Blaming Annan

摘要

Last week The Economist gave Kofi Annan,the United Nations secretary-general,three pages in which to set out his case for sweeping reforms of the world body.We did not think that was the moment to reflect on the campaign of vilification being mounted against him by his detractors in the United States.But it was not only courtesy that stayed our hand.The mounting calls in America for Mr Annan to resign,as though he were personally responsible for the whole oil-for-food scandal,under which Saddam Hussein skimmed off billions of dollars of oil revenue that were intended to improve the lot of ordinary Iraqis,are premature.