Wednesday, 20 December 2006
 

"The overweaning arrogance of the U.N."

See also:

• "The overweaning arrogance of the U.N."

• Audio: Claudia Rosett on Kofi Annan’s apartment and other scandals

Contributed by Bill Faith on December 20, 2006 at 01:50 PM in DisUNited Nations | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Wednesday, 13 December 2006
 

Parting Shot

See previous: Kofi: I Learned Projection, Kofi: Translated from the original Bullshit, What Kofi should have said, and what he started to

From CNN: Annan chides U.S. in farewell speech.

Kofi Annan had some strong words Monday for the United States in his farewell speech as secretary-general of the United Nations. ...

"When power, especially military force, is used, the world will consider it legitimate only when convinced that it is being used for the right purpose, for broadly shared aims, in accordance with broadly accepted norms."

There are few greater compliments for America then being chided by Annan for not kow-towing to world opinion. Annan went on to say:

As things stand, accountability between states is highly skewed. Poor and weak states are easily held to account, because they need foreign assistance. But large and powerful states, whose actions have the greatest impact on others, can be constrained only by their own people, working through their domestic institutions.

That gives the people and institutions of such powerful states a special responsibility to take account of global views and interests, as well as national ones. ...

In fact, it is only through multilateral institutions that states can hold each other to account. And that makes it very important to organize those institutions in a fair and democratic way, giving the poor and the weak some influence over the actions of the rich and the strong.

Allow me to translate: By "some influence over the actions of the rich and the strong" Annan means "the legal force to counteract the sovereignty of America." Good riddance to Annan. Too bad the U.N. itself won't follow him. ...

Contributed by Bill Faith on December 13, 2006 at 12:18 PM in DisUNited Nations | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Tuesday, 12 December 2006
 

What Kofi should have said, and what he started to

See previous: Kofi: I Learned Projection, Kofi: Translated from the original Bullshit

The Rosett Rewrite
Ed Morrissey

When Kofi Annan penned a column for the Washington Post yesterday in advance of his valediction at Turtle Bay, I wrote that his article read like a parody written by Claudia Rosett. Instead, the tireless researcher and critic of the United Nations and Annan rewrote Annan's speech for the pages of National Review. Rosett tries something that Annan avoided -- the truth:

Thank you for that generous introduction. I don’t deserve it. Please hold your applause until you hear what I have to say. This is not false modesty. I am quite serious — I don’t deserve the honor of speaking here today. At least once in every life there comes a moment of honesty, and for reasons I cannot fathom — perhaps the shock of looking back at just what a self-serving failure I have been — this is mine.

During my decade as secretary-general, and indeed for some time before that, I have indulged in more than my share of half-truths, quarter-truths, cover-ups, immoral inanities and staggering hypocrisies. I have shuffled paperwork while ignoring genocides, I have rushed to shake hands with tyrants while deriding democrats; I have suffered from memory gaps while adroitly recalling just enough to know what needs covering up. I took office promising to reform the U.N., and instead produced a record that deserves to be summed up by such phrases as peacekeeper rape, procurement bribery, and Oil-for-Food. ...

***

Kofi Talk
Iowahawk

[ed. note - found in a remodeling dumpster at 48th and FDR Drive: first draft of Kofi Annan's valediction]

Nearly 50 years ago, when I arrived in Minnesota as a student fresh from Africa, I had much to learn. For example, the concept of “connecting flights,” because I was actually supposed to be going to California. My cab had already plowed through several miles of Minneapolis snowdrifts before I realized my horrible mistake, but I decided to make the best of it. Over the next few years I adapted to the quaint arctic customs of the indigenous Minnesotans -- wearing their colorful earmuffs, training my gag reflex against their cruel lutefisk. Still, lesson learned: I vowed, with God as my witness, that I would never fly coach again.  All my life since has been a learning experience. Now I want to pass on five other lessons I have learned during 10 years as secretary general of the United Nations, as well as CEO of KofiCo Oil Vouchers Ltd.

First, in today's world we are all responsible for each other's security. Against such threats as nuclear proliferation, climate change, global pandemics or terrorist accountants plotting UN audits from their safe havens in failed superpowers, no nation can make itself secure by seeking supremacy over others, and their private financial records. Only by working together can we hope to achieve lasting security for ourselves, and perhaps a nice comfortable villa in Switzerland. Let’s just say that “you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours.”

