PING!
Posted on 07/27/2006 4:18:52 PM PDT by GMMAC
Kofi Annan, half-cocked
National Post
Thursday, July 27, 2006
On May 7, 1999, during the Kosovo war, the U.S. military mistakenly bombed the Chinese embassy in Belgrade, killing three Chinese journalists. Like the rest of the world, United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan was "shocked and distressed" by the incident. But neither he nor any other impartial observer alleged the killings were deliberate. In war, horrible accidents happen. Even the most technologically advanced military in the world, using guided munitions, can send a bomb to the wrong address and kill innocent people.
Fast forward seven years to a similar incident. On Tuesday, Israel's military accidentally struck a UN observer post in southern Lebanon, killing four soldiers, one of them Canadian. As with the Belgrade bombing, this tragedy should have been prevented: Israel had been warned of the UN presence in the area; in fact, Israeli officers had been in communication with their UN counterparts earlier in the day. But in the fog of war, a commander made a tragic mistake. The Israeli government properly apologized and promised a thorough investigation.
But here's the difference: In response to this week's events, Mr. Annan jumped to the phobic conclusion that the Israeli attack on the UN was "apparently deliberate." Mr. Annan did not explain what Israeli troops -- embroiled in fighting against Hezbollah -- would possibly gain by murdering innocent blue-helmeted bystanders. Nevertheless, his comments instantly were broadcast around the world, generating a propaganda victory for Hezbollah and its supporters.
Mr. Annan's comment is appalling: Unlike Israel's military strike, it was not made amid the confusion and stress of war, but in an air-conditioned office on Manhattan's east side. Moreover, it now seems that the Secretary-General made his remarks in complete ignorance of circumstances on the ground. According to a blog maintained by the deceased Canadian peacekeeper, reported on in today's Post, Hezbollah maintained an active presence in the immediate vicinity of the UN base. Israeli troops tracking incoming Hezbollah fire may well have identified the building itself as the source of mortars or rockets.
Such cowardly tactics would, of course, be entirely in keeping with Hezbollah's practices. In recent days, Jan Egeland -- the UN head of humanitarian affairs and no friend of Israel -- accused Hezbollah of "cowardly blending" with the civilian population. Next time, Mr. Annan might want to listen to his own subordinate before he puts his thoughts in press-release form.
The UN Secretary-General may believe that his strong language is justified by his mandate to protect those who wear the UN uniform. But in fact, he has undermined the United Nations in a critical way. Israelis already had every reason to believe the UN was biased against the Jewish state, courtesy of decades of one-sided anti-Israel resolutions. Now, just as Mr. Annan is trying to convince the world that UN peacekeepers are up to the job of protecting the Lebanon-Israel border, we get fresh evidence of this familiar animus.
By going off half-cocked, Mr. Annan has added a bitter political residue to this human tragedy. Just as Israel apologized for its deadly error, Mr. Annan owes Israel an apology for his baseless smear.
© National Post 2006
PING!
Throw the bum out.
On May 7, 1999, during the Kosovo war, the U.S. military mistakenly bombed the Chinese embassy in Belgrade, killing three Chinese journalists
us military is read " bill clinton", that is the only reason there was no blame cast.
We'll accept his resignation and prison term (for Oil-For-Food), too.
He's owes them way more than an apology.
Just D@mn!
Creative cartoon.
LOL!
So has the UN gotten around to getting their people out yet or are they hoping for some more propaganda casualties?
But they weren't bystanders.
I am not so sure it was a mistake.
But it fits the way liberals would bomb something.No collateral damage, single aircraft, and no court marshall or hearing on pilot error? ( The pilot knew what he was to bomb!
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http://www.wsws.org/articles/1999/dec1999/chin-d01.shtml *************************************************
The November 28 edition of Britain's Observer newspaper presented fresh evidence to back up its claim that the May 7 NATO bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade was deliberate.
In an article entitled "Truth Behind America's Raid on Belgrade", the newspaper stated that far from being a blunder, "the pinpoint accuracy of the attack was in fact a deadly signal to Milosevic: seek outside help in Kosovo at your peril".
The November 28 Observer reports that the bombing of the Chinese embassy was carried out by a US B2 bomber that flew from Whiteman air force base in Missouri. It released what the Observer describes as "the most accurate air-drop munitions in the world—the JDAM flying bomb". The JDAM is accurate to a range of less than two metres, the newspaper notes. It uses four adjustable fins to control its position, which is in turn continually checked and rechecked by fixes from seven satellites.
The bombing was so precise that it demolished the office of the military attaché, killing three people, while leaving the embassy's northern end untouched, which included the front entrance. A senior NATO air force officer is quoted as saying, “far from not knowing the target was an embassy, they must have been given architect's drawings.”
Kofi is a disgrace to the civilized world . How can anybody take him or the UN serious after the OIL for FOOD scandal . . . I wonder if Donald Trump could do something else with that big building . The city of New York should claim eminent domain on the property and put something useful there . Like a Hooters or Starbucks .
I get the impression they knew exactly what was going on, but couldn't say anything about it.
That is the absolute power of the UN.
*shudder*
Would've been kinda hard to miss...
They weren't bystanders...but what were they?? WHY WERE THEY THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE?? It is beyond my poor power on understanding why anyone from the UN would be in a WAR ZONE? If ever there was a time to expose this corrupt overblown and completely inept organization...it is now. It does nothing but evil things and takes money from all.
rumors are that there was a piece of the F117 that got shot down in that section of the embassy....
How the guy manages to keep his job.....
It isnt half cocked if the UN post was filled with Katyuskah rockets stored on behalf of Hezbollah.
WELL now, I think that picture says it all as to why Kofi Anus won't be apologizing any time soon.
"You are either with US, or you are with the TERRORISTS!"
WELL Kofi?
Which is it, eh asswipe?
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