Posted on 11/07/2005 12:18:39 AM PST by nickcarraway
New York, November 6: With his report on Iraqi oil deals creating a political storm in India, its author Paul Volcker, in a startling revelation, has said he agreed to change the language that referred to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan's son Kojo's business dealings.
Volcker, who investigated allegations of corruption in the UN's USD 64 billion Iraqi oil-for food programme, said he had no idea how much the 18-month probe would expose the vulnerabilities of the world body and how close he would come to toppling the Secretary-General as its leader.
"It had that potential from the start," Volcker said in an interview to Los Angeles Times. But when it came to the moment when he realized that Annan's job hung on his words, "I felt uncomfortably," he said.
The daily said that the U.N. Chief and his lawyer asked Volcker to change the language about business dealings by Kojo Annan that they thought could force his father's resignation, hours before the publication of the draft forward of the report in September. Volcker agreed. "It was merely a part of the due process," he was quoted as saying.
Before releasing the September report on Annan, Volcker met with the U.N. Chief and his lawyer to discuss the harsh conclusion.
"The wording we had was that Annan's performance did not meet the standards of the United Nations," Volcker said, adding "And there was more, along the same vein."
These investigations, be they of the U.N. or of our elected officails are worthless. Annan should have been booted out on his sorry posterior. Instead the person tasked with uncovering the criminality, himself commited an act of cover-up.
Just damn! I've had a certain amount of respect for Volker over the years. Now he's just facilitated the continued service of a man who has presided over a number of scandles within the U.N.
What does a person have to do, to actually get drummed out of office in any govenrment body?
Nothing like a corrupt investigator investigating a corrupt organization.
"What does a person have to do, to actually get drummed out of office in any govenrment body?"
Well, that depends.
Congress, it's still being caught with a live boy or dead girl, depending on the district.
The federal civil service, it'd definitely have to involve a shooting. And then it'd take months of CSC review.
The UN, well, that would involve molesting the pets of the Trilateral Commission President, or Bilderbergers' Chairman. And that's assuming they weren't damaged goods already. And that you were on official UN business at the time. And that the Security Council was kinda unhappy with you to begin with. And that you hadn't spread them a little dough behind the scenes to keep it fair.
Sounds like a question for Scooter Libby.
This is pathetic. Voelker should be brought up on charges.
"Harsh Conclusion"
What a joke.....Volcker's report was a white wash....
A Harsh Conclusion - would have been to report the TRUTH, ALL the truth...
Volcker was about as ineffective as was Ken Starr in his big opportunity to do the right thing...
They both failed....
Semper Fi
Well, that depends.
Congress, it's still being caught with a live boy or dead girl, depending on the district.
Unless your name is Kennedy...
Whoa....
It's one thing to strongly suspect that Volcker was just another corrupt political hack who did a standard political whitewash of a multi-billion dollar ripoff, but it's another thing to read his own admission. I will be interested to see what Norm Coleman has to say about this. We need to get out of the UN and get the UN out of this country NOW.
This is un-friggin-believable.
Maybe. But part of me thinks that if Teddy had been found with Mark Joseph Kopechne and they had been together in the same circumstances (drinking, philandering rumors) things might have been different back then. I'm with you, generally, even then, even in Massachusetts, once old Joe got ahold of him, I like to imagine ol' Chappaquiddick Fats would have been hanging out with Rose on the weekends, making that bub-bu-bu-buh sound with their lips.
When Volcker actually comes out and admit he's done this, it means the Kofi squad running the UN have 100% faith in their control of the organization, to the point where it just doesn't matter. So what? Annan will still be sending his kids to Nice and the Hamptons on American taxpayers' money. What do they care?!?! The GOP will fund them next year anyway.
Hmmm...."I'll take "Any Bush Republican who said the name Valerie Flame in the 21st century for $1000 , Alex.".....
bttt
It's mighty strange that he'd admit this at this point...what effect does he believe admitting that Annan's talking him into changing the wording and then releasing the wording likely to have on Annan?
Well my friends let’s keep it Real.
The UN is not a “government body”.
The UN is more of a “business” along the lines of La Cosa Nostra.
Speak out against racist "diversity" programs and refuse to attend re-education camp?
As I said a long time ago, while the investigation was about to be finished, I noticed that Volcker was wearing
new expensive suites where as when he started the investigation he was wearing suits that barely fit and looked like off the rack to me. That's when I thought that somebody had gotten to him. I would almost bet that his bank account has swelled a bit too.
"The wording we had was that Annan's performance did not meet the standards of the United Nations," Volcker said, adding "And there was more, along the same vein."
Yah, pretty weak tea, there, Pauly. Outrageous.
"I will be interested to see what Norm Coleman has to say about this. We need to get out of the UN and get the UN out of this country NOW."
Ditto. And Paul V, also (after he's investigated).
So, how, exactly, did Annan "force" Volker??? Threats? Money? Shame in Paris? What? There ought to be more on this- maybe later?
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