Annan Takes Action

The United Nation takes action in "oil-for-fraud scam". It is about time wouldn't you say?

UNITED NATIONS (AP) - Secretary-General Kofi Annan is taking disciplinary action against the head of the U.N. oil-for-food program in Iraq following an investigation of alleged corruption in the humanitarian program, a senior U.N. official said Thursday.

Nevertheless, exactly what will the action be? Will they simply say, "don't do it again" or "don't get caught again" or will their actually be some substantial penalties -- not the UN can dish out what is probably disserved.

At the time the contract was awarded, Stephanides was chief of the U.N. Sanctions Branch and deputy director of the Security Council Affairs Division in the U.N. Department of Political Affairs. He now heads the division. Malloch Brown did not say what disciplinary steps would be taken but said they would be announced early next week.

There is said to be some "convincing and uncontested evidence", but when has "convincing" evidence meant anything to the UN. Even with mass graves it takes years, to declare there is a problem much less actually accuse genocide

Volcker also said there was "convincing and uncontested evidence" that the selection of the three U.N. contractors for the oil-for-food program - Banque Nationale de Paris, Saybolt Eastern Hemisphere BV and Lloyd's Register Inspection Limited - did not conform to established financial and competitive bidding rules.

I appears it maybe as simple as Benon Sevan establishing a several million dollar retirement fund for services rendered, only kidding, we all know there is more then several million involved, much more, and many more then Sevan; but will we actually see real action out of the UN, I doubt it! The USA Today story here