Say Anything Blog

The UN is UNcool. It has a bunch of UNcooth dictators trying to tell US what to do. Why are we still messing around with the UN? I really don’t get it. I think the idea was a good one. BUT it is outdated & UNcooth!

I find the notion that there is anything at all about the United Nations that is worthy of this country’s continued support to be totally UNconvincing.

“Poverty of goods is easily cured; poverty of the mind is irreparable.”

UNbelievable…

You may criticise Kofi Annan, however :

On 29 November 2006, Secretary-General Kofi Annan criticised the Human Rights Council for focusing only on Israel and neglecting other parts of the world such as Darfur, which had what he termed “graver” crises. Annan reiterated this position in his formal address on 8 December 2006 (International Human Rights Day), noting the Commission’s “disproportionate focus on violations by Israel. Not that Israel should be given a free pass. Absolutely not. But the Council should give the same attention to grave violations committed by other states as well.”

I don’t think that the UN, in its original incarnation was necessarily a bad entity, however, it has been subject to so many scandals and (adverse) changes, that in it’s current form it is unable to act in the decisive way it was intended to.

Allowing countries with clear histories of human rights violations to sit on the newly-formed (Human Rights Council (replacing the [independent] Human Rights Commission) leaves it open to prejudicial reports and reviews. The US has opted out of this council for two years, instead taking an observer role.

The most senior Republican member of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, supported the administration decision. “Rather than standing as a strong defender of fundamental human rights, the Human Rights Council has faltered as a weak voice subject to gross political manipulation,” she said.

It seems that although the old Commission did make some dubious decisions (notably [according to critics] allowing Libya a seat in 2003 [after they had abandoned nuclear weapons research and pledged to join the war on terrorism, I might add]), it was not as biased or prejudiced as the current Council.

The bastardised form of the UNHRC that we have now is not fit for purpose. However, that is not to say that the idea is bad, just the method.

Do not fear to be eccentric in opinion, for every opinion now accepted was once eccentric.

When the likes of Hugo Chavez & Mr. Ahmadinejihad etc. etc. are recognized as leaders instead of terrorists it should be a REAL sign that this is NOT a good organization to be involved with. Very UNcool.

The UN is no nation and therefore has no authority to govern any people.  It is an artificial government with no citizenry, no borders, no accountability, and no authority.  The fact that nations ignore the UN resolutions, like Iraq and Iran, is nothing more than ignoring the collective will of member nations and therefore no violation of some faux international law artificially imposed by the UN.  Any UN law, fighting force, or court is an absolute fraud.  The best the UN can do is to express the will of its members.

Israel and the US should treat the UN as such and quit legitimizing its authority and attempts to enforce international laws.

I don’t agree with their politics Zsa Zsa, but they were both elected to office.
There is NO evidence that Chavez is a terrorist nor supports terrorism, if you have some, the UN (HCR), the US State Dept and I, would love to see it.
It would be a serious mistake for a country to cut ties with the UN, as then they have no way to defend their own policies on the international circuit.

Do not fear to be eccentric in opinion, for every opinion now accepted was once eccentric.

HG, should we ignore UN sanctions and allow contraband imports to terrorist states or those committing human rights violations?

Do not fear to be eccentric in opinion, for every opinion now accepted was once eccentric.

My husband works with a man whose father was beat up by the Chavez thugs. I wish I knew how to persuade him to present that?? I think this guy is fearful for his family. He says he can’t return home…

Like I said Zsa Zsa, I do NOT agree with Chavez’s politics and therefore I do not agree with the kind of internal manipulations and human rights abuses he and his cronies commit in Venezuela. The UNHCR and the US state dept are aware of these activities, but they are not classed as terrorism.

Links here and here on the UNHCR response to Venezuela’s apparent human rights infractions and
here on the US State Departments response to Venezuela’s HR abuses.
Both say that there is no evidence that Chavez directly mandated attacks on rivals and opponents, but rather that his supporters took it upon themselves to commit these acts in his name.

Do not fear to be eccentric in opinion, for every opinion now accepted was once eccentric.