But when we look at the murder, rape and starvation still being inflicted on the people of Darfur, we realize that our teams of fun-loving security back-scratchers can sometimes be a PR headache. That’s why we must also summon the political, economic and marketing muscle to keep ahead of the news cycle. Boys will be boys, and in the grand scheme of things, do a few rambunctious UN troops really matter when all the planet’s children are under the looming threat of climate change? I mean, what's with that? Do you people hate the planet’s children or something?

Second, we are also responsible for each other's welfare. As secretary general, my primary responsibility is to protect member states from widespread famine, genocide, and thermonuclear attack. All I ask in return is reserved parking and some decent window offices for me and my staff. Although I’ve kept my end of the bargain -- going 175-22 against key famine and genocide goals in FY ’06, I might add – there are some member states who are shirking their responsibilities by continually bitching about office remodeling cost. I’m not naming any names (cough cough USA cough), but I will say sometimes it’s pretty damn hard to focus on protecting you American ingrates from famine and genocide when you’re always carping about budgets. By the way, you’re welcome.

Third, ...

Contributed by Bill Faith on December 12, 2006 at 10:28 PM in DisUNited Nations, Moonbat Madness | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

See previous: Kofi: I Learned Projection

Kofi: Translated from the original Bullshit
Jules Crittenden

Please put on your headphones if you wish to hear this speech translated from the original Bullshit)

In Missouri today, departing UN Secretary General Kofi Annan delivered these thoughtful reflections on 10 years of learning:

In one of the backwater Jesusland flyover states yesterday, departing UN Secretary General Kofi Annan rudely lectured one of the few nations that actually tries to accomplish anything useful, from which he has been sponging for the last 10 years:

"Nearly 50 years ago, when I arrived in Minnesota as a student fresh from Africa, I had much to learn -- starting with the fact that there is nothing wimpish about wearing earmuffs when it is 15 degrees below zero. All my life since has been a learning experience."

My first acquisition was a set of earmuffs. It's all been an upward spiral since then. Do you like this suit?

"Now I want to pass on five lessons I have learned during 10 years as secretary general of the United Nations that I believe the community of nations needs to learn as it confronts the challenges of the 21st century. First, in today's world we are all responsible for each other's security."

You, in particular, are responsible for mine.

"Against such threats as nuclear proliferation, climate change, global pandemics or terrorists operating from safe havens in failed states, no nation can make itself secure by seeking supremacy over all others."

You must allow us, the United Nations, to be supreme. Did you not see Godzilla vs King Kong? I ask you, what was the supreme human organization in this film, as respected even as a giant mutant lizard and a big gorilla? ...

See also: The Rosett Rewrite

Contributed by Bill Faith on December 12, 2006 at 09:49 AM in DisUNited Nations, Moonbat Madness | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Monday, 11 December 2006
 

Kofi: I Learned Projection

Good riddance to you, Kofi Annan
Michelle Malkin

Kofi Annan plans to give the United States the finger in his farewell address. USA Today reports:

In a farewell speech on U.S. soil today, retiring United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan plans to deliver a tough critique of President Bush's policies. He will accuse the administration of trying to secure the United States from terrorism in part by dominating other nations through force, committing what he termed human rights abuses and taking military action without broad international support.

Though Annan has long been a critic of the war in Iraq and other Bush foreign policies, the planned speech is among his toughest and is unusual for a U.N. secretary-general concluding his tenure. ...

Like Kofi Annan knows anything about remaining true to principles? He leaves behind a feckless, corrupted, global bureaucracy incapable of policing the predators in its ranks, unwilling to stand up to evil, and useless in the struggle against terrorism--or any other global threat.

And it's all President Bush's and America's fault.

Good riddance to you and your wagging finger, Kofi Annan. You will not be missed. ...

Kofi: I Learned Projection
Ed Morrissey

Kofi Annan has an op-ed column in today's Washington Post that must be read to be believed. The column, which serves as a valediction of sorts, talks about what Annan has learned from his time at the United Nations. If his rule hadn't resulted in such worldwide misery and despair, it would be one of the funniest pieces of opinion journalism so far this year.

