US: UN plagued with scandals

2006-02-26 14:43

New York - The United States ambassador to the United Nations, John Bolton, on Saturday declared the United Nations is hobbled "by bad management, by sex and corruption and by a growing lack of confidence in its ability to carry out missions."

Bolton gave a student audience his views of the practical actions of the Bush administration and the impracticality of the United Nations at a Columbia Law School symposium held by the Federalist Society, a conservative law organization with strong ties to the Bush administration.

More than 1 000 students from law schools nationwide listened as Bolton detailed problems with the "deeply troubled" United Nations, how scrapping the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty was a success, and of growing impatience with action against Iran's nuclear development.

"Its important that we understand when talking about the relationship between actions of foreign policy and the notions of international law we have the sense of what actually happens practically, which is contrary to most academic views," Bolton said.

Bolton began with the example of US President George W Bush's 2001 decision in to withdraw from the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty with Russia. Bolton said that decision is "what history will record as one of President Bush's most important decisions for national security."

Bolton said that the treaty, which restricted the development of anti-ballistic missile systems used to defend against missile-delivered nuclear weapons, failed to give the nation the ability to protect itself from weapons of mass destruction in the hands of "lunatic regimes and terrorist groups."

Some academics at the time thought the move by the United States would start a new arms race. But, Bolton said, "That simply has not happened."

Turning to the subject of the United Nations, Bolton said, "We find an organization that is deeply troubled by bad management, by sex and corruption and by a growing lack of confidence in its ability to carry out missions that are given to them."

The UN has been wracked with problems in the past year. The chief of the UN refugee agency, Ruud Lubbers, stepped down after being targeted by sexual harassment allegations, which he denied.

The final report from an investigation led by former Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker into the UN's oil-for-food program concluded that Saddam Hussein sold oil to foreign countries in hopes of getting their support for lifting sanctions, and enriched himself by $1.8 billion through a kickback scheme.

Companies and politicians essentially paid him for the right to do business, circumventing the UN program.

Even the head of the program, Benon Sevan, was accused of accepting about $147 000 in kickbacks, a charge he denies.

Bolton cited findings of the Volcker report, which outlined corruption in the UN's oil for food program. "The process of the oil-for-food program arose from the culture of the United Nations itself," said Bolton.

Bolton also criticized the budget of the United Nations, noting that two-thirds of members only pay 20% of the total annual budget. The UN has a "happy propensity for nations to spend other people's money," he said.

The ambassador drew gasps from the crowd when he pointed out that the limitation for gifts received by UN employees had recently been reduced to $250 from $10 000. "And yes, its too late to apply for UN employment," he quipped.

But Bolton lost his lighthearted tone at the end of his speech that described the UN as inept for not being able to stop Iran's nuclear development and "devaluing the IAEA," referring to the nuclear watchdog agency.

"Through all of this, the US has been encouraged by Europe to pursue action through the UN," Bolton said, adding that patience of the administration was wearing thin.

- AP