The Un, The Voice Of The World

I'm just having a little trouble here; when intelligence said that there were WMD's they didn't know what they were talking about, but when they said there is no link between Sadam and the terrorists they are telling the gospel truth?

When Sadam uses the oil for food program to bribe the U.N so he can continue to keep Uday busy in the rape rooms, ( a boy gots to have a hobby ) that is the same as when Haliburton use the old excuse of cost overruns to pad their profits?

Good points, Erick!

Apparently it turns out that Kofi Annan's son, Kojo, was receiving payments from the U.N.'s Oil-For-Food program as recently as this year.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=stor.../iraq_un_oil_dc

http://www.nysun.com/article/5372

This is all part of the Oil-For-Food scam that saw $17.3 billion funneled through the U.N. by Saddam to fund terrorism, buy weapons, build palaces and pay off French, Russian and Chinese Security Council members. Folks, that's Billions with a 'B'.

How long before they discover that Saddam paid off Kofi directly? If that's the case, will there be prosecutions? Perhaps those corrupt U.N. officials should be extradited back to Iraq to face those that they ripped off.

There is apparently talk around the U.N. that it is time for Kofi to resign. There's a better idea. Why not arrange for Kofi to be the last Secretary General of the United nations? Period.

Isn't it about time we recognize the UN for what it is? Why are we funding an organization that would make Libya the chair of a Human Rights Commission, and that would hand the seat on that commission once occupied by the United States to the country of Syria? And we take the UN seriously? Why should the taxpayers of this country continue to support such an organization?

What if the United States lends its full financial and political support to the creation of another international organization in which membership shall only be open to nations who's governments and leaders are chosen through open and verifiable democratic processes?

It won't be long before it's January 1 and we'll start worrying about filling out tax forms. As you do, remember that part of your earned income goes to support the UN and it's actions:

- Failure to enforce 17 resolutions against Saddam, tolerating his ejection of UN weapons inspectors, and even enabling him to stay in power by looking the other way as he exploited Oil for Food.

- Failure to use UN peacekeepers already in place to stop the Rwanda genocide in 1994, and, worse, handing over thousands of Bosnian Muslim men for slaughter by the Serbs at Srebrenica in 1995.

- Failure to act in Kosovo in 1999, amid the threat of a Russian veto, leaving NATO the task of preventing a bloody civil war on European soil.

- As recently as this year, failure to stop the massacre of African Muslims in Sudan's Darfur province.

- Failure to bring up for formal debate, let alone action, North Korean and Iranian violations of non-proliferation agreements.

Name a global security crisis of the past 60 years, and with precious few exceptions the UN has been missing in action as an agent of collective security. The one early exception was Korea, and that's only because the veto-wielding Soviets didn't show up when the Security Council voted.

Anyone who wants to solve a global problem knows not to take it to the UN Even the French jumped into the Ivory Coast on their own, asking the Security Council for its blessing only after the fact.

Money out of your wallet is going to be given to the UN. Aren't you happy? The UN continues to lose its relevance. The time has long since arrived that the US remove itself from the UN.

Y'know, after 34 posts in this thread I would have thought that we would have pretty thoroughly proved that the UN is a 'dog without teeth.'

S

OK, normally I spew pretty hard at both the UN and their boss Kofi Annan. But he actually said something that makes sense, and I'm happy to post it here.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,140861,00.html

Thank you Kofi. There would be no need of your statements if any majority of the Muslim community were already speaking out against worldwide terrorism. But I'll take what little I can get.

Of course, a professor from George Washington University proceeded to spout the usual victimhood line, with a twist:

Mistakes?!?! Yeah, I remember those poor Muslims mistakenly flying two commercial aircraft, filled with innocent civilians, into two office buildings filled with 3,000 innocent civilians. Oops, huh?

Decrying terrorism and battling Muslim extremism (or Christian extremism) are acts of public service. Badmouthing an entire religious group (and all people in it)is pure biggotry that is VERY much parallel to the arguments used by Hitler to murder millions of Jews.
Sorry, Brother S., but I strongly disagree with your position here.

I certainly agree.

