further proof john kerry was wrong to suggest putting increased trust in the UN is contained in the following links. some are rather lengthy articles, but i think they are important to understand why the UN needs to be reformed.

Annan ready for oil-for-food flak — i’m sure he is.
The Oil-for-Food Scam: What Did Kofi Annan Know, and When Did He Know It? –his hands are far from clean. very long. very damning stuff in this report.
Exposé, At Last?— article from the author of the previous report, claudia rosett, posted at NRO. a condensed review of the important stuff.
UN veteran fired over oil scandal — kofi next?
A Miasma of Corruption:The United Nations at 50 — a very comprehensive analysis of needed reform from the cato institute
Russian UN diplomat charged with money laundering — nothing surprising here. eventually all of the UN will have their hands in a few cookie jars. as the second article shows, russia and france were enablers in oil-for-food…so they have a few other skeletons in the closet too.
UN asks Ukraine to leave Lebanon –financial misconduct by some of their peacekeepers

that should be enough support for my argument.

let’s keep our eyes on the ball here. we, as america, a powerful and influential voice at the UN, should push the UN for needed reforms. what i would like to see is more consistency in the application of standards for members of the human rights committee (i.e. no leaders that brutalize their people should be eligible for it), emphasis on common-sense alternatives to kyoto, a more defined role for peacekeepers and a harder line taken on rogue dictators.

i would also like kofi annan to spare us his pithy lectures about how america should run itself. tell ya what, kofi. once the UN can handle its own business and effectively threaten rogue elements in its membership, then maybe you will gain a shred of credibility with us. the failures of the UN have forced this unilateral response by the US to threats. why? because sanctions don’t work and neither do toothless resolutions.

Technorati : UN, john kerry, kofi annan, oil-for-food