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CNN's Dobbs Attacks Annan on Iraq War Legality

When U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan said in a September 15 interview that he thought the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq was illegal, CNN's Lou Dobbs was outraged, calling it "another incredible outburst by Kofi Annan" (9/16/04). But Dobbs and his CNN reporters neglected to pursue the most important aspect of the story: Was Annan right?

In a BBC interview, Annan said the war was "not in conformity with the Security Council, with the U.N. Charter." When asked, "It was illegal?," Annan replied: "Yes, if you wish," adding: "I have indicated it is not in conformity with the U.N. Charter; from our point of view and from the Charter point of view, it was illegal."

This did not sit well with Dobbs, whose September 16 report began:
"Outrage and anger today after an astonishing statement about Iraq by U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan. Annan said the United States-led invasion of Iraq was illegal."

Dobbs reported that "U.S. allies Britain and Australia immediately
rejected Annan's assertion. President Bush said he has no regrets about ordering the invasion." CNN correspondent Kitty Pilgrim's segment quoted the U.S ambassador to the United Nations, the Australian Prime Minister, a representative from the conservative Hoover Institute, and Edward Walker from the Middle East Institute, who said, "I don't understand quite what he means by legal."

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