The United Nations at its Finest

[Michael Hardner]

The idea that either charity or doing nothing is better than funded social programs rings pretty hollow.

There is more wealth than ever in the world, so investing it into people will make things better for everyone moving forward.

[Argus]

Posts on the UN go nowhere, just as does the UN.

Peeves, your signature black shouldn't be ten times bigger than your post.

[jbg]

Heres a few more...

I'm going to take this in parts and over time since there are 48 so-called "accomplishments".

1. Maintaining peace and security - By having deployed a total of 42 peace-keeping forces and observer missions as of September 1996, the United Nations has been able to restore calm to allow the negotiating process to go forward while saving millions of people from becoming casualties of conflicts. There are presently 16 active peace-keeping forces in operation.
   
2. Making peace - Since 1945, the United Nations has been credited with negotiating 172 peaceful settlements that have ended regional conflicts. Recent cases include an end to the Iran-Iraq war, the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan, and an end to the civil war in El Salvador. The United Nations has used quiet diplomacy to avert imminent wars.
   

I don't see the world these days as such a peaceful place. What the U.N. has done is drive the wars into asymmetrical, or "guerrilla" wars that are theoretically not associated with a government. I don't believe for a minute that controlling governments are preventing attacks from starting in their countries.

1. Promoting democracy - The United Nations has enabled people in over 45 countries to participate in free and fair elections, including those held in Cambodia, Namibia, El Salvador, Eritrea, Mozambique, Nicaragua and South Africa. It has provided electoral advice, assistance, and monitoring of results. [/quote]
   

Holding elections does not equal to creation of democracies. Here is where Bush did get it wrong. People have to develop a habit of taking their disputes "inside" and resolving them through debate in order to create a democracy. Many countries these days have democratic forms for choosing titular leaders, many of whom are powerless.

1. Promoting development - The UN system has devoted more attention and resources to the promotion of the development of human skills and potentials than any other external assistance effort. The system's annual disbursements, including loans and grants, amount to more than $10 billion. The UN Development Programme (UNDP), in close cooperation with over 170 Member States and other UN agencies, designs and implements projects for agriculture, industry, education, and the environment. It supports more than 5,000 projects with a budget of $1.3 billion. It is the largest multilateral source of grant development assistance. The World Bank, at the forefront in mobilizing support for developing countries worldwide, has alone loaned $333 billion for development projects since 1946. In addition, UNICEF spends more than $800 million a year, primarily on immunization, health care, nutrition and basic education in 138 countries.
   

And how much of that "development money" has gone for development? How much has wound up in Swiss banks or used for either conspicuous consumption or to fight or quell rebellions?

Edited October 14, 2012 by jbg

[jbg]

Heres a few more...

1. 
   Promoting democracy - The United Nations has enabled people in over 45 countries to participate in free and fair elections, including those held in Cambodia, Namibia, El Salvador, Eritrea, Mozambique, Nicaragua and South Africa. It has provided electoral advice, assistance, and monitoring of results.
   

This is a laugher. The U.N. has spent more time, on the "human rights" agenda criticizing Canada for its imperfect treatment of First Nations and Israel for its attempts to beat back constant asymmetrical warfare. There are virtually no "human rights" within the meaning of the U.N. Charter in most of its member states. The member states form an endless array of committees designed to investigate Israel and other imperfect but good countries.

Israelis soldiers, unlike Syrian soldiers, do not rape their own citizens.

Edited October 14, 2012 by jbg

[eyeball]

• At the same time, it has empowered dictators and theocracies, by giving them legitimacy and an equal voice on the world stage.
  

Whatever that is it's mice-nuts compared to the military aid and support so many of these dictators receive from the permanently scheming bastards on the Insecurity Council.

Hold this coddlesome nest of rat bastards to account and I wouldn't be surprised if virtually all the dictators would disappear along with most of the other beefs you have with the UN.

[dre]

I'm going to take this in parts and over time since there are 48 so-called "accomplishments".

1. Maintaining peace and security - By having deployed a total of 42 peace-keeping forces and observer missions as of September 1996, the United Nations has been able to restore calm to allow the negotiating process to go forward while saving millions of people from becoming casualties of conflicts. There are presently 16 active peace-keeping forces in operation.
   
2. Making peace - Since 1945, the United Nations has been credited with negotiating 172 peaceful settlements that have ended regional conflicts. Recent cases include an end to the Iran-Iraq war, the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan, and an end to the civil war in El Salvador. The United Nations has used quiet diplomacy to avert imminent wars.
   

I don't see the world these days as such a peaceful place. What the U.N. has done is drive the wars into asymmetrical, or "guerrilla" wars that are theoretically not associated with a government. I don't believe for a minute that controlling governments are preventing attacks from starting in their countries.

1. Promoting democracy - The United Nations has enabled people in over 45 countries to participate in free and fair elections, including those held in Cambodia, Namibia, El Salvador, Eritrea, Mozambique, Nicaragua and South Africa. It has provided electoral advice, assistance, and monitoring of results. [/quote]
   

Holding elections does not equal to creation of democracies. Here is where Bush did get it wrong. People have to develop a habit of taking their disputes "inside" and resolving them through debate in order to create a democracy. Many countries these days have democratic forms for choosing titular leaders, many of whom are powerless.

