UN Admits Extortion behind Removal of Saudi Arabia from Child-Killer Blacklist

U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon admitted Thursday Saudi Arabia had been removed from a blacklist for maiming and killing children as a result of unnamed sources’ threats to defund United Nations programs.

U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon admitted Thursday Saudi Arabia had been removed from a blacklist for maiming and killing children as a result of unnamed sources’ threats to defund United Nations programs.

 In plain language, an unknown entity used extortion to force the U.N. to reverse an important move toward ensuring the safety of children.

According to an as-yet unsubstantiated report from Foreign Policy, that threat came directly from the Saudi government — though immediately after the report blacklisting the Saudi-led coalition went public, the kingdom vociferously denounced its placement, and was removed within 72 hours — perhaps lending an air of credibility to the allegation.

Ban came under sharp criticism for the abrupt backtracking; but on Thursday, his reasoning for the move became all-too apparent.