WSJ - Koffi Annan MUST go!

This is an excellent article. Read more of it
at the link provided. I agree with it. Kofi MUST
go. There can't be a proper investigation with
him in charge. Heck ... I doubt that there will
be a proper investigation ever ... the UN is so
corrupt that it will make sure that no one ever
finds out the full truth of the horrors it has
committed ... but still ... Annan MUST go so that
an investigation can be attempted.

************************************
The Wall Street Journal Online
December 1, 2004
by Norm Coleman

EXCERPT:

It's time for U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan to resign.

Over the past seven months, the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, which I chair, has conducted an exhaustive, bipartisan investigation into the scandal surrounding the U.N. Oil-for-Food program. That noble program was established by the U.N. to ease the suffering of the Iraqi people, then languishing under Saddam Hussein's ironfisted rule, as well as the economic sanctions imposed on Iraq by the U.N. after the first Gulf War. While sanctions were designed to instigate the removal of Saddam from power, or at least render him impotent, the Oil-for-Food program was designed to support the Iraqi people with food and other humanitarian aid under the watchful eye of the U.N.

Our Investigative Subcommittee has gathered overwhelming evidence that Saddam turned this program on its head. Rather than erode his grip on power, the program was manipulated by Saddam to line his own pockets and actually strengthen his position at the expense of the Iraqi people. At our hearing on Nov. 15, we presented evidence that Saddam accumulated more than $21 billion through abuses of the Oil-for-Food program and U.N. sanctions. We continue to amass evidence that he used the overt support of prominent members of the U.N., such as France and Russia, along with numerous foreign officials, companies and possibly even senior U.N. officials, to exploit the program to his advantage. We have obtained evidence that indicates that Saddam doled out lucrative oil allotments to foreign officials, sympathetic journalists and even one senior U.N. official, in order to undermine international support for sanctions. In addition, we are gathering evidence that Saddam gave hundreds of thousands -- maybe even millions -- of Oil-for-Food dollars to terrorists and terrorist organizations. All of this occurred under the supposedly vigilant eye of the U.N.

While many questions concerning Oil-for-Food remain unanswered, one conclusion has become abundantly clear: Kofi Annan should resign. The decision to call for his resignation does not come easily, but I have arrived at this conclusion because the most extensive fraud in the history of the U.N. occurred on his watch. In addition, and perhaps more importantly, 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 took place under the U.N.'s collective nose.

While many questions concerning Oil-for-Food remain unanswered, one conclusion has become abundantly clear: Kofi Annan should resign. The decision to call for his resignation does not come easily, but I have arrived at this conclusion because the most extensive fraud in the history of the U.N. occurred on his watch. In addition, and perhaps more importantly, 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 took place under the U.N.'s collective nose.

Mr. Annan was at the helm of the U.N. for all but a few days of the Oil-for-Food program, and he must, therefore, be held accountable for the U.N.'s utter failure to detect or stop Saddam's abuses. The consequences of the U.N.'s ineptitude cannot be overstated: Saddam was empowered to withstand the sanctions regime, remain in power, and even rebuild his military. Needless to say, he made the Iraqi people suffer even more by importing substandard food and medicine under the Oil-for-Food program and pawning it off as first-rate humanitarian aid.

Since it was never likely that the U.N. Security Council, some of whose permanent members were awash in Saddam's favors, would ever call for Saddam's removal, the U.S. and its coalition partners were forced to put troops in harm's way to oust him by force. Today, money swindled from Oil-for-Food may be funding the insurgency against coalition troops in Iraq and other terrorist activities against U.S. interests. Simply put, the troops would probably not have been placed in such danger if the U.N. had done its job in administering sanctions and Oil-for-Food.

(full story)

Why bother yourself with the UN it's not as if the US ever takes any notice. Unless of course the need permission to bomb poor defenceless people again, but with Iraq they didn't even wait for that anymore.

Comments by the US on the UN are about as welcome as Hitler at a Holocaust memorial.

Originally posted by Corinthas
Why bother yourself with the UN .... Comments by the US on the UN are about as welcome as Hitler at a Holocaust memorial.

Uh .... because we pay a huge part of the UN's bill? Because they are
in New York City. Because our TAX money goes to support the corrupt
cesspool. Because the UN is Euro-centric and Anti-American and we are
paying the bills for this place that continually stands in the way of our
best interests.