The laughter reaches its apex here:

My fourth lesson, therefore, is that governments must be accountable for their actions, in the international as well as the domestic arena. Every state owes some account to other states on which its actions have a decisive impact. As things stand, poor and weak states are easily held to account, because they need foreign aid. But large and powerful states, whose actions have the greatest impact on others, can be constrained only by their own people. ...

Accountability? Accountability? This comes from the man who presided over the biggest fraud in history, the Oil-For-Food Program. His son and his cronies dipped their beaks in a program that put billions of dollars into the pockets of Saddam Hussein and spread corruption throughout the world, all the while with Annan scolding the US and the UK for their efforts to bring accountability to Saddam. After the exposure of the OFF scandal, Annan spent his time ducking any accountability at all for the debacle.

Come on, WaPo -- level with us. Claudia Rosett wrote this as a spoof, right?

There's plenty more laughs in Annan's goodbye screed. ...

***

Miserable failure says farewell by blasting U.S
Allahpundit

Rwanda, Kosovo, Darfur, Oil for Food, child-sex scandals, twelve years of unenforced resolutions against Saddam, paralysis in the face of an accelerating Iranian nuclear program, a North Korean bomb test this summer, and an antagonism towards Israel so relentless as to border on the persecutional.

That’s the global test. We’ve failed it. ...

***

More at Stop The ACLU, Wizbang

***

A Rough Start For Mahmoud's Festival Of Ignorance
Ed Morrissey

Pity poor Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Here he goes to all the trouble of serving up some prime red meat to the Jew-haters of Islam, and they treat him like ... well, like an ignorant and dangerous dictator. In the opening moments of the Holocaust Festival of Ignorance in Teheran, during which he called the Nazi genocide a "myth", students made it clear that they weren't buying what Mahmoud was shoveling:

[I]ran on Monday opened a conference on the Holocaust, saying it would not be an attempt to deny the World War II genocide but merely to discuss it in an unrestricted atmosphere.

However, the conference was initiated by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who has described the Holocaust as a "myth" and called for Israel to be wiped off the map.

Students from a Teheran university cut off Ahmadinejad as he addressed the conference, shouting slurs like "corrupt," "liar," and "death to the dictator." ...

Oooh .... now that's going to leave a mark.

The Iranians, which denied entry to an Israeli Arab, somehow found room for an extremist sect of Jews known as Natorei Karta. This group is virulently anti-Zionist and highly critical of the modern practice of Judaism, apparently. This must be what passes for balance in Iran -- which the students there know only too well. ...

***

Video: Michelle bids Kofi a fond adieu on O’Reilly
Allahpundit

Talk about getting a pitch in your wheelhouse. Plus mini-banter about Congressman-for-life William Jefferson and the empty suit known as Barack Obama, whose name the boss invoked without genuflecting. Tsk.

[video link]

See also: Kofi: Translated from the original Bullshit

Contributed by Bill Faith on December 11, 2006 at 12:55 PM in DisUNited Nations, Moonbat Madness | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Tuesday, 05 December 2006
 

Once For Yea, Twice For Nay
Contributed by The Gray Dog

Some days I don’t know whether to commit suicide or go bowling.  I was somewhat disheartened weeks ago when Rummy resigned, but for some reason I’m taking the news about John Bolton a little harder. I really like JB. He’s a “take no prisoners” kind of guy that couldn’t be bullied by the third world thugs that overrun the U.N. and he certainly isn’t your typical smug, debate society type that shares “pinky up” High Tea with Kofi and the boys in between Security Council votes.  Nope, I rather fancy old John as my kind of guy; a fellow gray dog.  The President was behind him, and there were ways he could have remained on the job.  But for some inexplicable reason, JB wasn’t interested any longer.  That’s why I have decided to ask for your support in urging President Bush to nominate me, The Gray Dog, as John Bolton’s replacement for U.N. Ambassador.

Continue reading "Once For Yea, Twice For Nay"

Contributed by Bill Faith on December 5, 2006 at 11:55 PM in DisUNited Nations | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Dutch Distribute Badges Of Dishonor
Ed Morrissey

Remember the Battle of Srebrenica, where the UN set up a sanctuary for Bosnians during the war against the Serbs? The city had been garrisoned by troops from The Netherlands, who provided security for the city as part of the UN contingent. I'm sure you recall the brave stand by Dutch peacekeepers that saved the refugees from being massacred by the Serbians in reprisal for attacks by the Bosnian Army ... right?

