AP: Angry U.S.: Critical U.N. Speech a 'Very Grave Mistake' [View All]

[iconoclastic cat]

http://cnn.netscape.cnn.com/news/story.jsp?idq=/ff/story/0001/20060607/1218635310.htm&floc=NW_1-T">Angry U.S.: Critical U.N. Speech a 'Very Grave Mistake'

UNITED NATIONS (AP) - The United Nations' No. 2 official accused the U.S. government of keeping Middle America in the dark about the world body's good works, a rare direct criticism that drew an angry response Wednesday from Ambassador John Bolton.

Bolton called Tuesday's speech by Deputy Secretary-General Mark Malloch Brown a ``very, very grave mistake'' that could undermine Secretary-General Kofi Annan's efforts to push through an ambitious agenda at the world body.

``I spoke to the secretary-general this morning, I said 'I've known you since 1989 and I'm telling you this is the worst mistake by a senior U.N. official that I have seen in that entire time,''' Bolton told reporters on Wednesday.

(snip)

``Even though the target of the speech was the United States, the victim, I fear, will be the United Nations,'' the ambassador said.

Holy crap. Are we going to kick the U.N. out of NYC?