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| Kofi warns US and world to respect rule of law | |
| 2004-09-22 | |
| UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan warned world leaders on Tuesday that international law was being "shamelessly disregarded" and cited the US abuse of prisoners in Iraq as an example of such violations. Speaking at the high-level session of the UN General Assembly, Annan said "no one was above the law" whether in Sudan, Iraq, Uganda, Russia or the Middle East. "Again and again, we see laws shamelessly disregarded — those that ordain respect for innocent life, for civilians, for the vulnerable — especially children," he said. In Iraq, he said civilians were massacred in cold blood, while relief workers, journalists and others were "taken hostage and put to death in the most barbarous fashion." "At the same time, we have seen Iraqi prisoners disgracefully abused," Annan said, referring to inmates in the Abu Ghraib prison outside Baghdad who were photographed being brutalized by American soldiers. "Every nation that proclaims the rule of law at home must respect it abroad. And every nation that insists on it abroad must enforce it at home," he said. Annan spoke before US President George W. Bush during the opening day of the two-week session attended by 64 presidents, 25 prime ministers and 86 foreign ministers, including Iraq's new interim prime minister, Iyad Allawi.
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| Posted by:Fred |
| #23 Wonder if Mr. Kofi Annan instructed his own 'Oil-for-Profit son as he did Bush? What a phoney Mr. U.N. really is. |
| Posted by: Mark Espinola 2004-09-22 10:07:05 PM |
| #22 Well if our war in Iraq is just so damn *illegal* as kofi says, then isn't he bound by international law or some such to build a coalition of his own and try to throw us out? |
| Posted by: Jarhead 2004-09-22 9:24:48 PM |
| #21 ed: I'll willing to rent a bulldozer and push them all into the sea. Let Shamu do the rest. You're beginning to sound like the Paleos. Flatterpillar, the official bulldozer of those who want to push the UN into the sea(tm)! |
| Posted by: BA 2004-09-22 8:38:52 PM |
| #20 Ethnic food extraganza! |
| Posted by: Shamu 2004-09-22 7:55:50 PM |
| #19 I'll willing to rent a bulldozer and push them all into the sea. Let Shamu do the rest. |
| Posted by: ed 2004-09-22 7:21:50 PM |
| #18 Remember to charge for inside deliver, I'm wagering those UN types are lazy as hell and don't have a handtruck in the house. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2004-09-22 7:15:36 PM |
| #17 A better approach would be to create a parallel organization for security issues that would comprise equal numbers of Asian and non-Asian powers: G8 + China + India + Australia + So Korea + Indonesia + (maybe) Brazil. Meet quarterly in New York and promote joint action against the security challenges of this century, esp WMD, Iran and rogue states, piracy on the seas and delivery of WMD in seaborne containers, money-laundering etc. This would achieve the goal of rendering the UNSC a hollow shell while leaving in place Unicef and the other "nice" UN agencies. In other words, giving us real clout with a collective sercurity body that actually means something, without seeming as though we're taking our marbles home. |
| Posted by: lex 2004-09-22 4:49:04 PM |
| #16 I've got a mini-van -- the seats come out, so there is lots of room. I can't help until after Yom Kippur this Saturday, though ;-) Happy Rosh Hashana//Jewish New Year, y'all! May you and yours be inscribed in the Book of Life. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2004-09-22 4:46:28 PM |
| #15 bad-If it actually came to that, I would be willing to chip in some promo art. I like the way you think, badanov. Let's make your idea even bigger. It would be cool to start a website/land petition for getting the US out of the UN and the UN out of our pockets and out of our country. That website should be set up with tickler memos to go out to every member of Congress (starting with the more reasonable ones, first to build momentum and power) on a daily basis. I think for it to really hit home with Joe American, it should identify just what a force for mayhem that body has been in the last few years. Cite specifics-the number of deaths caused because of UN inaction in this country, the number of dollars stolen under the UN's nose by that country. Tally up the numbers on the page, show it to good people all over this country, and watch the righteous anger grow. The UN may have been a good thing once, but I really think more Americans need to know how it has decayed since. It also should be accompanied by ideas for building new international bodies who stand for civil behavior, human dignity, and rule of law. |
