Guess I'll just jump right in.
I heard a bit of news yesterday that sent me out checking facts on the internet. As it happens, the US contributes 22% of the annual budget of the UN. This does not include the money used in peacekeeping missions, of which it would appear that the US contributes over 30% of the total money used. Think about that. We have an organization with over 100 members, yet we contribute more than one fifth of its total budget. Not that I have a specific problem with that. We are the wealthiest nation on earth. As such, I can at least see the argument that our contribution should be larger than other nations.
What gives me serious pause is what happens with this money. Remember the Iraqi “Oil for Food Program?” As it turns out, something like 20 billion dollars spent by the UN on this program ended up in Saddam Hussein’s personal coffers. No, that’s not a typo. 20 billion dollars. And, thanks to the meticulous record keeping of Hussein, it appears that there were even some kickbacks paid to UN officials.
http://www.opinionjournal.com/editor...l?id=110004801
http://www.aaenvironment.com/OilForFood.htm
Worse, there are also indications that the Oil for Food Program was used to support Al Qaeda:
http://www.nationalreview.com/commen...0404182336.asp
And this is only one example. The list goes on and on. The UN even seems to mock itself. Remember, before the invasion of Iraq? Although it did not agree with the US on the best method to resolve the issue, the UN itself knew Iraq was in violation of several UN resolutions, many regarding arms control. What was the UN response? To appoint Iraq the head of the UN arms control commission. At the same time, it appointed Libya to head another commission. If memory serves, Libya was appointed to head the commission on human rights. All that was left for the UN to complete the trifecta was to appoint Rwanda to head the commission to prevent genocide.
In it’s dealings with the US, the UN appears to have had only two goals. First, make sure that the US fully funds the UN. Second, undercut everything the US does internationally. Try and imagine this. You own a large bookstore, and belong to an organization of bookstore owners. Yours is the largest, most profitable bookstore in the organization, and accordingly, you provide the lion’s share of the money to support the organization. But, along the way, the other members begin to use that money to undercut you, to encourage customers to avoid your store, and patronize others. If you have a single brain cell in your head, you are going to pull out of that organization, and in a big hurry. You will also stop allowing that organization to hold it’s meetings in your store, regardless of how big, comfortable, or centrally located your store is.
I would not expect the UN to slavishly follow every desire of the US, regardless of how big our contributions were. By the same token, I would not expect the US to stand quietly by while this organization actively works to undermine the US internationally. Our continued membership in this organization is tantamount to slow national suicide. Perhaps we as a nation should show the common sense any bookstore owner has. It’s time we withdrew from membership of this organization, and time we expelled it from our nation.
Kevin McHugh
I heard a bit of news yesterday that sent me out checking facts on the internet. As it happens, the US contributes 22% of the annual budget of the UN. This does not include the money used in peacekeeping missions, of which it would appear that the US contributes over 30% of the total money used. Think about that. We have an organization with over 100 members, yet we contribute more than one fifth of its total budget. Not that I have a specific problem with that. We are the wealthiest nation on earth. As such, I can at least see the argument that our contribution should be larger than other nations.
What gives me serious pause is what happens with this money. Remember the Iraqi “Oil for Food Program?” As it turns out, something like 20 billion dollars spent by the UN on this program ended up in Saddam Hussein’s personal coffers. No, that’s not a typo. 20 billion dollars. And, thanks to the meticulous record keeping of Hussein, it appears that there were even some kickbacks paid to UN officials.
http://www.opinionjournal.com/editor...l?id=110004801
http://www.aaenvironment.com/OilForFood.htm
Worse, there are also indications that the Oil for Food Program was used to support Al Qaeda:
http://www.nationalreview.com/commen...0404182336.asp
And this is only one example. The list goes on and on. The UN even seems to mock itself. Remember, before the invasion of Iraq? Although it did not agree with the US on the best method to resolve the issue, the UN itself knew Iraq was in violation of several UN resolutions, many regarding arms control. What was the UN response? To appoint Iraq the head of the UN arms control commission. At the same time, it appointed Libya to head another commission. If memory serves, Libya was appointed to head the commission on human rights. All that was left for the UN to complete the trifecta was to appoint Rwanda to head the commission to prevent genocide.
In it’s dealings with the US, the UN appears to have had only two goals. First, make sure that the US fully funds the UN. Second, undercut everything the US does internationally. Try and imagine this. You own a large bookstore, and belong to an organization of bookstore owners. Yours is the largest, most profitable bookstore in the organization, and accordingly, you provide the lion’s share of the money to support the organization. But, along the way, the other members begin to use that money to undercut you, to encourage customers to avoid your store, and patronize others. If you have a single brain cell in your head, you are going to pull out of that organization, and in a big hurry. You will also stop allowing that organization to hold it’s meetings in your store, regardless of how big, comfortable, or centrally located your store is.
I would not expect the UN to slavishly follow every desire of the US, regardless of how big our contributions were. By the same token, I would not expect the US to stand quietly by while this organization actively works to undermine the US internationally. Our continued membership in this organization is tantamount to slow national suicide. Perhaps we as a nation should show the common sense any bookstore owner has. It’s time we withdrew from membership of this organization, and time we expelled it from our nation.
Kevin McHugh
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