Safire: Duelfer to France: J'accuse!

We've all seen the stories citing "no WMDs found - Duelfer report says!", "Bush lied!". But we don't see much about these findings - from the same report:

"Powerful officials and their profiteering friends in France had a reason to try to stop the U.S. from overthrowing Saddam Hussein: they were pocketing billions in payoffs through a United Nations oil-for-food front."

The French officials are furious, because they say the Americans were involved too! The NYTs own Judith Miller and others, tried making the French diplomat's case:

However, within 24 hours of the damning report's issuance, Judith Miller and her colleagues had the names of the U.S. companies involved - Chevron, Mobil, Texaco, Bay Oil and one Oscar Wyatt Jr. of Houston, who may have profited by $23 million - on the front page of The New York Times. (Will our runaway anti-press prosecutor try to clap Judy in jail for protecting her confidential government sources on this one, too?)

Not surprising was the focus on American companies by the early press reports, and not French or Russian interests. Still more of the "blame America" and "anything to defeat Bush" mentality of our press!

And here's more, from the WaPost, with an emphasis on the UN's role.