UN Envoy offers upbeat report on Iraq

There are two remarkable things about this report from the Sec/Gen's envoy in Iraq:

1. He admits things are improving.

2. He does so in such a way as to make it seem as if he is reluctant to do so.

This kind of report can only come from the reflexive anti-American United Nations:

In the most upbeat assessment by a U.N. official since America invaded Iraq, Secretary-General Ban's top envoy in Baghdad, Steffan de Mistura, told the Security Council yesterday that it "cannot ignore the recent improvements" in Iraq since last year's troop surge.

Mr. de Mistura, who arrived in Baghdad last fall, acknowledged that Iraqis and the coalition forces still face serious "challenges" in the near future, but in yesterday's periodic report to the council, he noted marked progress since last year and said the security situation has not only improved but that there have been "welcome steps towards national reconciliation and inclusive political dialogue," though "tentative and overdue."

U.N. assessments of the conditions in Iraq since the war began in 2003 have often been bleak and critical of the activities of the American-led international troop contingency, known as the Multi-National Force–Iraq. A former secretary-general, Kofi Annan, famously called America's decision to unseat Saddam "illegal." But yesterday, Mr. de Mistura credited the surge of American troops for much of the success in Iraq.

The UN "cannot ignore" recent improvements - even though I'm sure they would dearly love to do so. And reconciliation is "overdue?" By whose timetable? Just a caveat thrown in to downplay what even the UN can no longer keep from saying is good news.

One note on the bias of the reporter: I'm surprised the sentence "A former secretary-general, Kofi Annan, famously called America's decision to unseat Saddam "illegal." got by the editor since I can't recall that statement being "famous" in any way, shape, or form.
I suppose if you're an anti-war, un-American liberal, the statement would be "famous" in the small circle of friends you run with.

HT: Ed Lasky