UN Staff Says "Nyet" to Iraq Postings
From the AP via the Jerusalem Post:
The UN staff union criticized Secretary-General Kofi Annan for sending UN employees to Iraq despite the danger.
They also urged Annan to hold senior staff responsible for security lapses before the bombing of the UN headquarters in Baghdad last August, questioning the UN chief's decision not to accept the resignation of a deputy secretary-general after the attack.
The UN Staff Council voted unanimously Thursday to adopt a resolution criticizing the body's handling of the aftermath of the bombing, which killed 22 people, including UN envoy Sergio Vieira de Mello, and wounded more than 150 others.
A second bombing of UN offices in September killed several Iraqi police officers.
The resolution said the union was "dismayed that the secretary-general continues to send staff to Iraq despite the present highly volatile and insecure environment."
The union said it was "shocked" that "the secretary-general did not do justice to those who perished by not holding accountable all those senior UN officials whose managerial incompetence and gross negligence failed the staff."
Matt's Chat
And John Kerry wants us to turn over Iraq to these guys?I don't think so... It seems clear to me that the UN doesn't want to be there. Take in to account the UN's record of miserable failure at peacekeeping, and it looks like an even more frightening prospect.
Mark's Remarks
Maybe if the UN would have been an honest and HONORABLE organization, and would have joined the cause to rid the world of a madman, INSTEAD OF TAKING HIS HUSH MONEY, then maybe the situation could be more secure. And, give me a break. The situation in Iraq is far more secure than in Kosovo, or in Rwanda. Yes, there are insurgents, but the UN staff is helping to hype the distorted and inaccurate picture of an Iraq out of control. Give me a break, UN...why don't you just go ahead and change your name to the Anti-American Nations and have done with it? You are already there, if not in name.
