Kofi Annan: A Man of Peace in a World of War
Author: Stanley Meisler
Amazon info
I didn't know much about Kofi Annan and I came away from the book extremely impressed - so impressed that I am tempted to refer to him as "Mr. Annan" - but of course I won't. Kofi was the seventh Secretary General of the UN, serving for two five-year terms (the max) from 1997-2006. The author (who has also written about the UN in general) portrays Kofi as a surprisingly open, honest, and humane politician and describes his upbringing in Ghana and the various roles he played - especially as head peacekeeper during the administration of his predecessor - Boutrous Boutrous-Ghali. What impressed me most about the Secretary General was his willingness to admit mistakes, his humility, and his ability to listen. On the other hand, he was also tough enough to stand up to President Bush II and oppose the war in Iraq (not that it did much). The animosity that neo-conservatives in the US showed toward Annan made his job much more difficult, especially in the final year when John Bolton was named US Ambassador in a summer recess appointment. I was also struck by the scope of the UN and how it really does bring together people from all over the world. Too bad the US is such a lame player in this organization.
Outstanding book - highly recommended to all. Warning - those who are not pleased with the current administration will find their anger and annoyance rekindled after reading this. Unless you feel that Iraq was worth 800 BILLION DOLLARS (especially as we are struggling with education funding cuts). Rant off.