But the problem I have is: where are the outrages publically expressed by the mainstream Muslim community on Islamic terrorism? Sure there is an occasional "official statement" said by one cleric or another, but you would think there would be worldwide outrage to schools that teach violence. You would think there would be pleas of mercy by the mainstream Muslim community, but instead we see children firing AK47's into the air.

Your mention of Hitler and the murdering of Jews is quite appropriate, since this seems to be the same feeling today against Israel and America by the Muslim community, much akin to the emotions expressed by the Germans 40 years ago.

Where is the CNN report telling the world that Cleric Smith at the XYZ Mosque in Baghdad telling his followers to put down their weapons and stop the violence? How many times has Peter Jennings told a story where a Muslim man or woman has any desire to teach his children not to become a suicide bomber? Where is the Palestinian leader that agrees to co-exist with non-Muslims?

An entire religious group (and all people in it) are judged by their actions, both individually and collectively. Did I miss the "make love not war" million man march in Iran? Did I miss the speech by a noted religions leader in Saudi Arabia calling for an end to violence? Did Dan Rather say anything on the evening news about anything less than barbarism from the Muslim community or it's leaders?

Yes, there are parallels to Hitler's Germany. We're seeing it acted out almost nightly.

The UN's oil-for-food scam has taken a new turn.

Billionaire Marc Rich has emerged as a central figure in the U.N. oil-for-food scandal and is under investigation for brokering deals in which scores of international politicians and businessmen cashed in on sweetheart oil deals with Saddam Hussein, The New York Post says.

Rich, the fugitive Swiss-based commodities trader, is a primary target of criminal probes under way in the U.S. attorney's office in New York and by Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau, sources said.

Investigators say they have received information that Rich and Ben Pollner, a New York-based oil trader who heads Taurus Oil, set up a series of companies in Liechtenstein and other countries that they used to put together deals between Saddam and his international supporters in the controversial oil-voucher scheme ? which the dictator designed to win international support against U.S. sanctions at the United Nations.

Under the scam, hundreds of international political and financial figures from France, Russia and other countries were awarded middleman vouchers allowing them to purchase set quantities of Iraqi oil at discount rates.

These so-called "non-end users" could then resell the oil on the open market and make profits of up to 50 cents a barrel. Benon Sevan, who headed the U.N. oil-for-food program, is among those listed in Iraqi Oil Ministry documents as having been a recipient of the vouchers.

http://www.nypost.com/news/worldnews/36359.htm

You do remember Marc Rich, don't you? He's the one who received a controversial pardon from President Bill Clinton in January 2001. Rich, who fled the country to Switzerland in 1983 to escape an indictment for racketeering and tax evasion as well as trading oil with Ayatollah Khomeini's Iran, has not set foot inside the United States since his pardon.

In January 2001, in the final hours his presidency, Clinton bypassed law-enforcement and intelligence agencies to wipe the books clean for Rich after being subjected to intense lobbying from former Israel Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Rich's jet-setting ex-wife, Denise, who donated more than $1 million to Democratic campaigns ? including Sen. Hillary Rodham's first Senate race ? along with an additional $450,000 to Clinton's library fund.

A report by the House Government Reform Committee on Rich's clemency deal established that it was well known to the CIA and other U.S. law-enforcement agencies at the time of the pardon that Rich had been dealing with Saddam since the early 1990s ? after the Persian Gulf War when Iraq was the subject of an international embargo.

Thanks, Bill.

Does anyone actually listen to the UN anymore?

An 9.0 earthquake unleashed deadly tidal waves on Asia. It was so powerful it made the Earth wobble on its axis and permanently altered the regional map. The death toll is 24,000 and climbing.

Almost immediately the U.S. government pledged $15 million and dispatched disaster specialists to help the Asian nations devastated by the catastrophe that has claimed tens of thousands of lives.

A spokesman at U.S. Pacific Command in Hawaii said Monday that in addition to three Navy P-3 Orion surveillance planes sent to Thailand, the military also is loading five or six Air Force C-130 cargo planes with tents, clothing, food and other humanitarian goods for delivery to Thailand. Pacific Command also is assembling small assessment teams that will be dispatched to three countries in the region to assess how U.S. military resources can best be applied in those countries.

And here comes this screed from U.N. Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Jan Egeland:

?!?!

The US taxpayers want to be taxed more? Could you please name who these people are, Mr. Egeland ?

