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| Fifth Column |
| DLC: Kofi Must Step Aside |
| 2004-12-07 |
| Hat Tip Instapundit EFL [T]he United Nations' credibility has been steadily eroded by its own misdeeds, with a burgeoning scandal over its incompetent and sometimes corrupt management of the Iraq oil-for-food program being the most damaging example. Last week it was reported that the son of U.N. secretary general Kofi Annan received a series of payments from a Swiss firm that won a lucrative contract under the oil-for-food program. This development has fed growing doubts that the United Nations will be able to own up to its problems or reform its operations so long as Annan remains at the helm. But mismanagement, corruption, and manipulation of the program by Saddam Hussein allowed his regime to amass at least $21 billion outside of the United Nations' control, with the great bulk of that sum -- $17.3 billion -- pilfered between 1997 and 2003 on the secretary general's watch. In effect, the United Nations colluded in Saddam's successful evasion of U.N. sanctions. The most damning charge so far -- that a former chief of the oil-for-food program, Benon Sevan, accepted bribes from Saddam's regime -- was made in October by former U.N. weapons inspector Charles A. Duelfer, who led a Senate investigation into the scandal. The program is now the subject of at least four congressional investigations, three U.S. federal investigations and the U.N.-appointed commission of inquiry led by former Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker. Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN), chairman of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, has underscored the urgency of such investigations, noting not only that the size of the fraud is "staggering," but also that some of Saddam's vast illicit stash might right now be funding terrorists and costing American lives. In an opinion piece in last week's Wall Street Journal, Coleman urged Annan to resign. "As long as Mr. Annan remains in charge, the world will never be able to learn the full extent of the bribes, kickbacks and under-the-table payments that occurred under the U.N.'s collective nose." Annan's handling of the fallout over the past week has done nothing to improve his perceived credibility: He has refused requests from congressional committees for access to the United Nation's 55 internal audits and other reports, or for the chance to interview U.N. officials who oversaw the program, saying that it would interfere with the Volcker inquiry. That inquiry is expected to release an interim report in January. The full report could take another year and cost as much as $30 million -- to be funded with leftover cash in the oil-forfood program. Annan's intransigence should not deter the Senate subcommittee on investigations or other congressional investigations. Volcker can hardly be expected to conduct a thorough and unbiased inquiry into a scandal in which the U.N. secretary general and his son are involved. The world deserves a full and thorough accounting of what transpired. The sooner the United Nations can get past this matter, the sooner it can get back to the important business of making itself an effective instrument for collective security against terrorism, failed states, and acts of genocide, a goal that Annan has strongly supported. The secretary general should place this critical mission ahead of his personal interests, and step aside. Given his own lack of credibility on the oil-for-food program, this step is the price Annan must pay to help restore the U.N.'s credibility, and to salvage his legacy as secretary general. Bad news for Republicans. Some Dhimmicrats are starting to understand. |
| Posted by:Mrs. Davis |
| #10 Better if Kofi stays and the UN becomes completely irrelevant. There's no way to reform the UN. The problem's not Kofi but the fetish of national sovereignty and France's UNSC veto. The best outcome is for us to create a parallel organization, bypass the UN, and let the world gradually become convinced of Kofi's incompetence and the UN's uselessness. |
| Posted by: lex 2004-12-07 5:08:38 PM |
| #9 That certainly didn't take long. Too bad. |
| Posted by: Mrs. Davis 2004-12-07 5:01:25 PM |
| #8 the DLOC issued a correction a few minutes ago at: http://www.ndol.org/ndol_ci.cfm?kaid=131&subid=192&contentid=253050 they want Kofi to step down from the investigation (whatever that means) rather than stepping down from the UN I guess they couldn't take the heat from the UN defenders in the Dem party |
| Posted by: mhw 2004-12-07 3:57:16 PM |
| #7 Israelis are not dying directly as a result of Saddam's programs anymore: the payments of US$10,000-25,000 to families of suicide bombers ceased with the invasion of Iraq. However, I would not at all be surprised if those who control the hidden band accounts continue to fund various Palestinian terrorist groups aimed at Israel. But these days I imagine their funding efforts must be mostly aimed at reclaiming Iraq from the invaders -- a textbook example of throwing good money after bad. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2004-12-07 2:47:32 PM |
| #6 'Course the Dems could simply be angry they didn't get a cut. Seriously,I think this is Dem attempt to stop public investigation of UN. If Kofi resigns now,some new guy/gal can come in and say "It's terrible what happened,but that's in the past,I'm going to clean up UN so it won't happen again,yadda,yadda,yadda." Supporters of the UN(most Dems)have to be horrified at the thought of Sen.Coleman holding public hearings,esp.since the Dems fav Repub,Sen.McCain,is supporting Coleman. |
| Posted by: Stephen 2004-12-07 12:22:06 PM |
| #5 while I will miss the feeling of superiority I get when comparing myself to the professional moonbats on the left, it would be beneficial to all of us if sane democrats managed to above the dung to provide real debate and real solutions for today's problems. |
| Posted by: 2b 2004-12-07 11:33:43 AM |
| #4 I don't think it's bad news for the Republicans at all. An awake opposition will keep them from getting complacent. |
| Posted by: eLarson 2004-12-07 11:29:16 AM |
| #3 The New Dems On Line will be harshly criticized for this by the old line left but eventually they (the NDOL) will win as more and more gets out about the UNSCAM. |
| Posted by: mhw 2004-12-07 9:59:44 AM |
| #2 Jews are dying because of it -- Saddam had a program of paying the families of suicide bombers. I think that is one of reasons the UN (and Kofi) were so opposed to ousting Saddam - it would end their (the UN's), in effect, bounty on jewish lives. |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2004-12-07 9:36:42 AM |
| #1 some of Saddam’s vast illicit stash might right now be funding terrorists and costing American lives To way too many of the UN's members, that statement would be considered a positive point for Kofi's management style. The only thing that would make it better to them is if he said Jews were dying because of it, too. |
| Posted by: Desert Blondie 2004-12-07 9:32:22 AM |