Bush Adminstration Cries Uncle! Backtracks and Supports Kofi Annan
Reported by Marie Therese - December 10, 2004
On yesterday's Big Story (12/9/04), John Gibson and Heritage Foundation Fellow, Nile Gardiner, engaged in what has become daily fare on FOX News: Raking Kofi Annan over the coals. Here's a transcript of yesterday's show, hopefully the last one on this topic for a LONG time! The Bush administration has backed down, capitulating to world pressure, and has just issued a statement of support for Annan.
JOHN GIBSON: ... We've been reporting on the UN's Oil-for-Food [hereafter OFF] scandal for quite some time now and other news outlets are just starting to realize this is a story. The scandal keeps on going, but there's not much reaction in the global community, so why aren't more people calling for Kofi to go? Joining us now is Nile Gardiner, a fellow at the Heritage Foundation.
Nile, this is ... the weirdest thing. This is this enormous, multi-billion dollar scandal and what we see is the General Assembly taking a vote - ya' know - "we're behind Kofi." All of Europe: "We're behind Kofi." And people attacking Republicans in this country and the Bush administration for even suggesting that maybe the guy who presided over the scandal oughta be replaced.
GARDINER: Well, I think it is extraordinary the amount of support that Kofi Annan is receiving, considering he has been, I think one of the very worst Secretary-Generals in the UN's history, and that certainly is quite an accomplishment. Kofi Anna, of course, presided over the biggest scandal in the United Nations' history and, I think, he has lost the confidence of many Congressmen and Senators on Capitol Hill. And we will see, in fact, growing calls for his resignation here in the United States. It will be interesting to see whether any other countries on the world stage begin to apply pressure on Anna. But, my understanding is that already, behind the scenes across, for example, Asia, across Europe as well, countries are already jockeying for position in terms of putting forth the next Secretary General, anticipating an early downfall for Kofi Annan, despite public pronouncements of support.
GIBSON: OK. Now. Why is that? If the United States, let's just say - and President Bush has not said this, he has not said "I want Kofi Annan to go" - but, he said "I want this thing investigated" - but if the United States said we want Kofi Annan to go and the rest of the world says we want him to stay, who wins?
GARDINER: I think that, if the Bush administration comes out next year and calls for Annan's resignation, I think, it will be impossible for him to remain in power. I don't think that a Secretary-General can survive when the world's only superpower and a key member of the Security Council calls for his resignation, he simply will not be able to function as Secretary-General. Combined with calls for his resignation are also calls for US funding for the United Nations to be withheld. The threat of a reduction in US funding for the UN will have a devastating effect within the organization, leading to huge job losses within the UN Secretariat. Certainly the nighs (nays?) would internally be out for Kofi Annan, if that were to take place.
GIBSON: Now, there's this other thing that just bugs the heck out of me. It's the way the UN seems to be approaching this OFF scandal is" "Alright, let's investigate." They got Paul Volcker helpin' em out and some others. See how much money was illegally raised by Saddam Hussein - how much was stolen - where the kickbacks went - all of that. But what seems to be getting swept under the rug is the attempt of Saddam Hussein to actually bribe the Security Council, to bribe Russia, to bribe France, to bribe China, with oil vouchers so that they would oppose the United States over the war in Iraq in the Security Council. Why has that become the big lump in the rug that everybody's swept all this stuff under to try to hide it? What's the deal there?
GARDINER: Well, I think you're right. I mean, that is probably the biggest story in terms of the OFF scandal, the story of how Saddam Hussein tried to influence voting decisions in the UN Security Council through bribing, for example, French and Russian officials. Significantly, the British government, according to reports in London, has launched an investigation into the activities of French politicians and companies with regard to the OFF scandal. There is an investigation by British intelligence - MI-6 - into this, and so it is starting to attract attention in Europe and, certainly, that's a - there are many politicians in both the French and Russian governments who are very worried about the long term implications of, for example, Congressional investigation into the links between France, Russia and the Saddam Hussein regime.
For more information about the FACTS of the Oil for Food Program, go to Ten Things Progressives Should Know About the United Nations Oil-for-Food Scandal.
COMMENT
Today, outgoing U. S. Ambassador to the United Nations, John Danforth, affirmed the Bush administration's support for Kofi Annan. Wonder how Gibson and Gardiner will like eating crow?
Here is the story from CNN (U.S. denies push to oust Annan):
From CNN Senior Producer Phil Hirschkorn
Friday, December 10, 2004 Posted: 0022 GMT (0822 HKT)
UNITED NATIONS (CNN) -- The Bush administration is not seeking to remove U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan from his post and remains confident in his leadership, U.S. Ambassador John Danforth said Thursday.
Danforth told reporters that Annan was "doing a good job," but the United States wanted a "comprehensive" investigation of the oil-for-food program the United Nations ran for Iraq for seven years, until a U.S.-led invasion deposed Saddam Hussein in 2003.
"We are not suggesting the resignation or pushing for the resignation of the secretary-general," Danforth said.
"We have worked with him very well in the past, we anticipate working with him very well for the future for the time to come."
Annan has borne the brunt of criticism from Capitol Hill Republicans, who are investigating how Saddam illegally siphoned billions of dollars in surcharges on his U.N.-approved crude oil shipments and kickbacks from vendors of approved humanitarian goods.
The investigation also focuses on the illegal smuggling of oil outside the program's purview.
And last week, President Bush told reporters he wanted "a full and fair and open accounting" of the program "in order for the taxpayers of the United States to feel comfortable about supporting the United Nations."
But Danforth said, "No one, to my knowledge, has cast doubt on the personal integrity of the secretary-general -- no one -- and we certainly don't."
The United Nations has appointed former U.S. Federal Reserve Board chairman Paul Volker to conduct an independent inquiry into irregularities, including alleged fraud and bribery in the program. His next report is due in January.
"Let the investigation go forward," Danforth said. "The investigation has to be comprehensive, all the evidence has to come out, there has to be full cooperation with the investigation by all parties."
Danforth said Annan, a Nobel Peace Prize winner who is serving his second five-year term at the helm of the UN, was providing effective leadership on Iraqi elections, Israeli-Palestinian issues, and the crisis in Sudan.
Senator Norm Coleman, who leads one of the panels probing the oil-for-food program, reiterated his call for Annan's resignation in a Tuesday interview with CNN.
"Kofi Annan's legacy is the oil-for-food program that allowed Saddam Hussein to fund terrorism, to bribe folks who are tied to member states, and rebuild his military capacity to get around sanctions. That's his legacy," Coleman told CNN's "American Morning."
"Kofi Annan is a fine man, but oversaw this incredible disaster of incredible magnitude and really should step down, if we care about the U.N. making reform and regaining credibility," Coleman added.
Danforth offered a different view, speaking, he said, on behalf of the State Department and the White House.
"We are expressing confidence in the Secretary General and in his continuing in office,'" Danforth said.
"We're also saying that the investigation is critically important, that there is a cloud over the United Nations, there's no doubt about it, that the only way to dispel the cloud is to let the sunlight in, and that means a thorough investigation." (End excerpt.)
