Oh, joy. The politics of keeping Kofi Annan in charge so we can get to the bottom of the Oil for Food catastrophe.
{...}In what the US State Department said was a carefully orchestrated message, US ambassador John Danforth voiced confidence in the embattled Annan at a time when Washington needs UN help to organise Iraqi elections next month."We are not suggesting the resignation or pushing for the resignation of the secretary general," said Danforth, whose previous non-commital remarks had set off speculation that Washington wanted Annan's ouster.
"No one, to my knowledge, has cast doubt on the personal integrity of the secretary general. No one. And we certainly don't," he said. "We are expressing confidence in the secretary general and in his continuing in office."
US President George W. Bush had also declined to speak out in favour of Annan, who has been buffeted by a string of embarrassing UN scandals and targeted with calls for resignation by some US lawmakers.
While other nations were quick to defend Annan, the United States -- the lone superpower that pays more into the UN budget than any other nation -- had been conspicuously silent.
I mean, that's the only logical conclusion I can come to other than to help Tony Blair in his upcoming elections.
Still.
It just reeks of quid pro quo, doesn't it? Bleh.