UN shrugs off US demands to boost Iraq presence

[Rose Siding]

BAGHDAD (AFP) - The United States failed win a promise from the United Nations (news - web sites) to increase its staff in Iraq (news - web sites) ahead of elections as Washington stepped up its charges that Damascus was sheltering insurgent leaders.

The violence that threatens to mar Iraq's historic January 30 elections showed no sign of abating, with an Italian hostage reported killed and more US and Iraqi troops losing their lives in attacks.

Meanwhile, ousted president Saddam Hussein (news - web sites) met his family-appointed legal counsel for the first time since his capture, and was said after the four-hour meeting to be in good health.

In Washington, outgoing US Secretary of State Colin Powell (news - web sites) and his designated successor Condoleezza Rice (news - web sites) pressed for greater UN involvement in next month's elections.

However Secretary General Kofi Annan (news - web sites) remained cautious about prospects for augmenting UN staff, saying that "from a technical point of view, we have done all that we need to do."
...
Meanwhile, Washington said it was ready to write off Iraq's 4.1 billion dollar debt.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1512&ncid=1276&e=2&u=/afp/20041217/wl_afp/iraq

Also buried in the article, 2 national guard and a marine were killed

[jackofhearts]

1. Apparently Annan is not getting message...

Guess the nazis will have to ratchet up the heat on his son and the fake food for oil "scandle".