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BigBadBrian
12-02-2004, 03:05 PM
Bush Calls for Full U.N. Oil-For-Food Probe


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush (news - web sites) called for a "full and open" accounting of the U.N. oil-for-food program on Thursday but would not say whether he thought U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan (news - web sites) should resign.



Amid a call from a prominent Republican senator for Annan to step down, Bush and other officials have neither defended the secretary general nor joined calls for his ouster.


"I look forward to the full disclosure of the facts, get an honest appraisal of that which went on. And it's important for the integrity of the organization to have a full and open disclosure of all that took place with the oil-for-food program," Bush said.


Sen. Norm Coleman (news, bio, voting record) of Minnesota, who is investigating corruption in the defunct oil-for-food program, on Wednesday called on Annan to resign. He said former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein (news - web sites) reaped some $21.3 billion from the program because of Annan's lack of oversight, although his estimate is higher than some others.


The call for Annan to resign was deemed premature by a State Department official, who spoke on condition of anonymity and emphasized that the investigation was continuing.


"Certainly no one in the government is contemplating that. We want to have a full picture from the investigation before there's any talk about what the consequences should be," the official said.


At issue is a $64 billion program for Iraq (news - web sites), administered by the United Nations (news - web sites) and supervised by the 15-nation Security Council, that was meant to ease the impact of sanctions on ordinary Iraqis.


Annan's son, Kojo, worked for a Swiss firm, Cotecna, which inspected goods under the program and is under investigation.


When pressed on the question of whether Annan should resign, Bush would not say.


"On this issue, it's very important for the United Nations to understand that there ought to be a full and fair and open accounting of the oil-for-food program," he said.


"In order for the taxpayers of the United States to feel comfortable about supporting the United Nations, there has to be an open accounting," he said.


Explaining why the administration is skirting the issue, the State Department official said going out and giving a "ringing endorsement" would antagonize the senator.


Also, the official added, "While Annan has been a valuable interlocutor on a number of issues, we have had our differences with him -- particularly over Iraq."

ODShowtime
12-02-2004, 04:07 PM
This is the first time in a LONG ASS TIME that I not only believe what gw is saying but also agree with it.

Warham
12-02-2004, 04:16 PM
I'm sure Bush would like to see the hammer fall.

After they have given him the run-around the last few years, I don't blame him.

Wayne L.
12-02-2004, 07:06 PM
The U. N. should be put out of business permanently because it's a joke of an institution while American taxpayers should get their money back & Kofi Annan should be put in jail for being the scumbag that he is along with his son.