The United Nations, tarnished crown jewel of 20th-Century moral naivety, where murderous autocrats sit at the same table as elected men; a living icon of perfidy, oligarchy, condescension, misanthropy. Tyranny's partner and father confessor; one of the last idols of bestial will to be torn down before the rise of a fellowship of democratic nations.

If you prefer the vernacular, a dirty bunch of coldhearted bums. [How's that for a profile?] They called it "Oil-for-Food." I call it "Get-Rich-Slick." Others call it "UNSCAM," and are following the trail of graft, deceit and genocide. These are the men whose help we desperately need?

IN CASE YOU'RE WONDERING: Wondering where the invective came from, that is, I'd say that this story by sleuth Claudia Rosett fairly well settled the issue in my mind.

ZING! WENT UBALDI: Jeff Medcalf comments — wisely, from a safe distance. Yes, it was a bit of a flash of emotion and I don't intend to make too much more of that for awhile. But I take care to remember that peace is made between peaceable men, and that's a world without dictators. To that end the United Nations failed. In the wake of the Second World War, the world looked above to ask for harmony — the devil overheard and gave them the East River. (Damn, there I go again!)