Bertie deserves an Iraqi contract for ability to deconstruct language

KOFI ANNAN, the Secretary General of the UN, must have breathed a major sigh of relief when he heard the news from Dublin in the past 24 hours.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern confirmed that the Government "fully supports" the United Nations as the body responsible for maintaining peace and security throughout the world.

Unfortunately for the UN chief, he doesn't realise, as the people of Ireland do, that the Taoiseach is blessed with the peculiar knack of being able to support something and be against it at the same time.