I knew that if something happened in the George Galloway libel appeal, Stageleft would be the first site to have the goods.

You may recall the flurry of (Right)WingNut rhetoric that followed George Galloways’

“I have met Saddam Hussein exactly the same number of times as Donald Rumsfeld met him. The difference is that Donald Rumsfeld met him to sell him guns and to give him maps the better to target those guns.”

– in front of a US Senate committee hearing… truly folks, the levels of outrage at these “horrible lies” spoken when Galloway not only refused to roll over but stood up to the Senate committee rose to near the levels usually only reserved for “Bush lied” statements.

I remember a flurry of something, but it wasn’t right-wing rhetoric. I think the proper term would be orgasmic left-wing circle-jerking.

A British Appeals court has backed a lower court ruling in a libel suit against the Daily Telegraph over allegations that Galloway illegally took money from Hussein, now if only he’d launch the same suit against the (Right)WingNuts who took such offense over his statements but completely ignored the fact that

US oil purchases accounted for 52% of the kickbacks paid to the regime in return for sales of cheap oil - more than the rest of the world put together.

It’s funny that my good friend should bring up the idea of ignoring facts, but I guess someone so darned tootin’ good at it would recognize it the easiest when it happens.

You’ll probably recall Stage’s amazingly orgasmic proclamation about Galloway’s original testimony (post dated May 18, 2005):

I saw a bit of George Galloway and the US Senate committee while on the gym treadmill yesterday evening and I gotta tell ya, the urge to clap and cheer was heavy upon me…. if I hadn’t been quite so winded from the workout itself I might have,
for verily I say unto you, from what I saw he did well and truly kick their asses.

Hey may have, but it’s easy when you’re playing fast and loose with the facts. The UN investigation by Paul Volcker turned up the following, according to the Times (not the Telegraph which is the paper being sued for libel):

Days after a US Senate committee tracked a $150,000 (£84,000) payment to the MP’s now estranged Palestinian wife, the UN inquiry reported that Amina Naji Abu Zayyad had earlier received a series of transfers totalling $120,000.

The revelation increases the pressure on the vocal anti-war politician, whom the report says was nicknamed “Abu Mariam” by the Iraqis, a reference to his anti-sanctions campaign, the Mariam Appeal.

The Respect MP for Bethnal Green and Bow already faces a parliamentary ethics inquiry and possible criminal charges for making “false or misleading” statements during his celebrated confrontation with US Senators in May.

The new details of Mr Galloway’s alleged involvement in the oil-for-food scandal were contained in a 620-page report issued at the end of an 18-month UN inquiry by a panel led by Paul Volcker, a former chairman of the US Federal Reserve.

You’ll notice that while Stageleft is still proud that Galloway “verily kicked ass” in the Senate hearings, he has never once reported on the fact that the investigation by the UN has already found $270,000 worth of Iraqi cash being funnelled to Galloway. Not only did he not kick ass, he lied about his involvement.

I wonder how Stageleft missed that whole part of it…

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