Freedom's Fidelity

Thursday, August 21, 2003

This is great. William J. Dyer links to an article that says the following [Annan's quote in bold]:

[UN Secretary-General Kofi] Annan said he was surprised to hear reports that the United Nations turned down an offer of security from U.S.-led coalition forces. He stressed that security was the responsibility of the United States as the occupying power and if it was needed, the United Nations shouldn't even have been asked.

"I don't know if the U.N. did turn down [a U.S.] offer for protection, but if it did, it was not correct and they should not have been allowed to turn it down," Annan said. "That kind of decision should not be left to the protected. It is those with responsibility for security and law and order, who have intelligence, which determines what action is taken."

Says Dyer:

(Emphasis added.) Now that we clearly know what's required of us, we'll feel free in the future not only to ignore, but to go directly against everything the UN actually says it wants, in favor of what we determine to be best.

I'm sure this newly clarified authority on our part will tickle the French delegation pink.

And that's just a follow-up comment to his own even better post.

posted by Paul  permalink | |