Secretary of State Colin Powell said Tuesday, "The United States has given more aid in the last four years than any other nation or combination of nations in the world." Powell said that "clearly, the United States will be a major contributor to this international effort. And, yes, it will run into the billions of dollars."

As usual, everything is our fault. This is a problem with institutionalized charity. At first it is appreciated. Then it becomes expected. The UN is nothing more than a loose collection of transnational Socialists.

Where was Jan Egeland when Florida was devastated by hurricanes? Did Europe contribute? Did the UN contribute?

Why isn't Mr. Egeland asking for contributions from Saudi Arabia? Iran? Syria?

How about the UN pony up some of the $23 billion they helped steal under the Oil-For-Flood scam?

There is absolutely nothing stopping any US citizen from donating to any of hundreds of charities. But the UN wants us to enact laws for higher taxation so that we can subsidize UN efforts.

Geez.

Maybe you misunderstood, Brother S. It's not the US fault, it's YOUR fault, personally.
So, now that even YOU have to admit the UN has a place and function that is good and important, you complain that they aren't Georgies Yes Men?

No, the UN has very little place and function that is good and important. Most of the world wouldn't notice if it went missing.

If all of those self-important diplomats simply anted up a small percentage of the money they raked in under the Oil for Food program ? which was designed as humanitarian aid for starving Iraqis but instead became an under-the-table cash cow for top U.N. officials ? Egeland might find himself with some serious cash.

Let's be fair. Egeland's right to be frustrated. His job is to help untold numbers of poor people in a terrible situation where no amount of aid or effort could ever make them whole. How much money does it take to compensate a father whose child was snatched away by an angry sea on a clear and sunny day?

But it is one thing to say the victims need more help, and another thing entirely to suggest that Sri Lankans and Indonesians are suffering from the stinginess of Americans or U.S. tax policy.

The United Nations is an odious institution. But the liberals love to cry out, "What about the starving people it feeds?" or "What about the peacekeeping?"

OK, what about them?

The United States supplies more than one-fifth of the United Nations'
total budget. 57% of the World Food Program budget. 33% of the Refugee Agency budget. 27% of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations budget. We've been the United Nations' biggest donor every year since 1945. Taxpayers reluctantly agree to such largess because we're told of the good works the United Nations does. And yet, whenever there's a catastrophe, it's the US that is asked to dig deep into his pocket for more money.

Nobody objects when the United Nations helps victims of natural disasters, so U.N. defenders always use disaster relief and peacekeeping as their chief tool for fundraising. The problem is that the United Nations is not an impartial philanthropic organization. It is a political institution where a broad coalition of nations, most of which are 3rd-world dictatorships, sit around trying to promote themselves. Kofi Annan uses his megaphone to decry the moral and legal legitimacy of American foreign policy while his top people are stealing food and medical supplies from starving and destitute Iraqis. Its Human Rights Committee is festooned with torture states, but it seems capable of issuing only condemnations inconvenient to the United States.

The larger picture Mr. Egeland fails to appreciate is that America's wealth and prosperity - partly sustained by (gasp!) low taxes - is a greater bulwark against human suffering than the United Nations ever has been or likely will be. But he cannot see that while wearing the blinders of neo-euro-Socialism.

The United Nations is too scared of terrorists, and too anti-American, to be of any real help anywhere in the world, including Indonesia. Yeah, and UN will probably give more aid than Luxemburg, but then again the UN officer wasn't complaining about Luxemburg.

American citizens, partly thanks to those stingy low taxes, send some $34 billion in private aid around the world every year. That's 10 times the United Nations total budget. America's Christian ministries, private foundations and agencies all do far more in direct charity and aid than the United Nations. Period. Live with it, you stingy, theiving UN.

It is our prosperity that drives global development, not anything from the UN. It is our courage and goodwill that keeps the peace around the globe, not the UN.

The US doing it's part? Bush responded AT ALL only after extensive pressure.

From Brother S. favorite organization, MoveOn.org:

The tsunami in southern Asia and Africa may be the worst natural disaster of our time. More than 116,000 lives were wiped out within hours. The toll in death and suffering from smashed cities, broken families, rampant disease, and crippled economies cannot even be calculated. In the face of this horror, MoveOn members have poured in requests to help, asking how we can push through our sadness and lend a hand.

