Iraq-gate (Finland)

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Iraqgate is a name used for a series of events that began on 6 March 2003 from a statement given by Anneli Jäätteenmäki, leader of the Finnish Centre Party. In a televised election debate prior to the 2003 parliamentary election, Jäätteenmäki accused Paavo Lipponen, the then Prime Minister of Finland, of attaching Finland to George W. Bush's 'coalition of the willing' that was in preparation for the 2003 war in Iraq.^[1] Lipponen had visited Washington on 9 December 2002. He would have had no mandate from the Finnish people for such a commitment.

According to Jäätteenmäki, Finland had taken part in a meeting where 'those countries that had promised cooperation and aid' had been invited. It was later discovered that Jäätteenmäki had acquired the information from secret foreign ministry documents, which she had received from Martti Manninen, an advisor to the President of Finland.

Prime Minister Lipponen's actions were believed to be influenced by the fact that Finland was about to sell AMOS mortars to the U.S. military to be part of its Land Warrior program.

The Left Alliance member of parliament Jaakko Laakso, together with other representatives, had posted a public question on Lipponen's statements in Washington already on 19 December 2002.^[2] There was no public inquiry on the matter, even though the documents cast doubt on the legality of mortar deals during the 2001 war in Afghanistan. The Green member Ulla Anttila and others questioned an authorisation to export arms that was granted to Patria-Hägglunds shortly before the war started.^[3]

The Centre Party won the parliamentary election and became the largest party in the Finnish Eduskunta. Jäätteenmäki was appointed Prime Minister of Finland by President Tarja Halonen on 17 April 2003.^[4] However, the lack of trust in Jäätteenmäki caused by the solicitation of secret documents forced her to resign as Prime Minister on 24 June, and a new cabinet was formed by Matti Vanhanen.^[5] Manninen was also sacked from his job as advisor to the president.

On 19 December 2003, criminal charges were pressed against Martti Manninen for leaking secret documents and against Anneli Jäätteenmäki for incitement and aid to the same.^[6] Manninen was found guilty, and had to pay a 80 day fine, but Jäätteenmäki was not found guilty, as she did not request the documents when she received them.

[edit] Catchphrases originated from the Iraqgate scandal

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"I have two ears and I have heard all kinds of things." Jäätteenmäki's explanation for how she got hold of the secret documents. Now used in the shortened form "I have two ears."
"I speak the truth as well as I can." Jäätteenmäki explaining herself in a questioning by the Parliament. Became a popular example of "politicians ethics".
"I haven't asked for these and they came to me as a surprise." Jäätteenmäki defending herself on the charges that she had asked for the secret documents from Manninen or somebody else.