Corruption near and far

One day, when I’m done reforming the world, I will sit down on a hill under an oak tree, look at the beautiful sunset across the ocean, and behold a world free of sons of U.N. Secretary-Generals profiting off tyranny, of plutocrats running nations in Africa, and of Massachusetts politicians pocketing taxpayers' money. Until that day...

It's fascinating that the U.N. is now going to be involved with the new Iraqi "caretaker government," in place through January 2005. No less fascinating is that, according to U.N. officials, “key [Security Council] members including Russia, France and China routinely stalled efforts to address abuses in the [oil-for-food] program” and that “the United States showed little interest” in addressing its corruption.