Rising to this challenge is at the heart of global leadership, and the world is depending on us. The U.S. government can lead billions of dollars of aid into this relief effort, if it chooses. Americans are generous and ready to step forward, but the U.S. Congress and the Bush administration have made a weak initial contribution to the effort -- first offering $15 million and then $35 million when they came under pressure. Clearly, we can do more.

Let Congress and the President know that Americans are supporting strong leadership in this relief effort -- that millions of lives are at stake and we have to help. In this hour of need, if America chooses to embrace our role as a world leader, we can have an unparalleled impact. Send a message to our leaders at:

http://www.moveon.org/tsunamirelief/

But we can't just wait for this Congress to move. We can help directly, as individuals, and save lives today. Our friends at Oxfam are already scrambling on the front lines to fight off starvation and disease -- and beginning to rebuild. Because Oxfam has worked for years with grassroots groups in the hardest hit areas, they were able to mobilize local leadership to help survivors immediately after the tsunami hit. And Oxfam will be there for the long-term, helping communities recover and regain their ability to meet basic needs. Oxfam needs to raise $5 million immediately to provide safe water, sanitation, food, shelter, and clothing to 36,000 families in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and India. Your contribution can make this possible.

Please give what you can, at:

http://www.moveon.org/r?r=631

Of course, Oxfam is only one of dozens of great organizations, like UNICEF, CARE, and the Red Cross/Red Crescent, rushing to help with the immediate need. Their efforts give the victims a head start, but it won't be enough unless the great nations of the world step forward in a big way for the long-term challenges.

Indonesia, by far the hardest hit country, is also the world's largest Muslim nation. Their estimated death toll stands at 85,000 -- in some areas, 1 out of 4 people have already been killed. Now it's time for America to show its true colors. We want to be known as a nation that leads the world with compassion, generosity, and community -- not with disastrous foreign military adventures. We are a nation that values human life, family, and extending freedom and opportunity to where it is most needed. We must now reach out in a serious way to do just that.

The $35 million offered by the Bush administration seems like a lot of money, but it's insignificant compared to what's needed in a disaster relief effort than spans continents and is expected to be the most expensive in history. To put it in perspective, we're spending $35 million in Iraq every 7 hours. (The Bush administration is about to ask for another $80 billion to cover the next installment of this tragic occupation.)1

We can and will do better. Thanks for doing your part to show the true generosity of the American spirit.

Sincerely,

--Adam, Ben, Carrie, Eli, James, Joan, Justin, Laura, Mari, Noah, Rosalyn, and Wes
The MoveOn.org Team
December 30th, 2004

P.S. Just as we were finalizing this email, we received a note from 17-year-old MoveOn member Annalise Blum, who has a great idea for New Year's Eve parties. Here's her email:


Dear Joan and Wes,
We arrived in Cambodia today and turned on the TV in our hotel room to learn more about the Tsunami. It has been horrifying to follow the rising death toll and especially learn about all of the children who have died. I really wanted to do something when I learned that just as many more people could die from lack of access to clean water and the spread of disease if not enough is done quickly.

I realized that New Years Eve Parties would be a perfect place to have people contribute online to the relief effort. Someone in our group came up with the name "Throw out a lifeline Online."

If MoveOn were to send out a message to its members suggesting that they turn on a computer and donate money to one of the relief organizations at their new years eves parties, it could save thousands of lives. Maybe this sort of message would be a welcome opportunity for its members to help people directly. I would greatly appreciate anything you could do to help.

Below I have written a message I am planning send to my friends. MoveOn, if interested, could send out something similar.

Throw Out A Lifeline Online
Help the Victims of the South Asian Tsunami

As most of you undoubtedly know, many parts of the eastern coastal regions of South Asia were hit on Sunday, December 26th, with one of the largest tsunamis in recent history. The death toll of the tsunami, caused by an earthquake of 9.0 magnitude, has already risen to over 60,000 people. All regions affected are in desperate need of clean water, food, temporary shelter and medical help to the survivors. Some estimate that one third of the dead are children.

