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WSJ: Sex for Food -- Kofi Annan's Abu Ghraib -- and what he hasn't done about it
Wall Street Journal ^ | December 29, 2004 | Editorial

Posted on 12/29/2004 5:58:16 AM PST by OESY

Two years after the charges first surfaced, Kofi Annan has finally admitted that U.N. peacekeeping troops sexually abused war refugees in the Democratic Republic of Congo. "I am really shocked by these accusations," the United Nations Secretary-General told reporters last week.

He shouldn't be. Allegations of sex crimes committed by U.N. staff and troops date back at least a decade and span operations on three continents, in places like Kosovo, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Cambodia. But rather than showing the kind of "zero tolerance" toward sexual crimes that Mr. Annan now promises, the U.N. has treated such instances with cavalier nonchalance.

In Congo, some 150 cases are under investigation. The charges range from rape, in which some victims were children, to sexual exploitation. In some cases, women and young girls have been coaxed into sex in exchange for essential food items. A French U.N. staffer was arrested for raping underage girls and taking digital pictures of them. He has been sent back home where he will stand trial.

U.N. officials reportedly are worried that if these pictures and other rape videos allegedly shot by U.N. troops find their way into the media, it could become the U.N.'s "Abu Ghraib." The difference, of course, is that the abuses in Iraq came quickly to light through the chain of command and were immediately prosecuted by the U.S. military. In contrast, the U.N. is investigating the cases in Congo only after much delay and even now is unwilling to "name and shame" the countries whose soldiers committed these crimes.

(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Editorial; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: abughraib; annan; billions; cambodia; crime; dildo; france; fraud; gongo; kofi; kojoannan; kosovo; liberia; onu; scandal; sex; sexscandal; sierraleone; un; uncorruption; unfailures; unitednations; unoutofus; unoutofusnow; unsexscandal; unsexscandals; usoutofun
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As the UN's CEO, Kofi Annan is responsible for everything the U.N. does or fails to do. Added to his Oil-For-Food scandal, these charges bring new evidence that it is time for him to go.
1 posted on 12/29/2004 5:58:18 AM PST by OESY
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To: OESY

When the top of the heap is corrupt, what can one expect from the troops?

UN...ADIOS M. F.'s in 2005.


2 posted on 12/29/2004 5:59:24 AM PST by HMFIC (US Marines, you yell, we shell.)
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To: OESY
Didn't they get the memo?
The UN only wants money!

But then again, it sounds like a perfect job for Bill Clinton.


3 posted on 12/29/2004 6:03:05 AM PST by darkwing104 (Let's get dangerous)
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To: OESY
Will Kojo Annan be newly employed?

4 posted on 12/29/2004 6:04:12 AM PST by alessandrofiaschi
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To: OESY

It's what leadership is all about, or not all about.


5 posted on 12/29/2004 6:04:28 AM PST by tkathy (Ban all religious head garb.)
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To: MeekOneGOP; superskunk; Libertina
PING!
6 posted on 12/29/2004 6:05:31 AM PST by alessandrofiaschi
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To: OESY

If we stingy Americans would pay more taxes the UN could afford hookers for these people. We should be ashamed.


7 posted on 12/29/2004 6:07:16 AM PST by Conspiracy Guy (Pray for the millions of lives disrupted by tsunami.)
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To: OESY
NO NO NO!

It's "Abu GrabMe"

ABU GRABME!

ABU GRABME!

ABU GRABMYOIL!

ABU KOJO GRABMYMONEY

/serious sarcasm

8 posted on 12/29/2004 6:08:43 AM PST by xcamel (Deep Red, stuck in a "bleu" state.)
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To: HMFIC

Freeper Arty Bn, standing by for firing orders SIR!

All btry's reporting in and standing by to fire the


ZOT


9 posted on 12/29/2004 6:10:22 AM PST by TMSuchman (American by birth,rebel by choice, MARINE BY GOD!)
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To: OESY

U.N.-fit,
U.N.-ethical,
U.N.-accountable,
U.N.-lawfull,
U.N.-needed,
U.N.-wanted,

anyone care to continue expanding this list of what we think of the Coffee A NO NO's criminal gang?


10 posted on 12/29/2004 6:10:49 AM PST by SandRat (Duty, Honor, Country. What else needs to be said?)
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To: OESY
"U.N. officials reportedly are worried that if these pictures and other rape videos allegedly shot by U.N. troops find their way into the media, it could become the U.N.'s "Abu Ghraib." The difference, of course, is that the abuses in Iraq came quickly to light, but the MSM does not want the public to be fully informed about the nefarious activities of the UN.
11 posted on 12/29/2004 6:11:28 AM PST by Bahbah
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To: OESY

Yet this S.O.B. stands up there on his high horse and condems the U.S. every chance he gets.


12 posted on 12/29/2004 6:12:24 AM PST by clyde260 (Public Enemy #1: Network News!)
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To: TMSuchman

Location: Turtle Bay, NY

TOT: NOW!

Object: Big Building full of bureaucrats more useless than a condom with the tip cut off.

Why: It needs to be done.

Level of response: Fire for Effect.

Cease Fire time: NEVER.

All batteries fire at will.


13 posted on 12/29/2004 6:14:04 AM PST by HMFIC (US Marines, you yell, we shell.)
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To: OESY

Why can the UN dirty pix be kept confidential, but the US investigations are leakier than a cheese-cloth canteen?

Because the UN is a totalitarian world government.


14 posted on 12/29/2004 6:16:32 AM PST by sam_paine (X .................................)
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To: HMFIC

Roger that!

Standy for Bn 50, HE,PD FUSE 0 DELAY,CHARGE 8....

Then standby for silver bullet orders!


STAND BY.............











FIRE!!!!










15 posted on 12/29/2004 6:20:16 AM PST by TMSuchman (American by birth,rebel by choice, MARINE BY GOD!)
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To: OESY

I prefer that he stay and we go. Also, let them move to Bruge or Bern.


16 posted on 12/29/2004 6:22:27 AM PST by steve8714
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To: OESY

Yeah, but at least they didn't put pink panties on their heads.


17 posted on 12/29/2004 7:15:47 AM PST by mtbopfuyn
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To: SandRat

U.N.-worthy
U.N.-trustworthy
U.N.-clean
U.N.-derhanded
U.N.-believable
U.N.-scrupulous
U.N.-substantial


18 posted on 12/29/2004 7:22:57 AM PST by mtbopfuyn
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To: OESY

Still waiting for Kofi and Kojo to be "frog-marched" (wasn't that the word??) out of the UN and locked up in one of Sadaam's old prisons!!


19 posted on 12/29/2004 7:27:10 AM PST by Polyxene (For where God built a church, there the Devil would also build a chapel - Martin Luther)
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To: Conspiracy Guy

ROFLMAO!!!!!!!!


20 posted on 12/29/2004 7:51:09 AM PST by logic ("All that is required for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing......")
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