Come Clean, Kofi

opinionjournal.com ^ | Wednesday, November 17, 2004 | CLAUDIA ROSETT

[Ginifer]

With estimates soaring of graft and fraud under the United Nations Oil for Food program in Iraq, we are hearing a lot about the need to "get to the bottom" of this scandal, the biggest ever to hit the U.N. To get to that bottom will need a much harder look at the top--where Secretary-General Kofi Annan himself resides.

That violates all sorts of taboos. But so, one might suppose, does a United Nations that allowed Saddam Hussein to embezzle at least $21.3 billion in oil money during 12 years, with the great bulk of that sum--a staggering $17.3 billion--pilfered between 1997-2003, on Mr. Annan's watch.

These are the record-breaking new estimates released Monday by the Senate's Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, whose staffers, despite Mr. Annan's refusal to cooperate, have spent the past seven months voyaging deep into the muck of Oil for Food. At a hearing Monday, these investigators surfaced to tell us the theft and fraud under Oil for Food was at least twice as bad as earlier reports had suggested, and that all this is just a preview of yet more appalling disclosures they expect to release early next year. Sen. Norm Coleman, the subcommittee's chairman, underscored the urgency of such investigations, noting not only that the size of the fraud "is staggering," but that some of Saddam's vast illicit stash might right now be funding terrorists and costing American lives.

[Piquaboy]

There isn't enought soap in the world for that to happen.

[bikepacker67]

Go get him Norm!

This guy's a bulldog, who won't let this just slip into oblivion.

[HankReardon]

Get the United Nations out of New York. Or is "Keep your friends close but keep your enemies closer" to be applied here?

[sidegunner]

(...friends close and your enemy closer)
I know another way to deal with enemies...and it does not include keeping them close.

[Mister Baredog]

NOTE; The UN scandal is soooo important the LA Slimes wrote about it in a small article on page 8 after this weeks senate hearing unveiled the over $21 billion stolen by them and their buddy Saddam. Liberals love the UN, they will do all they can to PROTECT their precious tar-baby.

[maryz]

I feel like such a dope -- and have been since this came out. When Annan fought so hard to keep the oil-for-food scam going after we toppled Saddam, I just thought it was bureaucratic self-aggrandizement and the administration fee (which as I recall was pretty hefty, even without the "perks"!).

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Norm's a Hawkeye. Gotta like him.

[sheik yerbouty]

Anan has a future handing out towels..

[drpix]

JUST ONE MORE SCENE IN "PIRATES OF THE U.N."

[drpix]

Wrong Image

[BJungNan]

Two more good articles on this Senate vs. the U.N and Kofi and Jojo

[KC_Conspirator]

Annan needs to be fired and held accountable. Why is he not jailed in the Hague?

[Doogle]

it ain't gonna happen


Doogle

[rang1995]

this is soooooo big why oh why isn't the MSM harping on this??

[ruready4eternity]

IMPEACEMENT IMPEACHMENT! Get this dirty money grumbling basta*D coled blooded killer out of there. Off to the Hague WORLD COURT-the very court He wants all the "village" to be judged in.

[lilylangtree]

Yeah, Kofi, speak up! We can't hear you.

[wizardoz]

I know another way to deal with enemies...and it does not include keeping them close.

Let's compromise and just BURY them real close.

[GailA]

MASTER LIST UN OIL/SEX FOR FOOD SCANDALS

[RWR8189]

As is the blood of the million Rwandans that died because his negligence, this is on his hands as well.