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U.N.'S UNFINISHED BUSINESS
New York Post ^ | 11/07/04

Posted on 11/07/2004 11:49:48 AM PST by kattracks

The prospect of a potential John Kerry presidency having been laid mercifully to rest, it is now time to cast a gimlet eye on unfinished business elsewhere — say, the U.N.'s now-infamous Oil-for-Food scandal.

It now comes to light that Benon Sevan — a central figure in the multi-billion-dollar rip-off — has a history of running other U.N. ventures with questionable management and financial procedures

Apparently U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan felt "experience" was the critical factor in assigning someone to run the Oil-for-Food program.

If so, he certainly hit the motherlode with his deputy — and good buddy — Sevan, who ran a relief operation for Afghanistan beginning in the 1980s.

Later U.N. audits discovered that the program was riddled with waste, fraud and abuse. Millions of dollars vanished either through gross incompetence or sticky-fingered criminality.

Sound familiar?

Actually, it sounds like Sevan wrote the manual for fishy U.N. programs.

Far from suffering any career consequences for this clear example of mismanagement, Sevan instead lived the classic bureaucrat's dream: He failed upward!

[snip]

Sevan is, of course, a personal favorite of Kofi Annan — whose own son, probably not coincidentally, is also up to his neck in the Oil-for-Food shenanigans.

Corruption, it seems, is not merely "tolerated" at the United Nations, it is practically encouraged — if not amply rewarded. For his part, Sevan has kept his mouth shut, holed up in his Cyprus home for months while the Oil-for-Food scandal has simmered and the Paul Volcker-led independent panel continues its inquiry at a glacial pace.

No surprise, of course: There may be no honor among thieves, but there is definitely a code of silence.


(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Editorial; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: napalminthemorning; oilforfood; religionofpeace; sevan; un; wot

1 posted on 11/07/2004 11:49:49 AM PST by kattracks
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To: kattracks

>>>The prospect of a potential John Kerry presidency having been laid mercifully to rest, it is now time to cast a gimlet eye on unfinished business elsewhere — say, the U.N.'s now-infamous Oil-for-Food scandal.

The Kerry issue should not be laid to rest. He has POWs, MIAs and remains of the soldiers to answer to.

He sold their blood for political gain.

Don't ever forget.


2 posted on 11/07/2004 11:55:13 AM PST by Calpernia (Breederville.com)
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To: kattracks
Unfinished Business?

To take the focus off the Oil for Food scandal, they will come back after us and after our personally owned firearms. That's okay. Sooner or later, America will come to know that the UN is nothing more than an abettor to those who wish our total destruction and we'll have to deal with this. Bring it on.

3 posted on 11/07/2004 11:56:34 AM PST by ExSoldier (When the going gets tough, the tough go cyclic.)
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To: kattracks

Kerry should not be allowed to return to the Senate. Charges should be filed, an Investigation completed and if necessary a Trial be held. No way should this man be allowed to return to the Senate until this has been done and he is either cleared or convicted !! Time to Freep the Congress for the Vets.

The people of the US were allegedly led to believe that the Vietnam Veterans were "Reminiscent of the Scourge of Genghis Kahn, Murders, Rapist .... " The US Government allegedly, was wrongfully pressured into an agreement with our enimies by the VVAW an organization headed by John Kerry.

We cannot turn our backs on our Vietnam Veterans, by our own hands, they have suffered enormously. Thank You for Your Service is not enough. The people who may be responsible must answer for their actions.


4 posted on 11/07/2004 12:08:59 PM PST by 26lemoncharlie (Defending America)
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To: kattracks
I read an interesting comment in a book recently: The author wondered why there had been no public financial scandals at the UN-considering the fact even the smallest city in almost any part of the world has had at least 2 or 3 such scandals. How, the author wondered sardonically,had the UN managed to escape ?

The villain in this book was a former UN insider, who had made a huge fortune,and accumulated enormous political clout by providing discreet money laundering for the "Five Per-Centers" who dip their beaks into most aid programs run by the UN.

I got the feeling the author knew exactly what he was talking about, and I was reminded immediately of GEORGE SOROS and the QUANTUM FUND.

(Incidentally,when I think of Soros,another shadowy organization comes to mind : Die Broderbund. )

5 posted on 11/07/2004 12:09:12 PM PST by genefromjersey (So much to flame;so little time !)
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To: genefromjersey

Gene, what book? I would be interested in reading it. Thank you.


6 posted on 11/07/2004 12:13:22 PM PST by Calpernia (Breederville.com)
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To: kattracks

Oil For Food was the tip of the iceberg.


7 posted on 11/07/2004 12:14:10 PM PST by mewzilla
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To: kattracks

I told ya'll that Saddam buys Annans suits and ya thought I was kidding, didn't ya.


8 posted on 11/07/2004 12:23:30 PM PST by MissAmericanPie
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To: marajade

IMO it's not about a matter of degree, it's about a culture of entitlement.


9 posted on 11/07/2004 12:47:22 PM PST by Carry_Okie (There are people in power who are truly stupid.)
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To: Calpernia
There's a book out, called "Emergency Sex and Other Desperate Measures: A true Story from Hell on Earth" Click here for more on it. I think it's what your looking for, if, your wanting to see some of the dark underbelly of the U.N..
10 posted on 11/07/2004 1:26:31 PM PST by Issaquahking (Hat trick! Bush won, Dasshole dethroned, Arafat "trying" to remain dead. Can't wait for next week!)
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To: Carry_Okie

Going to a King's game in Sacto has nothing to do with entitlement.


11 posted on 11/07/2004 1:46:01 PM PST by marajade
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To: Carry_Okie

Oops wrong thread... why did you ping me to this thread?


12 posted on 11/07/2004 1:46:52 PM PST by marajade
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To: marajade
Going to a King's game in Sacto has nothing to do with entitlement.

A fancy do in a corporate luxury box does.

13 posted on 11/07/2004 2:39:04 PM PST by Carry_Okie (There are people in power who are truly stupid.)
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To: marajade
Oops wrong thread... why did you ping me to this thread?

No, right thread, and it's most telling that you didn't get it. It's about corruption that arises out of a culture of entitlement.

14 posted on 11/07/2004 2:40:30 PM PST by Carry_Okie (There are people in power who are truly stupid.)
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To: Calpernia

Cal, I don't remember the name. (I read a lot !)


15 posted on 11/07/2004 3:57:14 PM PST by genefromjersey (So much to flame;so little time !)
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To: Calpernia
Well said, Calpernia. We'll never forget. But Kattracks has a good point that investigating the Oil for Food program should be a necessary endeavor. Dig deep enough and who knows what will pop up.
16 posted on 11/07/2004 4:10:05 PM PST by BIGLOOK (I once opposed keelhauling but have recently come to my senses.)
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To: 26lemoncharlie
Kerry should not be allowed to return to the Senate...

Return to the Senate?

The irony is that in twenty plus years the SOB has hardly put in an appearance in The Senate.

17 posted on 11/07/2004 10:35:36 PM PST by Wil H
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