Kofi Annan: "Interventions: A Life in War and Peace"
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2012-09-06/kofi-annan-interventions-life-war-and-peace
Kofi Annan served two terms as secretary-general to the United Nations beginning in 1997. He was the first sub-Saharan African to lead the international body. In March he stepped out of retirement to take on what many called "mission impossible" -- trying to resolve the conflict in Syria. But his six-point peace plan fell apart and he resigned as special envoy last month. In a new book, Kofi Annan reflects on his successes and failures during 40 years with the U.N. and argues for the U.N.'s continued relevance in the 21st century.
Guests
Kofi Annan
former secretary-general of the United Nations and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2001.
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Kofi Annan, former United Nations secretary-general and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, talked about how his childhood and family background prepared him for a life of diplomacy. Annan said he realized political change was possible while growing up in Ghana during the country's independence movement. He described his father as strict and stoic. "[He] stressed character," Annan said about his father. "That character trumped everything. That you had to know what is right and what is wrong."
Read An Excerpt
Excerpted from INTERVENTIONS by Kofi Annan with Nader Mousavizadeh. Reprinted by arrangement with The Penguin Press, a member of Penguin Group (USA), Inc. Copyright (c) Kofi A. Annan, 2012.
Comments
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1. Mr. Anan former Bush administration officials Flynt and Hillary Mann Leverett have said at their amazingly informative website Race for Iran that the U.S. pushing that all negotiations with Syria started with Assad must go now was a non starter. Can you please share your views on this.
2. the U.S. MSM has not been discussing Egyptian President Morsi's push for a "contact group" to diplomatically deal with Syria. Do you think this is a good idea.
3. How would you say the U.S. invasion of Iraq has effected U.S. standing in the world. And why is it that the Lancet report in 2006 that reported that at that point 650,000 Iraqi people had been killed as a direct consequence of that illegal and immoral invasion. Why no hard reports on the deaths injuries and those displaced by that invasion
4. Did you feel undermined in any way during your efforts to negotiate in Syria? Can you actually say if you felt undermined?
My question is for your guest- How is it that no one in the US gov or the British government been held accountable for having this war over false premise? And what was the reason for the war at all? It seems like everyone who is capable of doing something about it have very short memories, its disheartening to see no one being held accountable even if the people responsible are small pieces in the giant puzzle.
Is the IAEA truly an organization that creates change in the world? Or are they simply an "outing" organization which has no real impact on stopping nuclear proliferation?
The Assad Regime was the perpetrator and instigator of most troubles in Syria's neighboring countries. The Syrian regime along with the Iranian Regime have extended the war in iraq by harboring extremists and financing the insurgencies that ensued the US liberation of the country.
The Syrian people deserve a chance at peace and freedom and the Middle East will be a lot better place without Assad.
I would like to ask Mr. Annan a question about the UN.
How could member Nations of the UN,, who in their majority are ruled by dictatorships or autoritarian regimes pretending to be democratic be involved in any process to promote freedoms in the world
Three men callers allowed through by the DR screener. Not my imagination that the screener has gender biases. when it comes to international issues, foreign policy she does not allow women through over and over again. This ha been happening for about a year now. Used to be different. As if women are not as informed as well as men on foreign policy issues. Pathetic. I was held on the phone for 40 minutes while the screener allowed three men through.
My questions for Mr. Kofi Anan who I have a deep and abiding respect for like millions around the world
1. Many of us around the world have been pushing for accountability in regard to the Bush administrations false WMD intelligence. You know better than anyone how many have died, been injured and displaced as a direct result of that false intelligence. Is there any possibility the International Criminal Court might take this issue of accountability for very serious crimes committed since the U.S. congress and the Obama administration have not done so.
2. Egyptian President Morsi has suggested forming a "contact group" to negotiate with Syria. Do you think this is a possibility? On previous Diane Rehm shows this is never ever mentioned. All of her guest have basically been on the same page. Military action.
3. Over at Race for Iran former Bush administration officials Flynt and HIllary Mann Leverett have said that the OBama administrations demand that Assad must go now was a non starter? Do you agree? They have also stated that you were in many ways undermined in Syria by the Obama administration. Were you?
The Diane Rehm screener needs to start allowing more women through on foreign policy issues. Telling
...and the sad part about the interview is that you just KNOW that there will be conspiracy theorists posting in response that they STILL believed that the U.S. was right to have invaded, and that "this is not the way it happened," despite having THE authority on the decisions leading up to the decision to invade!
http://beyond-the-political-spectrum.blogspot.com/