John Danforth, the Bush Administration’s envoy to the U.N., seriously diminished the likelihood that anyone will be held accountable in the U.N. Oil-for-Food scandal:

“We are expressing confidence in the secretary-general [Kofi Annan] and his continuing in office,” Danforth said, adding that he was speaking for the White House and State Department.

“No one to my knowledge has cast doubt on the personal integrity of the secretary-general. No one,” he said.

Really? No one? Okay, then allow me to be the first: I hereby cast doubt on the integrity of the secretary-general. Sorry, I would have done it sooner, but I thought the doubt was self-evident.

Backing Kofi means that the stonewalling at the U.N. will continue, because nobody with any leverage is challenging it. If only the caricature of Unilateralist George were a little more true...