And so what if the US comments are unwelcome? We pay their
frigg'n bills. They are in America (we need to take back our soverign
soil away from them). They don't want to hear our comments because
we point out the obvious ... that they are robbing America blind, and
they are a den of theives and murderers. Guess they'll just have to deal
with our 'unwelcome comments' - and hopefully our INVESTIGATION
into their massive corruption and subsequent halting of our tax
money into their organization as well.

The US still owes a lot of cash, in fact from what i know it is one of the worst debiters to the UN. Allthough it looked like they were trying to pay in the run up to 2004, but that was not a sudden urge to pay.. it seemed more like an attempt to not look too bad when they completely sidestep international law AGAIN, to poop on Iraq. At least delegates could say: "ah what the... at least they payed this time".


The land of UNPUNISHED Enron (come on Ken Lay is still at large) will investigate corruption? Oh goodie!

As for the rule of internetional law the US repeatedly gives it the finger, and is not trying to be subtle about it either. The UN (in US eyes) is there to make OTHER countries adhere to international law, and to allow the US to do pillage resources from the 3rd world. It used to be done under the pretext the commies were coming, now terroists are the excuse for pillage.

[edit on 1/12/2004 by Corinthas]

Originally posted by Corinthas
The US still owes a lot of cash, in fact from what i know it is
one of the worst debiters to the UN.

No it's not. We are fully paid up (unfortunately).

TV News is now saying that The New York Times and the
Washington Post today have both called for Annan to resign.

Originally posted by FlyersFan
No it's not. We are fully paid up (unfortunately).

TV News is now saying that The New York Times and the
Washington Post today have both called for Annan to resign.

Ok if that is true, i happened in the last year. I recently (and very briefly) tried to check up on that.. it seems only in 2003 - 2004 did that happen. And i think its not 100% either some amounts are still outstanding but its close to 100%. Again I am not sure about all this [/

[edit on 1/12/2004 by Corinthas]

But we digress... about Kofi... well he is Nigerian and Nigeria is THE place for scams. People being told cirtain mobile nubers can kill if they ring you, men accused of stealing someones penis by shaking his hand etc.

However corruption is rife everywhere it's a byproduct of our capitalist money system. Money is everything nowadays and it has taken its place amoungst our primal drives ( drive for fire,food,shelter,water etc.) so it is not surprising people are so influenced by it and will generally do ANYTHING to get it.


[edit on 1/12/2004 by Corinthas]

US accusing UN of fraud and abuse in dealings with Iraq.

Something reminds me of people in glass houses and stones. Not sure what, though.

Originally posted by FlyersFan They don't want to hear our comments because we point out the obvious ... that they are robbing America blind, and they are a den of theives and murderers. Guess they'll just have to deal with our 'unwelcome comments' - and hopefully our INVESTIGATION
into their massive corruption and subsequent halting of our tax
money into their organization as well.

They're robbing you blind?
US contributions to the UN, both assesed and voluntary, are $3 billion per year.
www.state.gov...

That includes contributions to programs like UNICEF, World Food Program, the IAEA, the WHO, the peacekeeping contributions and the regular budget.

By comparison, Israel usually get $2.5 - $3 billion per year in foreign aid from the US.
lugar.senate.gov...
What does Israel do for the world?

The costs of the war in Iraq that Bush is waging is costing more per month than the UN gets from the US in an entire year. Bush is robbing the US blind with his war.

There are 192 countries in the world and yet we pay 25% of total U.N. expenses. However, when we complain about outrageous behavior like this, or about serious anti-American bias or their weak-responses to easily identifiable evil behavior�well then the "America is a bully" rant starts.

Dissolve the U.N. today! Form the League of Democracies and ignore what thugs and dictators want.

Originally posted by FlyersFan
No it's not. We are fully paid up (unfortunately).

TV News is now saying that The New York Times and the
Washington Post today have both called for Annan to resign.

We don't pay our debts. We don't respect other countries. Our weakening economy and overtaxed military assures that we are no longer the 'superpower' we once were. Why should anyone listen to us? When have we listened to anyone else?

Source: UN Documents

The following graph illustrates the total debt of all member states to the UN as well as the total debt of the US. As the US continues not to pay UN contributions in full, the US is responsible for approximately half of the UN debt.
Global Policy.org