Tuesday, December 07, 2004

Annan Digging In

The AP has a story with Kofi Annan's response to Senator Coleman's, among other's, call for his resignation.

"I have quite a lot of work to do and I'm carrying on with my work," Annan said when asked when he would respond to those calling for his resignation. "We have a major agenda next year, and the year ahead, trying to reform this organization. So we'll carry on."

Asked if he was definitely saying he would not resign, Annan replied: "I think you heard my answer."


It's telling that the only ones calling for his resignation are from the United States.

Five Republicans in the House of Representative on Monday backed a call last week by a GOP senator for Annan to resign amid allegations of corruption in the U.N. oil-for-food program. But outside the United States, there is no clamor for the secretary-general's resignation, and he has picked up support from many of the 191 U.N. member states.


Why is that? The Oil-For-Food Scandal has allowed billions of dollars to be siphoned off and gone to Saddam Hussein's palaces, weapons programs, and supported Islamic terrorism, especially in Palestine, and has lined the pockets of officials all over Europe and Asia. Kofi Annan's own son has been found to be one of the ring leaders. All of this has happened either with the cooperation of the Secretary General or at the very least right under his nose. This, obviously, affected the UN's ability to deal with Iraq effectively and to enforce its own resolutions to the point that the US had to go outside of the UN and obtained its own coalition to get the job done.

Now Kofi Annan wants to be the one to reform it all. Why should he have that chance? He's already demonstrated himself to be at best incompetent and at worse a criminal. And look at who's supporting him. EVERYONE ELSE!!! What is this world that we live in? Why isn't every nation clamoring for his resignation? I know we can't be an island in the world and start isolating ourselves again like in the early 20th century, but you can see why people have wanted to. Is this the UN we want to be a part of? Is corruption so commonplace everywhere else, that they can flaunt it now? We have our own corruptions, but at least we don't accept it and when it's found, the public demands payment for the crimes. Until the UN and the rest of the world gets its act together, it will continue to be ineffective in its role and it will be up to us to pick up the slack. It is in our best interest to do whatever is in our power to either reform the UN or get out.

LINKS

Captain's Quareters
Shot In The Dark
American Kestrel