June 20, 2004

United Nations Existence Threatened by Scandal

Shocked United Nations devotees hang around headquarters these days wailing: "Say it ain’t so, Kofi!

Ah, but it is.

Secretary-general Kofi Annan is up to his ears in a full-blown corruption that may involve his own son.

Certainly it includes other senior officials of the U.N. and French and Russian governments – plus Saddam Hussein and his henchmen.

Damaging evidence of bribes and kickbacks in the Oil-For-Food Program has been recovered from abandoned files of the former Iraqi Oil Ministry.

Only the Wall Street Journal – with its international commercial sources – has published verifiable details.

The U.N. Security Council crafted the "humanitarian" program in 1995. It allowed Saddam to sell oil to buy food for Iraqis suffering from the hardships of sanctions imposed by the U.N. after his defeat in the Gulf War.

France and Russia were instigators for the $67 billion six-year program – supported by Germany and China. It was so, like, benevolent.

Now it is revealed that Saddam raked off an extra $10 billion by selling oil "vouchers" to his U.N. buddies.  

Surprise! French and Russian oil financiers – and their European Banks -- were principal purchasers. They netted $11 billion profit reselling the vouchers to refineries.  

Somewhere along the line, Annan’s son, Kojo, was favored with some vouchers.

Also on the gravy train was Benon Sevan, of Panama, director of the U.N. oil program, who hastily retired last month.

With the program kitty, Saddam bought some food for his people. However, a large share went to – you guessed it – French, Russian and German entrepreneurs. They thoughtfully included some military hardware in their shipments. .

Oh yes, the lucky suppliers also kicked back part of the inflated purchase prices to Saddam.

The U.S. Congress has set up a committee to investigate the program chicanery, but little has been done.

Other committees are too busy trying to find someone in the Bush administration to blame for 9/11.

Not to worry. The new Iraq Governing Council has taken up the matter. French, Russian, German and U.N. insiders are starting to sweat.

So should the visionaries who believe the United Nations is the fount of peace and governmental wisdom. The League of Nations after the First World War apparently taught us nothing about peace keeping.

A hard truth is that peace on Earth results from a balance of power – now reduced to the United States and Britain – versus terrorism and toadies.  

The United Nations is useful in focusing public attention on poverty, famine and disease but generates precious little action on barbarism rampant around the globe.

The U.N. is useless in promoting peace. It only encourages and rewards trouble makers.

Worse, it aggravates realistic peace efforts – that is, shooting king-size racketeers.  

The United Nations is a toothless tiger that roars with its tail between its legs. It is little more than a cash cow for third world countries and defeatists.

Without American dollars, the U.N. would collapse within six months.

Last year we contributed 22 percent of the U.N. budget. Contributions by the other Security Council members were -- France 6.4 percent, Britain 5.5, China 1.3, Russia 1.2.  

Total U.S. Contributions to U.N. activities last year was $3.5 billion – American tax dollars of course.

This included $712 million for U.N. peacekeeping, $612 million for assessed contribution to the regular budget, and $2.2 billion (repeat, billion) in voluntary (repeat, voluntary) contributions.

What’s to be done? The Heritage Foundation suggests the following:

• U.N. Security Council investigation with subpoena power now denied Paul Volker, former chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve Banks, who was appointed to conduct a probe.
• Opening of U.N. accounts to public examination.
• Prosecution of U.N. and foreign officials in Iraqi courts, including extradition of the guilty.
• Reform the U.N. and the role of secretary-general.
• Prohibit the U.N. from administering international sanctions programs.
• Limit the role of the U.N. in post-war reconstructions.
• Establish a code of conduct for U.N. officials.

What’s that you say? Abolish the U.N.?

You said it, not me.

Lindsey Williams is a Sun columnist who can be reached at linwms@lindseywilliams.org