Blair backs Annan over oil scandal

[emad]

Times
From James Bone in New York

TONY BLAIR threw his weight behind Kofi Annan yesterday amid a growing clamour in the United States for the United Nations Secretary-General to resign over the Oil-for-Food scandal.

The Prime Minister told a press conference in London with President Musharraf of Pakistan that criticism of Mr Annan was “unfair” and that he was “grateful for his leadership on many occasions”.

“I believe Kofi Annan is doing a fine job . . . often in very difficult circumstances,” Mr Blair said. “I very hope much he is allowed to get on with his job.”

The European Union and African leaders have rallied round Mr Annan since a Republican US senator leading a congressional investigation of the Oil-for-Food scandal called for his resignation last week. President Bush conspicuously failed to endorse Mr Annan’s leadership, calling instead for an open investigation of alleged corruption in what is the largest humanitarian programme in UN history.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-1392020,00.html

[knowbody0]

1. now, tony

how bout that halliburton connection?

[maddezmom]

2. dupe

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=1048647

[MarianJack]

3. I Wonder if...

...he'll get his nose rubbed in his mess and spanked with a newspaper like any mis-behaving poodle?

Then again, isn't kkkarl going to work for blair's opponents? So poor ol' tony may already know the price of loyalty to **!