I Cogitate

Okay, Paul Volcker's preliminary United Nations Oil-For-Food report is out proving that unethical behavior took place in the midst of political favoritism and fiscal mismanagement. It's appropriate to officially label this a scandal and a major black eye for the U.N. and Secretary General Kofi Annan. Kofi Annan's son, Kojo, may yet be officially certified as one of the players in this disgraceful chapter.

More reports will follow from other sources, congressional and otherwise. But one thing is certain--reform needs to take place so such a sordid series of events doesn't occur again. This type of wrongdoing cannot be allowed to be reprised.

This report provides easy fodder for those wishing to eliminate the United Nations altogether and for those angry at the lack of U.N. support for the U.S. invasion and occupation of Iraq.

However, the Judith Miller and Warren Hoge story on this subject in the February 4, 2005, New York Times, concludes with this nugget:

"Both the report and Volcker emphasized that the major source of (Saddam) Hussein's illicit money was not what the CIA estimated was the $1.7 billion that his government diverted from or received on top of the $64 billion oil-for-food program, but the estimated $8 billion in illegal oil sales to Jordan, Turkey and Syria that occurred largely before the program was created. Volcher said that these sales were known to Security Council members, (my emphasis) INCLUDING THE UNITED STATES, AND THAT WASHINGTON HAD SPECIFICALLY WAIVED AMERICAN LAWS BARRING SUCH SALES."

Huh? Just what is this all about?

Methinks Congress might do well by not strictly or solely focusing on problems within the U.N. Reform is certainly needed there but it appears some light needs to be shone on a specific decision made in Washington D.C., regardless of which party in power made such a determination. But then that would require a level of bi-partisanship and ethics not having appeared for some time in D.C.

Are such devout Christians as George W. Bush, Senator Bill Frist and Representative Tom DeLay up to the task?

What would Jesus do?

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