If You Can't Understand Me, It's Because My Foot Is In My Mouth

Statement released today by the UN:

New York, 26 January 2005 - Statement attributable to the Spokesman for the Secretary-General on Iraqi elections

Carina Perelli, Director of the UN Electoral Assistance Division, mis-spoke today when she said the U.S. military was “over-enthusiastic in wanting to help” with the Iraqi elections. She was trying to make a point about the great sensitivity among many Iraqis about the U.S. presence as the election approaches, but not to deny the obvious fact that the U.S. military, along with the Iraqi security forces, are playing a crucial role in providing security for Iraqi citizens who will be voting. Ms. Perelli's role was to brief the press on the technical preparations for the election, and she did not intend to criticize the U.S. military's profile.