UN inspectors 'spent their days drinking' [Iraq]

The Telegraph (UK) ^ | 2/16/05 | Francis Harris

[television is just wrong]

Disban the U.N. finally!!! I've been hearing this since I was a small child. DO IT.

[timydnuc]

Does this surprise ANYONE here? Hey, I think the UN inspectors on the issue of WMD did the same. When the truth comes out the left is.....shocked I tell you, just shocked!

What and incediable bunch of idiots!

[piasa]

Do you know anyone who has a subscription to the NY Sun?

Contracts Chief Shown To Be Annan Son's Main Cotecna Tie
...the Cotecna staff generally were well aware of Kojo Annan's paternal connection to the UN On November 17, 1997, one Cotecna official based in Niger, where Kojo ...
www.nysun.com/article/6076 - Similar pages

[Cindy]

Thank you piasa for the ping.
I don't have a subscription to the NY Sun.

[bvw]

Well, what does Sean Hannity say about all of this?

Does he even drink?

[piasa]

Nevermind, I found out what it said:

http://64.233.161.104/search?q=cache:GTxrWT9iziUJ:www.defenddemocracy.org/in_the_media/in_the_media_show.htm%3Fdoc_id%3D252534+%22sent+an+email+in+french+to+Mr.+Pruniaux+in+Geneva,+noting,+%22It%27s+important+that+KA+respect+the+hours+and+rules%22&hl=en

In mid-1997, Kojo Annan proposed that Cotecna create a post of regional marketing director in West Africa and appoint him to the job.

In an inter-office memo, in French, Mr. Pruniaux wrote to a colleague in Geneva, "I am not at all in favor of the creation of a post of 'marketing regional' in Lagos."

There are various signs that the Cotecna staff generally were well aware of Kojo Annan's paternal connection to the U.N. On November 17, 1997, one Cotecna official based in Niger, where Kojo Annan was staying at a company guest house, sent an email in French to Mr. Pruniaux in Geneva, noting, "It's important that KA respect the hours and rules of the liaison office" because "laxity on his/our part" would lead the local staff, given his background, to ask, "Why him and not us?"

Looks like Koja Annan was in Niger in a Cotecna guest house on November 17, 1997 when a Cotecna official emailed Pruniaux complaining about Kojo Annan dropping in on them at odd hours, etc.

[Fedora]

Thanks. I don't think I'd heard about that, but as an aside I found this looking it up:

IRAQ UPDATE: November 19-27, 2003

Kathie Namphy, Cliff Kindy and Matt Chandler went with the delegation to al Mansour pediatric hospital in Baghdad. They met with an administrator who explained the extreme difficulties suffered by their hospital and the medical system in Iraq. The hospital has only about 10% of the medication it needs, and most of this is supplied by NGOs. They also are struggling with shortages of staff, doctors, equipment, computers, and files. The hospital has seen a sharp rise in the number of leukemia and other cancer cases in recent years, but they lack the research capacity to determine the cause of these cancers, particularly regarding whether they are related to the depleted uranium used by US militar.

SNIP

Slater, Milne, and Montgomery leafleted at the Iraqi Assistance Center and the gate of the Coalition Provisional Authority compound. A New York Times reporter interviewed them about the action and CPT Iraq's Campaign to Ensure Justice for Iraqi Detainees.

SNIP

Christian Peacemaker Teams is an initiative of the historic peace churches (Mennonites, Church of the Brethren, and Quakers) with support and membership from a range of Catholic and Protestant denominations. Supporting violence-reduction efforts around the world is its mandate. Contact CPT, POB 6508 Chicago, IL 60680; Telephone: 773-277-0253 Fax: 773-277-0291; e-mail: guest.903627@MennoLink.org.

A while back I read a thread debating similar claims about depleted uranium in Bosnia (Radioactivity Detected in Bosnia Where NATO Used Depleted Uranium Shells). When I read that thread I thought I'd get an opinion on the subject from a friend of mine who used to teach nuclear physics at the CERN lab. Here's his reply, which I pass on as a note of interest:

There is no radioactive risk to speak of from depleted Uranium. . .The risk is far greater with the hundreds of radioactive cesium canisters "misplaced" by Russia and that can be used to make dirty bombs. That's my biggest fear for Al-Qaeda attacks. I think that all Islamic countries should be told that we would retaliate in kind in the event of dirty bombs or biochemical attacks.

[Fedora]

I checked and the Sun doesn't seem to be on the list of newspapers my library allows access to. Glad you found the part you were looking for, though. Interesting find.

[Seadog Bytes]

...Thanks to Liz

[SunkenCiv]

Bwa ha ha ha...

[SunkenCiv]

[singing] ah low ha oh way, ah low ha oh way...

[sherlocksathome]

I have a friend that works for the U.N.. I decided to pay him a visit there, and find out first hand about this accusation. He said that these persistent stories about U.N. workers sitting around all day long, doing nothing but drinking vodka are nothing but a bunch of vicious lies. I believe he was telling the truth. Matter of fact he was so angry about my question I was afraid he was going to strike me with his empty gin bottle.