headland

In the second presidential debate, Sen. John Kerry claimed to have met with all fifteen members of the United Nations Security Council just one week before voting in October 2002 to authorize the use of force in Iraq.

"This president hasn't listened. I went to meet with the members of the Security Council in the week before we voted. I went to New York. I talked to all of them, to find out how serious they were about really holding Saddam Hussein accountable."

Joel Mowbray, reports in the Washington Times on Monday that of the five ambassadors to the Security Council in 2002 who were reached for comment, four of the five said they had never met Mr. Kerry. Three of the four ambassadors -- those from Mexico, Columbia, and Bulgaria -- were willing to be identified for the report.

France's chief U.N. representative, Jean-David Levitte, said through a spokesperson that Mr. Kerry had had one-on-one meetings with "some" of the members of the Security Council, but could only name himself and Ambassador Jeremy Greenstock of Britain as individuals on the Council with whom Kerry had met.

UPDATE: Shape of Days is underwhelmed. Wizbang provides context as well as links to other stories that could spell trouble for the Kerry campaign in the waning days of October.

Labels: France, Jean-David Levitte, John Kerry, Saddam Hussein, Security Council, United Nations