Annan: US, UK Also Bear Blame in Oil, Food Scandal

Yahoo Reuters ^

[Dominick]

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said on Thursday the United States and Britain bore part of the blame in the Iraq oil-for-food debacle by allowing unsupervised oil exports that Saddam Hussein exploited.

Annan, addressing a seminar on the United Nations and the media, said most of the money Saddam earned was by oil sold to Jordan and Turkey outside of the $67 billion U.N. program.

Only countries like the United States and Britain had interdiction forces that could have stopped it. But he said they "decided to close their eyes to Turkey and Jordan because they are allies."

[Quilla]

No truer words sir.

[DB]

Summary: It's your fault because you didn't stop us...

[Sthitch]

You are right Kofi, we made some mistakes, but we rectified them by liberating the Iraqi's, when will you make amends for your failures dissolve your useless organization?

[George Smiley]

U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said on Thursday the United States and Britain bore part of the blame in the Iraq oil-for-food debacle by allowing unsupervised oil exports that Saddam Hussein exploited.

EXCUSE ME?

It was the UN Oil-for-Food Programme, not the
"US Oil-for-Food Programme" or
"UK Oil-for-Food Programme".

And what was the percentage off the top that the UN was getting paid to MANAGE it????

Editorial comment: If I had cojones like that, I'd need a wheelbarrow.

[Rummyfan]

Right, Kofi, everyone's responsible. Everyone, of course, except you.

He's been exonerated don't you know? And hell no, he won't resign! Why are we even sending a representative to this moral cesspool? Kick these free-loading, thieving, hypocritical, bloodsucking SOBs out of the country and let them form a new oragnization in Switzerland or any place desperate enough to take them in.

[contemplator]

Let me see if I understand this circular logic:

The US and UK are to blame for allowing unsupervised exports under a program which the UN was in charge of supervising.

In other words, The US and UK are to blame because they did not do the UN's job.

I wonder if Kofi realizes the argument he is using essentially says that the UN itself is irrelevant, and that the member states are to blame for not doing everything on their own.

[G.Mason]

Nothing negative about you posting this, but were I to comment further I would be exiled to a slum in Newark, New Jersey and I just couldn't take that.

I'm sure you will understand. ;)

What am I saying? ... Newark, New Jersey is a slum!

[mak5]

OK...is there any doubt that not only must Kofi be forced out off his little throne, but that the US must reduce its contribution to the UN significantly? (I'd like to see it go to $0, but that wouldn't fly politically.)

[An Old Marine]

So let me get this straight. Kofi is saying its the US and Britain's fault that they didn't catch the UN, that he is running, with their hand in the till.

Now that's spin!!!

[colorado tanker]

Klown Kofi is such an idiot. He keeps doing everything he can to antagonize the U.S. The maroon is practically begging Congress to cut off funds again.

[An Old Marine]

I wonder if Kofi realizes the argument he is using essentially says that the UN itself is irrelevant, and that the member states are to blame for not doing everything on their own.

Obviously logic isn't a stong point at the UN these days.

[contemplator]

Spin is putting it mildly. My 7 year old uses this kind of logic and honestly expects to get away with his shenanigans. The sad thing is that Kofi might.

[VeniVidiVici]

I wonder if Kofi realizes the argument he is using essentially says that the UN itself is irrelevant, and that the member states are to blame for not doing everything on their own.

Better than that, I wonder if Kofi realizes he just blamed Clinton for this.

[Arrowhead1952]

Note to Goofy anan
When you are in a hole, stop digging.

[Quilla]

The UN deserves John Bolton.

[NonValueAdded]

Cue Basil Fawlty voice, "oh, I see. It is my fault."

[Flint]

This sound so stupid. It is right out of the Clinton play book. Make some outrageous claim and then that becomes the news and everyone forgets what the issue was.

I would wager that Billy Boy told him to say this.

[colorado tanker]

Indeed!

[bobjam]

translation: "It's America's fault because they let us get away with it."

[G.Mason]

" Better than that, I wonder if Kofi realizes he just blamed Clinton for this."

I'm so pissed off after reading this that I could spit!

In a few hours, or days I will be okay, but Kofi Bean needs roasting, slowly over an open pit, with thousands in attendance.

If someone could catch the SOB, I'll do everything I can to get the land, a permit, charcoal and beer. ;)