Comments on: If You Build It, They Will Come – Oil-for-Food Division http://pjmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2005/03/31/if-you-build-it-they-will-come-oil-for-food-division/ The blog of the mystery writer, screenwriter and CEO of Pajamas Media Wed, 15 Feb 2012 22:41:56 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: JC http://pjmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2005/03/31/if-you-build-it-they-will-come-oil-for-food-division/#comment-43877 JC Fri, 01 Apr 2005 04:15:17 +0000 http://pajamasmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2005/03/31/if-you-build-it-they-will-come-oil-for-food-division/#comment-43877 Read some <a href="http://www.democracyarsenal.org/2005/03/kofi_medicine.html" rel="nofollow">sane thoughts on Kofi Annan</a> Read some sane thoughts on Kofi Annan

]]> By: Michael B http://pjmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2005/03/31/if-you-build-it-they-will-come-oil-for-food-division/#comment-43876 Michael B Fri, 01 Apr 2005 00:21:00 +0000 http://pajamasmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2005/03/31/if-you-build-it-they-will-come-oil-for-food-division/#comment-43876 In retrospect, apologies to our bandwidth host for my unnuanced reply to the original post. I only belatedly noticed the correct intent on a second reading. It was the word 'cynical' that caught my eye and that I responded to, prior to giving it a second reading. So again, apologies to Roger. In retrospect, apologies to our bandwidth host for my unnuanced reply to the original post. I only belatedly noticed the correct intent on a second reading. It was the word ‘cynical’ that caught my eye and that I responded to, prior to giving it a second reading.

So again, apologies to Roger.

]]> By: Kyda Sylvester http://pjmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2005/03/31/if-you-build-it-they-will-come-oil-for-food-division/#comment-43875 Kyda Sylvester Thu, 31 Mar 2005 20:14:57 +0000 http://pajamasmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2005/03/31/if-you-build-it-they-will-come-oil-for-food-division/#comment-43875 I want Kofi to go but I look forward to his remaining in place just long enough to watch his "reform" package go down in flames. Is that cynical? I want Kofi to go but I look forward to his remaining in place just long enough to watch his “reform” package go down in flames. Is that cynical?

]]> By: Michael B http://pjmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2005/03/31/if-you-build-it-they-will-come-oil-for-food-division/#comment-43874 Michael B Thu, 31 Mar 2005 19:14:42 +0000 http://pajamasmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2005/03/31/if-you-build-it-they-will-come-oil-for-food-division/#comment-43874 <i>"It's too cynical for me. Ironically, however, the New York Times and the Washington Post seem to. At least they act that way. They do everything they can to mollify the controversy, thus keeping Mr. Annan in place."</i> I doubt the WP and NYT are agreeing with the Washington Times, unless I'm misreading the WT. The WP and NYT are positively favoring Annan, the WT is indicating Annan, by staying in place (which he is likely to in most any imaginable scenario), will help to serve as a prominent sign for a fundamental need for reform - i.e., that Annan is more the red cape than the matador, the latter being the current corrupt state of the UN as a whole. It's debateable, since Annan is presently forwarding the idea of the expansion of the UN, but while debateable, it's more of a practical and realist than a cynical suggestion. “It’s too cynical for me. Ironically, however, the New York Times and the Washington Post seem to. At least they act that way. They do everything they can to mollify the controversy, thus keeping Mr. Annan in place.”

I doubt the WP and NYT are agreeing with the Washington Times, unless I’m misreading the WT. The WP and NYT are positively favoring Annan, the WT is indicating Annan, by staying in place (which he is likely to in most any imaginable scenario), will help to serve as a prominent sign for a fundamental need for reform – i.e., that Annan is more the red cape than the matador, the latter being the current corrupt state of the UN as a whole. It’s debateable, since Annan is presently forwarding the idea of the expansion of the UN, but while debateable, it’s more of a practical and realist than a cynical suggestion.

]]> By: Patrick Tyson http://pjmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2005/03/31/if-you-build-it-they-will-come-oil-for-food-division/#comment-43873 Patrick Tyson Thu, 31 Mar 2005 18:24:15 +0000 http://pajamasmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2005/03/31/if-you-build-it-they-will-come-oil-for-food-division/#comment-43873 My recollection is that Bob Woodward writes that he and Deep Throat were friends prior to the break-in at the Watergate. My recollection is that Bob Woodward writes that he and Deep Throat were friends prior to the break-in at the Watergate.

]]> By: Katherine http://pjmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2005/03/31/if-you-build-it-they-will-come-oil-for-food-division/#comment-43872 Katherine Thu, 31 Mar 2005 16:23:43 +0000 http://pajamasmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2005/03/31/if-you-build-it-they-will-come-oil-for-food-division/#comment-43872 ìI hope that we (and the MSM) don't get so caught up in the fate of Kofi Annan that we forget that there are many other people involved in this scandal.î I am quite confident that almost everybody working for the UN is involved in some scandal or other and our Rotten Secretary is simply beautiful representative of such corruption. It is only a matter of degrees. In the former CommieLand, where real money was scarce, working for the UN was one of the most coveted posts: not only regarding your official salary and perks but most importantly the unofficial ones. I remember conversation on the subject at the table ñ my parents had many acquaintances and some of them had ìconnectionsî in the UN. It all comes down really to the four ways of spending money, enumerated by Milton Friedman: your money for yourself, your money for somewhere else, somebody elseís money for yourself and somebody elseís money for somebody else. How careful is an ordinary person with the money in any of these circumstances? The UN only deals with somebody elseís money, so why should they be careful what and how they spend, except when they spend it on themselves? ìI hope that we (and the MSM) don’t get so caught up in the fate of Kofi Annan that we forget that there are many other people involved in this scandal.î

