Senator calls for Annan to resign

WASHINGTON – The senator leading an investigation into the United Nations’ oil-for-food program in Iraq is calling on Secretary-General Kofi Annan to resign.

Writing in Wednesday’s Wall Street Journal, Sen. Norm Coleman, R-Minn., argues that Annan should step down because “the most extensive fraud in the history of the U.N. occurred on his watch. In addition, and perhaps more importantly, as long as Mr. Annan remains in charge, the world will never be able to learn the full extent of the bribes, kickbacks and under-the-table payments that took place under the U.N.’s collective nose.”

The humanitarian oil-for-food program, which began in 1996, allowed Iraq to trade oil for food, medicine and other necessities that became scarce under strict U.N. economic sanctions imposed after the Gulf War. Two weeks ago, Coleman’s Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations said it had uncovered evidence that Saddam Hussein’s government raised more than $21.3 billion in illegal revenue by subverting U.N. sanctions against Iraq, including the oil-for-food program.

This week, revelations emerged that Annan’s son received $30,000 a year over five years from a Swiss-based firm being probed over suspected oil-for-food corruption.