Man of...Isn’t that sad? The Venezuelan man that works with my husband would love to use the education and skills he has gained to work in his native land. BUT because his father worked for previous governments, and other relatives worked for the pre-purge PDVSA, he would not be allowed to.  US companies with operations in Venezuela are bringing their best Ven employees who want to live in freedom to jobs in the US. OR transferring them to responsibilities in other countries.  Ironic that chavez is forcing expertise out as he forces his opponents out???

Too true, Zsa Zsa. I have an Iranian friend whose father worked for the Foreign Ministry of the former Shah and he was only able to return home for the first time a couple of years ago, though he was followed at times by police.
It is unfortunate that there are people like Chavez, Ahmedinijad and Khomeni in the world, but without them we wouldn’t know how blessed we are with the freedoms we have.

Do not fear to be eccentric in opinion, for every opinion now accepted was once eccentric.

I am not saying we need these people though.

Do not fear to be eccentric in opinion, for every opinion now accepted was once eccentric.

Man of...That’s for sure!

Since only the worst human rights abusers are even allowed to sit on the HR council, can we at least force them into recognizing Israel before they can criticize it?

I say we put Iran on the HR council, and propose an amendment to the resolution of the day “Israel is bad” and change it to: “Israel (a sovereign country who has the right to exist) is bad” at least that way, the HR council can be of some use.  It will either force the Islamofacists to recognize Israel, or force them to vote against yet another condemnation of Israel.

HG, should we ignore UN sanctions and allow contraband imports to terrorist states or those committing human rights violations?

UN sanctions are not international law.  That member nations act in accordance with their own expressed will on a matter does not mean they are required by the UN to do so.  If a member nation does not agree with the expressed will of the majority of member nations it has no legal obligation to enforce or act in accordance with the majority.

HG, but a member nation can face sanctions and restrictions as a results of ignoring UN resolutions made against it. This is often enough to encourage compliance.

Do not fear to be eccentric in opinion, for every opinion now accepted was once eccentric.

HG, should we ignore UN sanctions and allow contraband imports to terrorist states or those committing human rights violations?

The US should do what is in the interest of our national security, in accordance with what we believe to be right.

Iran keeps thumbing their nose in the face of the world. Ahmadinejihad is a terrorist and many of the former hostages can identify him. Why has he not been treated as such?

Well, the US need not worry, with the power of veto over any UN sanction, you can act with impunity anyway.

Do not fear to be eccentric in opinion, for every opinion now accepted was once eccentric.

A member nation may face sanctions for not following the will of the majority, but that is nothing more than coercion.  It still remains that no legal obligation to do so exists.

We don’t need some artificial, UN bestowed “power” to veto any more than we need “impunity” for acting in accordance with our nation’s principles.

Iran keeps thumbing their nose in the face of the world. Ahmadinejihad is a terrorist and many of the former hostages can identify him. Why has he not been treated as such?

Zsa,

Iran is a sovereign state. It has no legal obligation to obey the will of UN member nations.  The UN members are trying to convince Iran it is in their international political interest to comply.  Failure to do so puts Iran in a dangerous position as it leaves them open to the national security measures of individual nations like the US and Israel. 

You would probably be hard pressed to find a political figure in the ME who doesn’t have connections to terrorists or terrorism in one form or another.  Their entire culture is infested with terrorism.

You would probably be hard pressed to find a political figure in the ME who doesn’t have connections to terrorists or terrorism in one form or another.  Their entire culture is infested with terrorism.

As I quoted in this post.

Security sources in Iraqi Kurdistan have long said that the US is backing Iranian Kurdish guerrillas in Iran. The US is also reportedly backing Sunni Arab dissidents in Khuzestan in southern Iran who are opposed to the government in Tehran.

The links to terrorist groups is not restricted to ME countries. I have said it before and will say it again, “one man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter.”

Do not fear to be eccentric in opinion, for every opinion now accepted was once eccentric.

HG...The UN seems worthless and corrupt. so does Nancy pelosi & Harry Reid. Let’s see? Ahmadinejihad, Pelosi, Reid, and the UN? Hmmm… They all remind me of one another??? They seem like enemies of the USA.

Zsa,

They definately all share a disdain for America and our place in the world.  They also share a thirst for power.