What? You don't remember it that way? Well, apparently the Dutch do, because they're issuing an insignia commemorating their participation in the mission that allowed the massacre of thousands of refugees ...

... Any soldier presented with this should refuse to wear it. It should be seen as the Scarlet Letter of insignias, given the nature of the collapse of the Srebrenica defense. A 2002 report split the blame for the massacre between the UN and the Dutch, noting that the Dutchbat contingent ran away from Srebrenica without firing a shot in its defense.  ...

Contributed by Bill Faith on December 5, 2006 at 02:28 PM in DisUNited Nations | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Monday, 04 December 2006
 

Congress fires a damned good man

Bush Accepts Bolton's U.N. Resignation

Unable to win Senate confirmation, U.N. Ambassador John Bolton will step down when his temporary appointment expires within weeks, the White House said Monday.

Bolton's nomination has languished in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for more than a year, blocked by Democrats and several Republicans. Sen. Lincoln Chafee, a moderate Republican who lost in the midterm elections Nov. 7 that swept Democrats to power in both houses of Congress, was adamantly opposed to Bolton.

Critics have questioned Bolton's brusque style and whether he could be an effective public servant who could help bring reform to the U.N.

President Bush, in a statement, said he was "deeply disappointed that a handful of United States senators prevented Ambassador Bolton from receiving the up or down vote he deserved in the Senate."

"They chose to obstruct his confirmation, even though he enjoys majority support in the Senate, and even though their tactics will disrupt our diplomatic work at a sensitive and important time," Bush said. "This stubborn obstructionism ill serves our country, and discourages men and women of talent from serving their nation."  ...

***

Michelle comments here.

***

Breaking: Bolton resigns; Update: George Mitchell on the short list? 
Allahpundit

... Bad things happen when you lose your majority ...

Update: His recess appointment ends as soon as this session of Congress does, which means he could be out by the end of the week. No more of this, alas:

[video link]

Update: Interesting:

Although Bush could not give Bolton another recess appointment, the White House was believed to be exploring other ways of keeping him in the job, perhaps by giving him a title other than ambassador. But Bolton informed the White House he intended to leave when his current appointment expires, White House deputy press secretary Dana Perino said. ...

***

Video: Bush bids Bolton farewell

Contributed by Bill Faith on December 4, 2006 at 11:58 AM in DisUNited Nations, Politics | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Tuesday, 21 November 2006
 

Hamas Commander Killed, U.N. Moralizes
John Hinderaker

Palestinians have been launching rockets from Gaza City that have killed and wounded Israelis in the town of Sderot and elsewhere. Israel has now launched an offensive in Gaza City in an effort to stop the rockets. Last night, IDF troops killed a Hamas leader:

Ground troops backed by helicopters, tanks and snipers surrounded the Zeitoun home of Ayman Hassanin, 26, a local leader in the military wing of the ruling Hamas group, witnesses said.

Gunmen streamed to the area as troops called on loudspeakers for Hassanin and his brother, Ibrahim, to surrender, said the militants' mother, who identified herself only as Umm Mahmoud. A fierce gunbattle erupted, and Ayman Hassanin, 26, was killed, Hamas said.

Meanwhile, a top U.N. official visited Sderot, which has repeatedly been barraged by Palestinian rockets: ...

Contributed by Bill Faith on November 21, 2006 at 11:27 AM in DisUNited Nations, Islamism Delenda Est, Israel | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Monday, 20 November 2006
 

Video: Bolton unloads on the UN
Allahpundit

Gillermania spoke about the Beit Hanoun resolution on Friday morning. Here’s a taste of what the soon-to-be former ambassador to the United Nations had to say about it on Friday afternoon. You can watch the full speech by clicking here and fast-forwarding to 22:45.

Contributed by Bill Faith on November 20, 2006 at 11:51 PM in DisUNited Nations | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Sunday, 19 November 2006
 

Video: Gillerman Takes Manhattan

Video: Gillermania IV — Gillerman Takes Manhattan
Allahpundit

... The topic is the UN resolution drafted by Qatar and championed by France that “deeply deplore[d]” the accidental Israeli shelling of an apartment building in Beit Hanoun that killed 19 people. Bolton vetoed an earlier draft when it came before the Security Council but the General Assembly passed it late Friday afternoon as a symbolic, non-binding rebuke. Language was apparently inserted at the last minute, merely as an afterthought, calling on the Palestinians to halt the firing of Qassams into Israel.

Voting no on the measure: the United States, Israel, Australia, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru and Palau. Canada abstained.

Gillermania was especially outraged at the French role in all this: ...

Contributed by Bill Faith on November 19, 2006 at 08:51 PM in DisUNited Nations, France, Islamism Delenda Est, Israel | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Tuesday, 14 November 2006
 

Blogging for Bolton (Updated and bumped)

Are you willing to pay to have a voice at the U.N.?
Bruce Kesler

Tuesday, November 14, 2006
Bravo, Claudia. Bravo Ambassador Bolton.
Posted by Hugh Hewitt | 12:04 AM

If Ambassador Bolton is refused an up-or-down vote by the Senate, I will join Claudia in the necessary fund-raising drive to collect and donate his salary to him.

I heard a lecture by the New York Times' James Traub at the Newberry Library in Chicago yesterday that convinced me Bolton is the greatest thing to happen to the U.N. since Ambassador Kirkpatrick. If Lincoln Chafee's seemingly infinite mediocrity prevents Bolton from having an up-or-down vote in the Senate, President Bush should again use his recess appointment power to keep Bolton at his post. ( I believe but am not certain that President Clinton followed this path with Bill Lann Lee.) Bolton would then serve without formal pay, but as Claudia notes, there are thousands of Americans willing to help keep him at his post if the president is willing to do so.  ...

Email President Bush that you will contribute to Bolton’s salary. president@whitehouse.gov

*** Update and bump. Original timestamp 2006.11.14.01:41

Blogging for Bolton
Michelle Malkin

The Democrats want John Bolton's scalp. This is a moment for conservatives to stand up to the Left's empty, vindictive obstructionism and support a strong voice for America's interests at the corrupted, soft-on-jihad offices of Turtle Bay.

We're videoblogging for Bolton over at Hot Air.

Call Congress and make your voice heard here.

Editorial boards weighing in:

The Chicago Sun-Times: "Confirm Bolton"

Bolton has done an exemplary job at the U.N. He succeeded in getting resolutions to impose sanctions on North Korea; he brokered a Security Council resolution to end the war between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

If the Democrats are genuine about working in a collegial manner with the president, they will endorse Bolton: He has turned out to be far more co-operative than divisive. He is, in fact, an able diplomat.

The Wall Street Journal:

... Having had one recess appointment, Mr. Bolton can't get another one and be paid. But he could retain his position and be paid if Mr. Bush names him to a non-confirmable post at State and then assigns him to the U.N. Ambassador's duties. Now, that's a compromise.

The New York Post:

...John Bolton has been too good an ambassador - at a time when America sorely needs an effective envoy at Turtle Bay - to be tossed on the scrap heap because of the Democrats' short-sightedness.

* It was Bolton who recently organized the majority coalition that blocked Hugo Chavez's Venezuela from winning a seat on the Security Council.

* It was Bolton ...

If the White House were to proceed with a second recess appointment for Bolton, he would have to serve without pay. Claudia Rosett proposes a fund-raising drive to pay for Bolton's salary. Hugh Hewitt seconds that idea. Thirding it!

I cannot stomach the idea of Beltway GOP elites cutting and running from Bolton. Make sure to make a call today.

***

Pam at Atlas Shrugs has video of Sen. Norm Coleman supporting Bolton.

***
Also aboard: Wizbang, Stop The ACLU

Contributed by Bill Faith on November 14, 2006 at 12:26 PM in DisUNited Nations, Politics | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Thursday, 09 November 2006
 

Bush resubmits Bolton’s nomination to Senate;
Update: Chafee will oppose Bolton
Allahpundit

I don’t get it. The plan supposedly is to try to push him through the lame-duck Republican-controlled Congress, but the Democrats have already filibustered him once before.  ...

Contributed by Bill Faith on November 9, 2006 at 03:20 PM in DisUNited Nations, Politics | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Wednesday, 08 November 2006
 

Video: Bush announces Rumsfeld’s resignation;
Update: Bolton next to go?
Allahpundit

I ‘Tubed some highlights. This is just from the speech portion; the juicier stuff, including new hope for his amnesty plan for illegals, came in the Q&A, but it’ll be a little while before that’s ready. When it is, I’ll update with more vid.

