Posted on 12/03/2004 2:51:43 PM PST by kattracks
(CNSNews.com) - Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.) is calling on United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan to step down over the growing U.N. oil-for-food scandal.
Ensign joins Sen. Norm Coleman (R-Minn.), who is heading an investigation into the oil-for-food program in Iraq, in stating Annan should resign.
Ensign told KRNV in Reno, Nev., that while nothing indicates Annan has personally benefited from the scandal, the corruption that has been uncovered took place on his watch, and he should be held accountable.
"Billions of dollars intended to aid the Iraqi people through the oil-for-food program were stolen while he was secretary-general," Ensign said. "Kofi Annan must be held accountable."
Ensign added that it is a clear conflict of interest for Annan to continue leading the organization while the investigation continues.
The senator said that the money Saddam Hussein received for the oil-for-food program was illegally used to rearm Iraq and in essence is now being used to kill U.S. troops.
Coleman's panel reported last month it has uncovered evidence that Hussein's government raised more than $21 billion in illegal revenue by subverting U.N. sanctions against Iraq, including the oil-for-food program.
Coleman said Annan has stonewalled the investigation and refused to provide his subcommittee access to internal U.N. audits and interviews with U.N. staff members.
Both the State Department and President Bush have called for a full investigation into the scandal.
See Earlier Stories:
Bush Calls for 'Full and Open' Probe of UN Oil-for-Food Program (Dec. 2, 2004)
Senator Wants UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan to Step Down (Dec. 1, 2004)
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I saw Rangel's performance, too. That man is despicable. But he makes me wonder about what Congress knew and when it knew it. There were rumors about corruption in OFF floating around before 2000. So much for Congressional oversight, eh?
U.N. sinking ping!
Not as long as a Pubbie is in the White House; as a permanent member of the Security Council, we have veto power over the recommendation of anyone to the post.
Rolling Rock, please (I know, I'm dreaming, but on the off-chance that someone is held accountable,....)
Which actually improves his chances.
so if annan is dumped, bill clinton takes over?
let's hope for your sake, cyncooper doesn't see your post. lol. ;)
" With the immunity he has no reason to resign and they have no recourse when in comes to supoenas for himself or his papers."
Just speculating but.....if Annan were to be kicked out by UN member nations, he goes home without his diplomatic immunity. We could then charge him and request that he be extradited to the USA. It would be refused but at least he could never visit this country again.
By Arshad Mohammed
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Secretary of State Colin Powell called Kofi Annan a good U.N. secretary-general on Friday after days in which Washington chose not to defend the diplomat against a U.S. senator's demand he resign.
It was unclear whether Powell's comments signaled genuine support for Annan, who is under fire over suspected corruption in the U.N.'s now-defunct Iraq oil-for-food humanitarian program, or simply aimed to soften the widespread impression that Washington has no great desire to back the U.N. chief.
"Secretary-General Annan is a good secretary-general and the United States has tried to support him and the United Nations in every way that we can," Powell told Reuters.
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=615&u=/nm/20041203/pl_nm/un_powell_dc&printer=1
If it does, then I'll buy everyone on this thread a beer!
OK...now I'll join this thread! :)
Why Annan still in UN ?
I needed to post on this thread...just in case...I never miss a chance for free beer.
Beer bump
Well, I don't think that the city public works crews in NY should have to scrape a pile of communist crap off of the street. Let Kofi go home and jump from one of his own country's buildings. He might even survive the fall.
Kofi Annan's head should be on a spike.
Annans son was the family money launder'er...
For probably much more than Sadaam contributed too..
A bribe here, a little graft there, a gratutity or two, can add up into some real money.. I can hear Kofi now.."THEY ALL DO IT".. and he would be right too...
ONE SHOT, ONE KILL
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