the summer and early fall of 1994, Robertson began soliciting support for the Operation Blessing outreach in Africa on his Christian Broadcasting Network, and eventually dispatched six volunteer teams of medical personnel to treat refugees from Rwanda. Donations were asked from viewers in order to fund a "Flying Hospital" plane.

In August, 1996, the Operation Blessing ministry purchased three DeHaviland Caribou planes. The ministry retained ownership of two of the cargo transports, while a third was transferred to another Robertson corporation known as Africa Air. What happened next has prompted considerable speculation. A month after purchasing the airplanes, all three (painted with the Operation Blessing name) were flown to Zaire, and reportedly put up for sale. From September, 1994 until February, 1995, the three planes were allegedly then used mostly in in-country flights ferrying mining equipment and support materials used by African Development Corp. According to the chief pilot, only two flights were related to any humanitarian enterprise; they consisted of a medicine delivery, and retrieval of stranded missionaries.

In October, 1994, Operation Blessing purchased a Lockheed L-1011 and began outfitting that plane as its "flying hospital." But the two Caribou planes, unsold and still linked to Operation Blessing, reportedly continued working mostly on behalf of ADC.

What was going on during this time period with Robertson and Mobutu? The African strongman had been in charge since 1964 when, with the help of the Central Intelligence Agency, he emerged successfully in the civil war which had torn apart the nation, formerly Republic of the Congo. In 1971, Mobutu renamed the country Zaire, and turned it into a base of operations for efforts to fuel the civil war in neighboring Angola. He quickly developed a reputation for ruthlessness and megalomania, renaming himself Mobutu Sese Seko Kuku wa za Banga, "the all-powerful warrior who, because of his enduring and inflexible will to win, will go from conquest to conquest leaving fire in his wake." For twenty years, his domestic policy outraged human rights advocates, and by 1993 his shoddy record resulted in the withdrawal of economic assistance from France, Belgium and even the U.S. In 1994, the U.S. Department of State charged that Mobutu was behind massive violations of human rights including torture, murder, censorship and religious persecution.

During this time, Mobutu also systematically drained Zaire of its money and natural resources, embezzling up to $6 billion dollars which he transferred to accounts in Switzerland and Belgium. In one year alone according to the World Bank, $400 million-- a quarter of the nation's entire export revenues -- mysteriously vanished off the books of the government run mining conglomerate. Mobutu was even dubbed the "President of Kleptocracy" for his thieving and predatory manners.

That didn't stop Robertson, though, from either defending the dictator or seeking financial gain in Zaire. Robertson continually tried to portray Mobutu as a loyal US ally in the war against international communism. He also emerged as Mobutu's close friend, and probably his most valuable asset in a deceptive campaign to maintain his stature with some ruling circles in the United States. Robertson was wined-and-dined by Mobutu on the dictator's presidential yacht, and entertained at one of his lavish estates. Robertson received extensive lumber and mining concessions along the upper Zaire River. He also operated a 50,000 acre farm outside of the capital city, Kinshasa.

[drm604]

18. I've never believed that the guy was the least bit sincere in his preaching.

There are few, if any, sincere televangelists.

[glinda]

28. He practiced "Evilgelicism".

[fascisthunter]

19. I was Wondering when this would Come back to Haunt Him

couldn't happened to a better candidate. Only wish something would come of this...

[earth mom]

20. Is anyone surprised? I know I'm not. Robertson is a piece of crap. nt

[AllyCat]

21. Behind every scandal is a Fundie. Of that I'm sure.

[progressoid]

25. C'mon, give the guy a break. He's doing this for Jesus.

For JESUS!!

[RoccoR5955]

46. Yeah, like nuke a gay whale for Christ n/t

[Blue_Tires]

26. well it's common knowledge the two have had an evil buddy-buddy partnership

for a long time...

but unless he has a documented paper trail or some other kind of proof, it will be Pat's saintly word against a war criminal...

[DebbieCDC]

30. Pat better be hoping the rapture comes soon

Or he may find himself in the dock at The Hague. I'd love to see that POS on trial.

[Richard Steele]

31. K&R

[4_TN_TITANS]

32. Ok...there must be a God

if he's willing to expose this p.o.s. fraud.

[SpiralHawk]

33. So-called Republicon 'christian' Family Values appear so unChristian

What's up with that?

Why do these people have so much trouble with truth, honor, justice, dignity, and The Golden Rule?

[Submariner]

36. Pat Robertson is the Bernie Maddoff of televangelist christians

Bottom feeding scum sucker.

[chromotone]

38. Maybe it was really Pat who made a pact with The Devil.

[flakey_foont]

51. Jumpin' Jehosaphat!

how many people have turned AWAY from religion because of wankers like Robertson? Doing the debbil's work

[old mark]

43. How long till this is on the MSM? Any bets?

I'm thinking it may get lost between the Olympic fever and the snow storms....



mark

[Vidar]

44. I know nothing will happen to the bastard, but this makes me smile.

[me b zola]

50. K&R

[SoCalDem]

52. DU has been posting about this connection for 9 years

It's about time a "news" agency started paying attention

[progressoid]

53. Too bad the rest of the media is deaf to it.

:grr: