Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous: Kofi Annan and the UN

Posted by Cinnamon Stillwell
Friday, January 10, 2003

In its quest to cater to all things liberal, PBS broadcast ''Kofi Annan: Center of the Storm'' on Tuesday night. The program profiled the UN Secretary General, Nobel Peace-Prize winner, and the man some have described as the ''president of the world.'' To those of us who aren’t exactly fans of the UN or of Annan, the program might have been more aptly titled ''Kofi Annan: Man of Hypocrisy and Inaction.''

But beyond any political differences, I have to say that I found the program valuable for providing a glimpse into the inner workings of the UN. And what a cushy gig it is. They travel the world on private jets, attend lots of cocktail parties, wear gorgeous clothes, schmooze with world leaders, eat and drink only the finest, and yes, occasionally drop by some dirt-poor Third World country and make overtures towards the dictator at hand. I think I learned more about the fabulous lifestyle of a top-ranking UN employee, than I did about Kofi Annan, but it sure beat ''Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous.'' Speaking of which, Bill Clinton, who just can’t seem to get enough of the spotlight, managed to make an appearance in the program, not once, but three times.

Also fascinating to observe, was the UN’s interplay with the media. The orchestrated meetings of Annan and various world leaders were amazing for their skillful media manipulation. It was all for show, but what a show it was.

The lavish scenes were interspersed with graphic reminders of the ugly truth at the heart of the matter. Annan’s admitted failure in dealing with the massacre in Rwanda was demonstrated by the piles of bodies littering the streets. He only alluded to the conflict in the Middle East, claiming scapegoat status in answer to his critics, who rightly accuse Annan and the UN of coddling Arab countries, while condemning Israel.

The program appears to have been filmed in the months following the attacks of 9/11 and much of Annan’s activities were centered around the reconstruction of Afghanistan and procuring more funds for that beleaguered country. Still, I had to ask myself, ''what’s in it for the rest of the world?'' We’ve seen how terrorism takes root in failed states like Afghanistan, but in the end, it seems like the international community is simply blackmailed into financial support. We effectively pay them not to dissolve into chaos and send terrorists to kill us. It’s not exactly a bargain, but then again, it’s not the UN’s money that’s being spent now, is it?

Predictably, the program ended on an upbeat note, with the independence of East Timor. In that case, Annan’s eternal optimism seems to have been rewarded. But with the specter of Islamic terrorism as a backdrop, his references to peace and all people respecting each other’s differences, sounded naive and unrealistic. As the Roman General Vegetius said, ''He who desires peace should prepare for war.''

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