Jim Treacher e-mails: “Kos must feel like the kid on Christmas morning who’s surrounded by presents — but didn’t get the one he REALLY wanted.” Comfort enough.

Update: I forgot about Bolton’s recess appointment. Say bye-bye to the mustachioed one. Liebs likes him so he might stand a chance on a floor vote, but I doubt he’ll make it out of committee now.

[video link]

Contributed by Bill Faith on November 8, 2006 at 02:32 PM in Dhimmitude, DisUNited Nations, Islamism Delenda Est, Politics | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

U.N. Celebrates Republican Loss

The UN Likes The Results
Ed Morrissey

Kofi Anna's office decided to deliver one last broadside to the Bush administration before skulking out of office after running the most corrupt Secretariat ever. The UN spokesperson released several tidbits from press coverage of the midterm elections, celebrating the end of Republican dominance in an election that had little to do with the UN: ...

U.N. Celebrates Republican Loss (H/T: Michelle)

From the desk of Kofi Annan's spokesman:

From: Stephane Dujarric
Sent: Wednesday, November 08, 2006 8:59 AM
Subject: Spokesman's Morning Headlines -- Wednesday

SPOKESMAN'S MORNING HEADLINES FOR WEDNESDAY, 8 NOVEMBER 2006 ...

US-ELECTIONS: Democrats seized control of the House of Representatives and defeated at least four Republican senators yesterday, riding a wave of voter discontent with President Bush and the war in Iraq. But the fate of the Senate remained in doubt this morning, as races for Republican-held seats in Montana and Virginia remained too close to call as Election Day turned into the day after. (NYT online) Virginia is facing a likely recount. (BBC)

Democratic gains in Congress were seen around the world Wednesday as a rejection of the U.S. war in Iraq that led some observers to expect a reassessment of the American course there. The shift in power also was seen as a signal in some capitals that the United States would put a greater emphasis on trade policy and human rights. (AP) ...

Contributed by Bill Faith on November 8, 2006 at 12:13 PM in DisUNited Nations | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack

Friday, 03 November 2006
 

US To Lead UN Peacekeepers?
Ed Morrissey

The US wants to put an American general in charge of United Nations peacekeeping efforts in the Ban Ki Moon administration, the Times of London reports. The French general currently leading the efforts will retire from the position when Kofi Annan steps down, and the Americans want to protect their investment:

The US is in a strong position to get the top peacekeeping job — currently held by a Frenchman — because of its decisive support in electing Ban Ki Moon, the South Korean Foreign Minister, as the next UN Secretary-General. ...

Contributed by Bill Faith on November 3, 2006 at 08:43 AM in DisUNited Nations | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Thursday, 02 November 2006
 

Panama Gets The Nod

The battle between Venezuela and Guatemala for the Latin American seat on the UN Security Council has finally ended. The winner is ... Panama?

Venezuela and Guatemala have withdrawn their rival bids for a UN Security Council seat from Latin America, diplomats have said.

They say the move opens the way for Panama to take the non-permanent seat.

Contributed by Bill Faith on November 2, 2006 at 12:05 PM in DisUNited Nations | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Wednesday, 01 November 2006
 

UN holds Internet summit; no Internet access available -- Updated with more irony
Bryan Preston

The UN really is one, gigantic 404 error isn’t it:

You’d think that of all places that should have speedy and reliable Internet access, a United Nations summit on the Internet would be high on the list.

Not quite. The organizers of the summit, held at a luxury resort hotel on the Athenian Riveria not far from the city center, couldn’t even provide a working Internet connection.

The wireless connection in the main conference hall appeared briefly before dying and leaving attendees bereft of the Net on Monday. Trying to connect to the base station yielded only a “could not connect to the network” error.

It was no better on Tuesday — by that time, the conference organizers apparently gave up and took the connection offline completely.

Pathetic.

Update: An irony double-shot.  ...

Contributed by Bill Faith on November 1, 2006 at 06:14 PM in DisUNited Nations | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack

Wednesday, 25 October 2006
 

Venezuela Surrenders On Security Council Seat

Hugo Chavez has signaled a retreat from Venezuela's efforts to gain a UN Security Council seat. Venezuela has offered to withdraw, as long as its rival Guatemala does the same and allows another country to assume the UNSC seat: ...

