THE BELGRAVIA DISPATCH: Steyn Steamed at the Spectator!

April 28, 2003

Steyn Steamed at the Spectator!

Steyn Steamed at the Spectator!

Mark Steyn on the Spectator going wobbly on a post-war U.N. role.

Some key language: "Now another Middle Eastern war has come and gone, and the bien-pensants are anxious that once again an obsolescent institution be glued back together and propped in position. This time itÕs the UN. The Spectator has it exactly backwards: itÕs not the irritating Ôdo-goodersÕ among its ranks, but the do-badders. The Ôoil-for-palacesÕ programme (as Tommy Franks calls it) is a classic UN boondoggle: it was good for bureaucrats, good for SaddamÕs European bankers, good for George Galloway (allegedly), but bad for the Iraqi people. A humanitarian operation meant to help a dictatorÕs beleaguered subjects has instead enriched the UN by more than $1 billion (officially) in ÔadministrativeÕ costs. ThereÕs no oversight, no auditing, nothing most businesses would recognise as a legitimate invoice, and, although non-essential items can be approved only by the secretary-general himself, Kofi Annan has personally signed off on practically anything Saddam requested, including ÔboatsÕ, from France. The UN, France, Germany and Russia are desperate to keep the oil-for-palaces programme going, and they figure they can bully the Americans into going along."

Posted by Gregory at April 28, 2003 11:35 PM

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	« Galloway Ouster Watch The preliminary \| Main \| Shi'a Intrigues Remember the assassination » April 28, 2003 Steyn Steamed at the Spectator! Steyn Steamed at the Spectator! Mark Steyn on the Spectator going wobbly on a post-war U.N. role. Some key language: "Now another Middle Eastern war has come and gone, and the bien-pensants are anxious that once again an obsolescent institution be glued back together and propped in position. This time itÕs the UN. The Spectator has it exactly backwards: itÕs not the irritating Ôdo-goodersÕ among its ranks, but the do-badders. The Ôoil-for-palacesÕ programme (as Tommy Franks calls it) is a classic UN boondoggle: it was good for bureaucrats, good for SaddamÕs European bankers, good for George Galloway (allegedly), but bad for the Iraqi people. A humanitarian operation meant to help a dictatorÕs beleaguered subjects has instead enriched the UN by more than $1 billion (officially) in ÔadministrativeÕ costs. ThereÕs no oversight, no auditing, nothing most businesses would recognise as a legitimate invoice, and, although non-essential items can be approved only by the secretary-general himself, Kofi Annan has personally signed off on practically anything Saddam requested, including ÔboatsÕ, from France. The UN, France, Germany and Russia are desperate to keep the oil-for-palaces programme going, and they figure they can bully the Americans into going along." Posted by Gregory at April 28, 2003 11:35 PM Comments Tens of thousands of players play online poker daily on Online Poker Free, and there are many good reasons why! Here are the largest Online Poker Rooms in the world and we offer a variety of Free Online Poker Games and Tournaments, including Texas Holdem, Seven Card Stud and Omaha high/low .With thousands of players Online Poker Free provides the best in live, multi-player online poker, offering a wide variety of free online poker games and daily, weekly, and monthly free poker tournaments with generous cash prizes. Guaranteed security and fairness ! Posted by: online poker free at October 2, 2004 04:22 PM \| Permalink to this comment		Reviews of Belgravia Dispatch "Best 9/11 Commentary" "Always-Worth Reading" --Andrew Sullivan "Awake" --New York Times "Must-read list" --Washington Times "Always Thoughtful" --Glenn Reynolds, Instapundit "Pompous Ass" --an anonymous blogospheric commenter Recent Entries Grading Bush's Speech: B- An Open Letter to POTUS Bush's Speech Who Me? The Secretary of No Responsibility Kerry's Bad Advice "Last Throes," Or 12 More Years? 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