The UN limbo - How low can you go?

United Nations head Kofi Annan is now trying to fend of criticism of his son Kojo's role in the now-infamous UN-administered Iraqi oil-for-bribes program. According to this account - New York Post Online Edition: news - the fraud amounted to $11 billion out of $64 billion in oil sales, or about 17% - the usual gratuity in mid-rank restaurants.

Remember all those heart-rending stories about how the US was responsible for all those children dying in Iraq because of the sanctions. Well, they were UN sanctions and, now we know, the UN was stealing milk from babies.

The only really surprising thing about this is that anybody is surprised. Consider this from a grown-up who ought to know better:
"'This could be another devastating blow to Kofi Annan's personal credibility, and already, I believe, the oil-for-food scandal is big enough to bring Kofi Annan down,' said U.N. critic Nile Gardiner, a former aide of British ex-Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher."

What credibility could Kofi Annan possibly have? This is the man who, in his former job as head of UN peacekeeping operations, directly ordered Canadian Gen. Dellaire not to interfere in the Rwandan genocide and to inform the government that their secret plans for the mass murders had been leaked to the UN with a plea for help.

What credibility can the UN have when they elevate a man implicated in genocide to its highest office?

Watch your step! The carpets are going to be a bit lumpy by the time they sweep all this mess under the rug. The UN needs a major facelift to its reputation as they seek billions of dollars from the US, a bit from the other developed countries, to build a new headquarters complex in NYC.