Contributed by Bill Faith on October 25, 2006 at 09:57 AM in DisUNited Nations, Venezuela | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Friday, 20 October 2006
 

Savoir-Farce

From AFP: EU admits Iran nuke talks have failed.

The European Union has admitted that its nuclear talks with Iran have run into a dead end and that it has been left with "no choice" but to return the matter to the UN Security Council.

In a text adopted in Luxembourg Tuesday, EU foreign ministers expressed deep concern that Iran had not suspended uranium enrichment -- a process for fuelling a nuclear reactor but which could also be used to make an atomic bomb. ..

How did Iran respond? From Reuters: Iran to EU: you will lose if you back U.N. sanctions.

Iran's chief nuclear negotiator told European states on Wednesday they would be the losers if they joined the United States to push through a U.N. Security Council resolution punishing Tehran for its nuclear program. ...

Iran's chief nuclear negotiator told European states on Wednesday they would be the losers if they joined the United States to push through a U.N. Security Council resolution punishing Tehran for its nuclear program. ...

The incentives package did not threaten penalties if Iran refused, but the failure of months of talks between Larijani and EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana prompted EU foreign ministers to back incremental measures.

UPDATE: ...

Contributed by Bill Faith on October 20, 2006 at 10:55 AM in DisUNited Nations, Iran | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Wednesday, 18 October 2006
 

UN Hits N. Korea with Preemptive Resolution

(2006-10-18) -- In a proactive move designed to “shock and awe” North Korean President Kim Jong-Il, the United Nations Security Council today deployed a preemptive resolution condemning that nation’s upcoming second nuclear weapons test.

“You can’t wait until you see a mushroom cloud over Tokyo or Los Angeles before you take decisive action,” said one unnamed council member. “You need to get the right words on paper, and get all the Council members to agree on them in advance to anticipate a nuclear test or attack.” 

[Read on.]

Contributed by Bill Faith on October 18, 2006 at 05:46 AM in DisUNited Nations, North Korea | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Tuesday, 17 October 2006
 

Draw Me

From AP: Political cartoonists talk shop at U.N..

Political cartoonists discussed the power of their pens and brushes at the United Nations on Monday and the pressures they face — highlighted by the Muslim outrage over a caricature of the Prophet Muhammad in a Danish newspaper. ...

Many of the cartoonists said their work must not be created primarily to incite tensions that could result in violence, while others acknowledged they cannot always determine when they will cross the line.

But they all agreed they must pay attention to the current political climate.

"We have a job to be more sensitive," said Jean Plantu, a leading political cartoonist for the French newspaper Le Monde and the main organizer of the event.

Annan provided the morally bankrupt reasoning for the conference: Secretary-General's remarks at "Unlearning Intolerance" seminar on the theme "Cartooning for Peace". Here's a partial fisking, starting with his speech:

Cartoons make us laugh. Without them, our lives would be much sadder.

And isn't that the only true purpose of an editorial cartoon? To make us happy? Who cares if it makes a point?

But they are no laughing matter: they have the power to inform, and also to offend. Short of physical pain, few things can hurt you more directly than a caricature of yourself, of a group you belong to, or – perhaps worst – of a person you deeply respect.

"Look out, look out! He has a cartoon!"

[Read the whole thing.]

Contributed by Bill Faith on October 17, 2006 at 06:28 PM in DisUNited Nations, Islamism Delenda Est | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Monday, 16 October 2006
 

Venezuela, U.S.-Backed Guatamala
in Pitched Battle for Security Council

See previous: Will Hugo Chavez buy a U.N. seat?

UNITED NATIONS —  Venezuela and the U.S. — and, by proxy, leftist President Hugo Chavez and President Bush — went toe-to-toe Monday at the U.N. General Assembly, each trying to wrest from the other the last vacant seat on the powerful Security Council.

The U.S. backed the candidacy of Guatemala, which fought back Venezuela's bid after eight rounds of voting, but failed to get the necessary two-thirds majority to win a two-year term on the decision-making body.

After battling back to tie Guatemala in the sixth round, Venezuela's push began to lose steam, falling to 85 votes in the eighth round, to Guatemala's 102.