I am quite confident that almost everybody working for the UN is involved in some scandal or other and our Rotten Secretary is simply beautiful representative of such corruption. It is only a matter of degrees. In the former CommieLand, where real money was scarce, working for the UN was one of the most coveted posts: not only regarding your official salary and perks but most importantly the unofficial ones. I remember conversation on the subject at the table ñ my parents had many acquaintances and some of them had ìconnectionsî in the UN.

It all comes down really to the four ways of spending money, enumerated by Milton Friedman: your money for yourself, your money for somewhere else, somebody elseís money for yourself and somebody elseís money for somebody else. How careful is an ordinary person with the money in any of these circumstances?

The UN only deals with somebody elseís money, so why should they be careful what and how they spend, except when they spend it on themselves?

]]> By: neo-neocon http://pjmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2005/03/31/if-you-build-it-they-will-come-oil-for-food-division/#comment-43871 neo-neocon Thu, 31 Mar 2005 16:16:51 +0000 http://pajamasmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2005/03/31/if-you-build-it-they-will-come-oil-for-food-division/#comment-43871 Investigative reporting? Seems lately it's just the province of the few, such as Claudia Rossett. Otherwise, it appears it's becoming extinct--except, of course, for those stalwarts who are willing to go that extra mile (Mary Mapes, et al) to dig up (or if necessary, manufacture) dirt on those they consider to be political enemies. But, in a practical sense, the UN seems to be such a corrupt institution at this point that I'm not sure any change at the top would matter. Investigative reporting? Seems lately it’s just the province of the few, such as Claudia Rossett. Otherwise, it appears it’s becoming extinct–except, of course, for those stalwarts who are willing to go that extra mile (Mary Mapes, et al) to dig up (or if necessary, manufacture) dirt on those they consider to be political enemies.

But, in a practical sense, the UN seems to be such a corrupt institution at this point that I’m not sure any change at the top would matter.

]]> By: OJ http://pjmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2005/03/31/if-you-build-it-they-will-come-oil-for-food-division/#comment-43870 OJ Thu, 31 Mar 2005 16:16:27 +0000 http://pajamasmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2005/03/31/if-you-build-it-they-will-come-oil-for-food-division/#comment-43870 I originally wanted to see Annan leave his post. The notion that the US Administration wants to see a weak and irrelevant UN is gaining ground by their voiced support for Annan. A new Secretary General will only gain momentum for the UN while the current leadership serves to bolster lingering questions about corruption and underhanded motives. I cannot see any other reason for Washington's support. www.RightViews.com I originally wanted to see Annan leave his post. The notion that the US Administration wants to see a weak and irrelevant UN is gaining ground by their voiced support for Annan. A new Secretary General will only gain momentum for the UN while the current leadership serves to bolster lingering questions about corruption and underhanded motives.

I cannot see any other reason for Washington’s support.

http://www.RightViews.com

]]> By: ray_g http://pjmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2005/03/31/if-you-build-it-they-will-come-oil-for-food-division/#comment-43868 ray_g Thu, 31 Mar 2005 16:07:17 +0000 http://pajamasmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2005/03/31/if-you-build-it-they-will-come-oil-for-food-division/#comment-43868 I hope that we (and the MSM) don't get so caught up in the fate of Kofi Annan that we forget that there are many other people involved in this scandal. The investigation needs to continue until all parties, UN officials and other, are found, named, and if possible prosecuted. I hope that we (and the MSM) don’t get so caught up in the fate of Kofi Annan that we forget that there are many other people involved in this scandal. The investigation needs to continue until all parties, UN officials and other, are found, named, and if possible prosecuted.

]]> By: Katherine http://pjmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2005/03/31/if-you-build-it-they-will-come-oil-for-food-division/#comment-43869 Katherine Thu, 31 Mar 2005 16:07:17 +0000 http://pajamasmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2005/03/31/if-you-build-it-they-will-come-oil-for-food-division/#comment-43869 ìFor the most part all you need is email and a phone. Once you are known to be interested in a subject, people will come to you with their stories.î Goodness, Roger, what you describe sounds suspiciously like, you know, work. And investing stories that might ruin your carefully constructed ideological paradigm is such an unpleasant bother. Naaa, letís go back to writing about fake memos. Maybe THIS time we will bring McChimp Bu$Hitler down. ìFor the most part all you need is email and a phone. Once you are known to be interested in a subject, people will come to you with their stories.î

Goodness, Roger, what you describe sounds suspiciously like, you know, work. And investing stories that might ruin your carefully constructed ideological paradigm is such an unpleasant bother.

Naaa, letís go back to writing about fake memos. Maybe THIS time we will bring McChimp Bu$Hitler down.

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