U.S. participation in the U.N.

[GreenPartyVoter]

What's the world going to do next time there's a Tsunami or Earthquake?

After Katrina they would probably be grateful if we stayed away. They don't need Keystone cops during a disaster.

 

[KnowBeDo]

How quickly they forget...

 

[LogicChristian]

After Katrina they would probably be grateful if we stayed away. They don't need Keystone cops during a disaster.

Maybe you should tell that to the people of Aceh.

 

[CCGirl]

Whether she does or doesn't, that quote doesn't say that. The english is just a bit convulted. This is, I believe, what she is trying to say, and I would agree.

This attitude is what [will cause] more and more people detest the USA and cheer on any terrorist strike coming the USA way!

Thank you for clearing up that statement! That is what I meant

 

[CCGirl]

so your saying you support terrorism. finally she admits it.

I prefer to not think in "black and white" terms. Remember, one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter!

 

[UberLutheran]

So you think that the world's greatest military power shouldn't be on the security council?

What's the world going to do next time there's a Tsunami or Earthquake?

No, that's NOT what I said.

If people want the U.N to be out of the U.S. so badly, and they want the U.S. out of the U.N. as well, then the U.S. needs to relinquish its posts on the U.N. Security Council, the Human Rights Council and other committees where the U.S. dominates.

We can't have it both ways.

 

[Fallschirmjägergewehr]

If people want the U.N to be out of the U.S. so badly, and they want the U.S. out of the U.N. as well, then the U.S. needs to relinquish its posts on the U.N. Security Council, the Human Rights Council and other committees where the U.S. dominates.

If the United States was out of the U.N., why would they have posts in the U.N.?

 

[Yusuf Evans]

Absolutely not! The USA is in serious arrears with the UN as it is! When is the last time the US paid its bill?

Last time I checked, the U.S. is probably the only nation on the security council willing to go to war. Besides, I see the U.N. as useless anyways.

 

[ScottishJohn]

Last time I checked, the U.S. is probably the only nation on the security council willing to go to war. Besides, I see the U.N. as useless anyways.

The whole point of the UN is to fix disputes without having to go to war - war is a totally innefficient way of resolving disputes, and usually raises more problems to be fixed than it actually solves.

Take Iraq - the UN were willing to spend more time on Hussein, what was there to lose by trying - he had cooperated more in 6 months than he had in 10 years, and it was worth seeing where this would go, the US and the UK lost patience and decided to go in without UN blessing (they were losing their election window for a successful initial campaign, and Blix was fast on the way to disproving their WMD excuse). 3 years later and a whole stack of money burned, we have a failed state rapidly approaching civil war, a body count to be ashamed of, and a catch 22 as to whether we stay or leave.

It is not a question of willingness for me - it is a question of whether we should be eager or reluctant to go to war. The US IMO appears more eager than most.

 

[k]

"There is no UN. The UN only works when the US wants it to work." John Bolton, current US Ambassador to the UN.

 

[ballfan]

Take Iraq - the UN were willing to spend more time on Hussein, what was there to lose by trying - he had cooperated more in 6 months than he had in 10 years, and it was worth seeing where this would go,

Hussein was more than willing to have the UN hunt for weapons. Maybe six months would prove something. Maybe it wouldn't. But after six months and having not found proof one way or the other you could use the same arguement again to demand six more months. And in fact it would have been used.

But you are forgetting something. Do you know what it is?

 

[ScottishJohn]

Hussein was more than willing to have the UN hunt for weapons. Maybe six months would prove something. Maybe it wouldn't. But after six months and having not found proof one way or the other you could use the same arguement again to demand six more months. And in fact it would have been used.

There would have come a time when Blix has turned over every stone in Iraq - and stated that there were no WMDs. It didn't take long in the post invasion situation to establish that there were none.

But you are forgetting something. Do you know what it is?

Oh why don't you give me a treat and tell me?

 

[LogicChristian]

No, that's NOT what I said.

If people want the U.N to be out of the U.S. so badly, and they want the U.S. out of the U.N. as well, then the U.S. needs to relinquish its posts on the U.N. Security Council, the Human Rights Council and other committees where the U.S. dominates.

We can't have it both ways.

Well then the US would relinquish those posts when it left, and the UN wouldn't get to take credit for the disaster relief that is mostly done by US forces.

 

[ScottishJohn]

Well then the US would relinquish those posts when it left, and the UN wouldn't get to take credit for the disaster relief that is mostly done by US forces.

Why would the US be doing UN disaster releif if they were no longer part of the UN?

 

[LogicChristian]

Why would the US be doing UN disaster releif if they were no longer part of the UN?

I didn't say they would. I said the US would do its own disaster relief, and the UN wouldn't get to take credit.

 

[ScottishJohn]

I didn't say they would. I said the US would do its own disaster relief, and the UN wouldn't get to take credit.

Ok sorry - I didn't understand the first time.

So what US disaster relief does the UN take credit for?

 

[LogicChristian]

Ok sorry - I didn't understand the first time.

So what US disaster relief does the UN take credit for?

Much of the aid that got through in the early days after the Tsunami was reliant on the US/Thai airbase at Udapao as well as the Abe Lincoln CBG and an amphib warfare group. Despite the amount of work the US military does for international causes, its credit is usually secondary to the UN, or other aid donors. Heck, Somalia would have been remembered as just another UN aid mission that the US happened to help on if it wasn't for the "Black Hawk Down" incident.