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Tuesday, November 30, 2004

UN Readies Kerry’s “Global Test”

Lets be thankful Kerry wasn't elected. You know he would have signed on to this deal immediately.

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - A report by a high-level panel on reforming the United Nations proposes expanding the criteria for U.N. military action but maintains the need for Security Council approval, U.N. diplomats said.

The report, requested by Secretary-General Kofi Annan and to be released on Thursday, also presents two proposals for expanding council, the most powerful U.N. body, from 15 to 24 seats.

The document includes benchmarks for acting against a terrorist threat and for humanitarian intervention when atrocities are committed against defenseless civilians, provided the Security Council gives its consent.


Benchmarks for atrocities? They've actually laid out standards an "atrocity" must meet before it can be addressed by a member of the Security Council? Since when did human rights violations have to meet a "benchmark" before they could be solved?

The UN in its current incarnation is a useless bunch of bureaucratic fools. Lets hope our threat to cut funding brings about some much-needed change in that institution.

Comments

Avatar for Mark

’Since when did human rights violations have to meet a “benchmark” before they could be solved?’

I’ll tell you when - since the beginning of international law.

It is utterly ridiculous to assert that no benchmark whatsoever is needed in order to justify intervention. There has to be a benchmark.

Suppose one person is imprisoned unjustly in a country. Do you invade? No.

Suppose a hundred people are imprisoned unjustly. Do you invade? Maybe.

Suppose ten thousand people are imprisoned unjustly. Do you invade? Probably.

Guess what. You’ve just set a benchmark. Your outrage on this issue is misplaced.

Mark on November 30, 2004 at 05:12 am
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