Guatemala won 109 votes in the first round, 114 in the second, 116 in the third, 110 in the fourth, and 103 in the fifth. Venezuela received 76 votes, then 74, 70, 75, then 83.

Under the rules, voting is to continue until a candidate emerges with a two-thirds majority. A protracted stalemate is therefore possible — there are precedents involving over 30 rounds of voting, and there is the possibility that the General Assembly could end its fall term without filling the seat. ...

[Read on.]

See also: Nailbiter: Venezuela tied with Guatemala after six rounds of UN balloting (H/T)

Contributed by Bill Faith on October 16, 2006 at 04:53 PM in DisUNited Nations | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Will Hugo Chavez buy a U.N. seat?

WSJ editorializes:

To understand why so many Americans dislike the U.N., consider that Venezuela, of all countries, stands a chance today of being elected by a vote of the General Assembly to one of the 10 non-permanent seats on the 15-member Security Council.

This is the same country whose megalomaniac ruler, Hugo Chávez, ranted against the U.S. last month to the laughter and applause of the assembled General Assembly grandees at Turtle Bay. His international initiatives this year have included warmer ties with North Korea and Iran, buying weapons from Russia and sowing revolution throughout Latin America. ...

More on Chavez's efforts to buy a Security Council seat with oil money via AP:

At Uruguay's Hospital de Clinicas, a state-of-the-art transplant unit is being built with Venezuelan money. The emergency ward's leaky roof and exposed cinderblocks have given way to freshly painted walls, windows in rust-corroded frames are being replaced, and new elevators are on order.

Hospital director Graciela Ubach put a hand over her heart to show her gratitude to Chavez. ...

...  Ironically, this aid is bankrolled in large part by oil sales to the United States.

Venezuela also bought or pledged to buy more than $3.6 billion in bonds from Argentina, Ecuador and Bolivia to help them cover deficits. ...

[Read on.]

Contributed by Bill Faith on October 16, 2006 at 11:37 AM in DisUNited Nations | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

China, South Korea won’t
enforce sanctions against NK
Allahpundit

Who cares?

A day after the Council unanimously passed the resolution, following nearly a week of intensive diplomatic negotiations, the South Korean government said it would still pursue economic projects with North Korea, including an industrial zone and tourist resort in the North. Those projects are not explicitly covered by the Security Council resolution, but they are an important source of hard currency for the North.

China, which shares a 870-mile porous border with North Korea and is perhaps its most critical economic gateway to the outside world, said Saturday that it had no intention of stopping and inspecting cross-border shipments, as called for, but not specifically required, in the resolution…

Worse, some countries that are willing to enforce the sanctions aren’t able: the Royal Navy has been so decimated by defense cutbacks that it’ll be relegated to supporting the American and French fleets. The Royal. f’ing. Navy.

England expects that every man will do his duty … by backing up the French. ...

Contributed by Bill Faith on October 16, 2006 at 03:01 AM in DisUNited Nations, North Korea | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Friday, 13 October 2006
 

Security Council Agrees on Text of N. Korea Resolution

UNITED NATIONS —  U.N. Security Council members reached a broad compromise on a resolution that would impose nonmilitary sanctions on North Korea for the nuclear test it announced earlier this week, diplomats said Friday.

A vote was set for Saturday and diplomats indicated that minor changes needed to be made to the resolution before that could take place.

[...]

Earlier drafts by the United States met with opposition by China and Russia, who were concerned that the resolution could be used to launch a military attack on North Korea.

The latest draft would only authorize nonmilitary sanctions against the North and says any further action the council might want to take would require a new resolution. It also eliminates a blanket arms embargo in a previous draft, instead targeting specific equipment for sanctions, including missiles, tanks, warships and combat aircraft.

The draft prevents the sale or transfer of luxury goods and material and technology that could contribute to North Korea's nuclear, ballistic missile or other weapons of mass destruction-related programs. It authorizes cargo inspections to prevent the trafficking in such material.

It would also freeze the financial assets of individuals and entities with any connection to North Korea's weapons or missile programs as well as a travel ban on those associated with the programs.

[Read the whole thing.]

Contributed by Bill Faith on October 13, 2006 at 04:08 PM in DisUNited Nations, North Korea | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack