Oggie said it all: salient point: Kofi Annan "has no mandate in his own right".

This may explain the suddenly deafening silence on the part of the formerly oh-so-vocal critics of Mr. Annan-when challenged directly to say how they would do better than he has in dealing with bloodshed and suffering---given that they would have no more power than he has.

Bushites--and perhaps others--are wonderful at trenchant criticism--except when confronted with facts.

But Bushites have never had much time for facts--after all, propaganda is all they ever need anyway.