Posted on 12/15/2004 7:14:11 PM PST by nypokerface
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy, visiting the United Nations, cautioned his Congressional colleagues to "take a deep breath" before making a political football out of the world body by withholding dues.
Leahy, a Vermont Democrat, said he disapproved of moves by several Republicans to withhold U.S. payments unless the world body fully cooperates with Congressional probes into the oil-for-food scandal in Iraq.
"I think we ought to take a deep breath. This is not a time to make a political football out of the U.N.," Leahy told reporters after seeing U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan. "We need them in the Sudan. We need them throughout parts of Africa ... in Iraq, in Haiti."
Leahy was the third Democratic legislator in a week to offer support to Annan at the United Nations, following Rep. Tom Lantos of California and Sen. Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts.
"I've talked with not only the Secretary of State (Colin Powell) but the incoming secretary of state (Condoleezza Rice) about this. I know that they support the secretary-general. I do too," Leahy said.
Several legislators have called for Annan's resignation, saying he was the chief U.N. executive during the life of the oil-for-food program, now under investigation.
"The broader question is not what one or two individual senators think but to continue with investigations underway," Leahy said.
In his talks with Annan, Leahy said he mainly spoke of a fund he had established in Congress for victims of war crimes and genocide in hopes a similar project could be created internationally.
Leahy recalled a bitter fight over U.S. arrears to the United Nations, which in late 2000 resulted in a deal that lowered U.S. payments.
"Let us not get back to way it was a few years ago when the Congress of the United States, with antipathy toward the U.N., not only damaged the U.N. but damaged the interests of the United States."
The United Nations is being blamed for an estimated $10.7 billion in illegal revenues that Saddam Hussein collected while the now-defunct oil for food program was in force, from late 1993 until 2003. The program allowed Iraq to sell oil and buy civilian goods in order to ease the impact of sanctions.
>>Leahy was the third Democratic legislator in a week to offer support to Annan at the United Nations, following Rep. Tom Lantos of California and Sen. Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts. <<
Leahy stepped right up beside the other COMMUNIST SUPPORTING SONSABITCHES. Hurrah, come on traitors, get on up there and hold hands. Show your support for communism and one of these days justice will befall on you.
Leahy, step aside, and let the big boys take care of the problems with the UN.
Totally corrupt, totally vulnerable to future graft, totally inefective!
May the UN rest in Peace!
wasn't it more like 20 billion?
Leahy was the third Democratic legislator in a week to offer support to Annan at the United Nations, following Rep. Tom Lantos of California and Sen. Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts.
Screw Leahy and teh rest of the Socialist Clique, Annan and the rest of the UN are all in Bed together. The idea is to undermine the Constitutional Republic of the US and replace it with the European Socialist Government!!
We are being sold down the River!
Of course the liberals would like to have the UN around. If the UN is disbanded, where else will the democrats ask permission when they wanted to use our troops.
If these guy would have their way, Kofi Annan will be calling the shots and Kojo will be pocketing all the loose change.
Anything that Leahy, Lantos, and Kennedy are in agreement on is bad for America.
Our plea is likely a futile one.
But at least we can stand up and make it.
No, Senator L, YOU TAKE A DEEP BREATH while explaining the complicity in the Senate over the UN's AMERICA hating and AMERICA DESTROYIN activities for the last 50 years!
You take a deep breath, Senator as you begin to tell us how many Senators are going to resign in shame over their part in the treasonous activities.
IDIOTS, ALL.
I think that taking a deep breath anywhere near the UN would be a very, very bad idea.
(But then so would taking a deep breath near these Senators.)
Saddam like any leader was attempting to lift the sanction off his country, and was building alliances with major countries on the UN security council, who promised to help convince the US, and England to lift such sanction. The question here is how did the Clinton administration APPROVE of these deals? As the people who are well informed about the actual bribing scheme keep saying that all was approved by the US; hence why our media refuse to question the man in charge of the US at that time?
Uh, Senator,
The Vice President has an important message for you.
Again.
Ever heard of Mark Rich?
Eff Ewe Leahy! You Communist swill...
It's natural for the Demo Rats to support Annan and the international socialist cause. They have a lot in common: corrupt demogogues who oppose free market capitalism. The UN is worse than useless. Karl Marx would love it.
You nailed it.
Since when does Leahy speak for the people of the United States, he only speaks for the socialists of Vermont.
"You take a deep breath, Senator as you begin to tell us how many Senators are going to resign in shame over their part in the treasonous activities."
Good shot. I'll bet you're right.
...and then huff and puff and blow their house down.
"Leaky Leahy," who was caught red-handed passing national security secrets to the Sandinista communists in Nicaragua, and was kicked off the intell committee in disgrace? That one?
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