| Posted by: jules 187 2004-09-22 4:27:02 PM |
| #14 Okay, here is what we can do: Firstly someone needs to get a caluclator and estimate the approximate footage it would take to move everything from the UN building in New York and into containers. Then we need to get a bid on renting those containers from New York to Paris, via ship. We need a definitive bid in US dollars. Once we have the information, all we need to do is to find the funding to make this happen. I bet we could find it rather quickly, in the way of pledges from conservative groups and corporations. Then we can start to get pledges on volunteer labor to do the work from the building into containers, and who can organize it. I can donate two weeks and my '98 Chevy S-10. And sicne I am from Oklahoma I bet we can get busloads on men and women willing to go to New York to help. |
| Posted by: badanov 2004-09-22 4:12:13 PM |
| #13 Kofi warns US and world to respect rule of law ...except when it come to... ummmmmmmmmmm... certain financial transactions involving oil and former dictators. We'll handle that one ourselves. |
| Posted by: tu3031 2004-09-22 4:06:17 PM |
| #12 I cant stand it ....I usually sit here quietly and lurk and read and enjoy the give and take and try to learn something...but I have had ENOUGH!!! I'm mad as hell and I am not going to take it anymore!! This dumb fuck has stepped on his di*k this time...I cant stand it one more second..I am sick of this hypocritical bastard....my head is going to explode!!! I better go for a ride...I have hit my limit...AUGHGHGHGH!!!!! out of my way blue haired grannies!!!! |
| Posted by: Live to Ride 2004-09-22 4:02:21 PM |
| #11 "...international law was being âshamelessly disregardedâ and cited the US abuse of prisoners in Iraq as an example..." Meanwhile, under Kofi's watch, Saddam filled mass graves and Kofi's son helped deprive Iraqi's of food and medicine. Tonight Kofi will dine on foi gras in one of New York's finest restaurants and contemplate world hunger. Pleeeease, somebody, anybody, move this outhouse called the U.N. from New York to Paris where they won't notice the smell. |
| Posted by: Tom 2004-09-22 2:36:40 PM |
| #10 Someone please take Kofi out for steak and foi gras, so he will stfu. Prefereably in Paris. |
| Posted by: badanov 2004-09-22 1:22:27 PM |
| #9 Well of COURSE it's being disregarded. It has no value since it's only Kofi that's constantly spouting off about it. |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2004-09-22 1:21:09 PM |
| #8 Kofi's upset the US didn't respect the UN. He needs to understand that respect is earned. |
| Posted by: PlanetDan 2004-09-22 1:17:06 PM |
| #7 Yo, Kofi... isn't there a genocide going on someplace that you can ignore...AGAIN!! |
| Posted by: Sgt. Mom 2004-09-22 11:30:22 AM |
| #6 Rule of law embodies the notion that when laws are broken, there are consequences. Under his UN "leadership", there are no consequences for violators who break UN resolutions; he is not fit to be a spokesman for rule of law. |
| Posted by: jules 187 2004-09-22 10:41:28 AM |
| #5 "Kofi warns US and world to respect rule of law". Next week "Madona for chastity" |
| Posted by: Anonymous6236 2004-09-22 8:42:44 AM |
| #4 Kofi Annan has absolutely no moral authority to lecture anyone on anything. He has presided over an organization that turns a blind eye to genocide, theivery, nepotism, graft, bribery and says nothing about the most disgusting and vile shit hole nations as they trample the human rights and dignity of their citizens as long as they bad mouth the USA. F**k You Kofi, pack up that rats nest and move it to Paris where they think you actually provide some sort of service. |
| Posted by: JerseyMike 2004-09-22 8:17:08 AM |
| #3 When's the Volcker report due, Kofi? Expect to still have your day job after it's out? |
| Posted by: lex 2004-09-22 1:18:06 AM |
| #2 in other news, Kofi's son, feeling his pain, sent him a big check from his oil for palaces scandal to cheer him up. |
| Posted by: 2B 2004-09-22 1:17:07 AM |
| #1 Wipe your chin, Kofi. You're drooling again. |
| Posted by: mojo 2004-09-22 12:18:37 AM |