World Health Organization expert David Nabarro told reporters "there is certainly a chance that we could have as many dying from communicable diseases as from the tsunami".

Start this year off by contributing money to an effective aid organization to prevent this humanitarian catastrophe from getting even worse. If you are going to a New Year's Eve Party, make it meaningful by turning on a computer and encouraging everyone to donate.

Footnote:
1. Bush Says America Will Lead Global Relief Effort, Washington Post, December 30, 2004
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/artic...-2004Dec29.html

OK, let's get past the rhetoric and say what we really mean.

By this don't you mean "Let Congress and the President know that Maisky is supporting sending federal tax dollars that are taken out of Shamalama's wallet."? Try to remember that the federal government has absolutely no money that wasn't given to it (under threat of force) by the populace.

I listed a way in the General Forum that Amazon.com is taking PayPay donations that go directly to the Red Cross for this relief effort. Wouldn't your time be better spent there donating out of your wallet than by asking Congress to take money out of my wallet?

No don't get me wrong - I've already donated once, and I'll probably do it again, and it will be of an amount higher that the government would have gotten out of me. But I do grow weary of you speaking for my wallet. You do not.

Do you mean something mandatory? OK, so since the EU has more people and a stronger currency please tell me what their part is, for certainly it would be higher that that of the US. And also tell me what the Arab nations are doing about the plight of their Muslim brothers. What is their part? Surely they could write a check for $1 billion out of petty cash - that is if they actually cared for anything other than killing Americans.

More people across the globe complain about the US than about any other country - until it comes to rescue, and then comes the "help!"

But the US will end up spending billions to help. And after they're on their feet again the world's largest Muslim community will go back to wanting to kill us. No starker contrast could be made between good and evil.

The guy in the background will probably receive US dollars. But check out who's on his t-shirt. Any chance he will return the "infidel's" money?

http://editorial.gettyimages.com/source/se...=51896117&cdi=0

The United States will send tons of money in all sorts of aid, not just from our government but from ordinary Americans who want to help. We don't ask whether those suffering share our values or politics or religion, whether they like us or wish us ill. No doubt, among those families who will receive American help in some of these nations will be those who are sympathetic to our enemies. We will help them, not because we hope to change their minds, but because it is the right thing to do. It is the difference between those who are fighting for good and those who are fighting for evil.

And the US is just about the only country left that does so.

American companies to support the relief effort (figures in USD, and as of 12/30/04):

- drugmaker Pfizer Inc., which pledged $10 million in cash and $25 million in medical supplies
- medical products maker Johnson & Johnson, with a donation of $2 million plus supplies
- financial house J.P. Morgan Chase, with up to $3 million, including matched employee contributions
- shipping company FedEx, which will ship 200,000 pounds of medical supplies to the region in conjunction with four aid groups
- financial house Citigroup, pledging $3 million
- electronics manufacturer Cisco Systems, donating in excess of $2.5 million
- shoemaker Nike, Inc., donating $1 million
- healthcare provider Kaiser Permanente, donates $100,000 and makes available physician teams
- manufacturer GE, $1 million
- software manufacturer Microsoft's Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, pledging an initial $3 million
- coffee seller Starbucks, an initial contribution of $100,000
- soft drink maker Coca-Cola, coordinating with governmental and nongovernmental agencies to provide bottled drinking water, basic foodstuffs, medical supplies, survival kits, transportation and distribution assistance along with money, clothes and tents
- computer chip manufacturer Intel, giving $100,000
- online provider AOL, pledged $200,000

Is the US still stingy enough for you, UN? And all this during the week when most companies have the fewest employees/officers actually at work.

How about leaving us alone and moving to France (which has donated around $130,000) where you'll be better appreciated. These evil capitalist private companies might get in your way over here.

Oh, and this from Jamie Lyons, Political Correspondent, PA News:

Only the UN can give disaster aid? Only the UN has the moral authority to give disaster aid? Geez, the outright arrogance of this lady.

And the US, Japan, India and Australia are the great powers? Huh? And if these are the great powers, what is everyone else?

And something tells me that she wasn't using the term "authority of the great powers" when Bush said we were going into Iraq.

Does anyone know how much money Manhattan would get by using the UN buildings for resitential condo space or commercial office space, and evicting Kofi And Clan?