1. Promoting development - The UN system has devoted more attention and resources to the promotion of the development of human skills and potentials than any other external assistance effort. The system's annual disbursements, including loans and grants, amount to more than $10 billion. The UN Development Programme (UNDP), in close cooperation with over 170 Member States and other UN agencies, designs and implements projects for agriculture, industry, education, and the environment. It supports more than 5,000 projects with a budget of $1.3 billion. It is the largest multilateral source of grant development assistance. The World Bank, at the forefront in mobilizing support for developing countries worldwide, has alone loaned $333 billion for development projects since 1946. In addition, UNICEF spends more than $800 million a year, primarily on immunization, health care, nutrition and basic education in 138 countries.
   

And how much of that "development money" has gone for development? How much has wound up in Swiss banks or used for either conspicuous consumption or to fight or quell rebellions?

I don't see the world these days as such a peaceful place.

You would if you were alive between 1850, and 1950.

What the U.N. has done is drive the wars into asymmetrical, or "guerrilla" wars that are theoretically not associated with a government.

No the UN did not cause this.

Holding elections does not equal to creation of democracies.

Yeah... i know. Its just HORRIBLE that the UN helps fledgling democracies run elections. OH THE HUMANITY.

[dre]

1. 
   Promoting democracy - The United Nations has enabled people in over 45 countries to participate in free and fair elections, including those held in Cambodia, Namibia, El Salvador, Eritrea, Mozambique, Nicaragua and South Africa. It has provided electoral advice, assistance, and monitoring of results.
   

This is a laugher. The U.N. has spent more time, on the "human rights" agenda criticizing Canada for its imperfect treatment of First Nations and Israel for its attempts to beat back constant asymmetrical warfare. There are virtually no "human rights" within the meaning of the U.N. Charter in most of its member states. The member states form an endless array of committees designed to investigate Israel and other imperfect but good countries.

Israelis soldiers, unlike Syrian soldiers, do not rape their own citizens.

This is a laugher. The U.N. has spent more time, on the "human rights" agenda criticizing Canada for its imperfect treatment of First Nations and Israel for its attempts to beat back constant asymmetrical warfare.

Israel isnt trying to "beat back asymmetrical warfare", they are holding onto territory for the purpose of plundering it for resources. Lemme guess... thousands of wells, pipelines, and pumping stations are all about "beating back assymmetrical warfare" right? ROFLMAO

[jbg]

Israel isnt trying to "beat back asymmetrical warfare", they are holding onto territory for the purpose of plundering it for resources. Lemme guess... thousands of wells, pipelines, and pumping stations are all about "beating back assymmetrical warfare" right? ROFLMAO

And why weren't those "thousands of wells, pipelines, and pumping stations" built between 1948 and 1967?

[dre]

And why weren't those "thousands of wells, pipelines, and pumping stations" built between 1948 and 1967?

Is that supposed to be a real question?

[DogOnPorch]

Is that supposed to be a real question?

So why didn't Jordan do things up all sweet-like and make a nice country for the Palestinian Arabs? They were homeless then, too.

Edited October 16, 2012 by DogOnPorch

[wyly]

The U.N. is doing its usual bang-up job in maintaining international peace. Showing that they have skills beyond condemning Israel for its horrific atrocities (far worse than any occurring elsewhere) they are doing wonders saving lives and helping people. People often say that they are one-sided in their approach. Their work is simply great.

if you're suggesting that the UN was successful at ending apartheid in S Africa but failed in ending Zionist apartheid in Palestine you would be correct.

if you're suggesting that the UN was successful at ending the illegal occupation of east Timor by Indonesia and the illegal occupation of Kuwait by Iraq Israel and not the illegal occupation of Palestine you would again be correct

if you're suggesting the the UN is repeatedly hamstrung by the USA veto in regards to any action resolving the illegal occupation of Palestine you would be correct.

[wyly]

And you would deny the serious levels of Israeli atrocities? The Israeli butchery of the Dhubai athletic team at the Olympics for example? Or the IDF's practice of invading homes and plunging knives into babies?

you only need do a google on ariel sharon to find an Israeli butcher of children, and they elected him prime minister ...

then there was the recent murder of a 13 yr old palestinian girl in which the accused admitted to the crime and was acquitted, where were the thousands of israel protestors when that happened, where was your moral outrage?

[kraychik]

So wyly, how long have you hated Jews for? Were you raised that way or did you self-indoctrinate in order to have a false premise upon which to engage in self-aggrandisement at parties?

Edited October 19, 2012 by kraychik

[kraychik]

Israel isnt trying to "beat back asymmetrical warfare", they are holding onto territory for the purpose of plundering it for resources. Lemme guess... thousands of wells, pipelines, and pumping stations are all about "beating back assymmetrical warfare" right? ROFLMAO

I guess you'd prefer it if they all just prayed for more rain? Or perhaps Israel should just trust its neighbours to operate in good faith once control is transferred to them over the so-called West Bank. I guess territory, in your mind, isn't a part of a national defence strategy. I guess Israel's narrow corridor along the Mediterranean Sea at around ten kilometres is wide enough to satisfy you. Thankfully Israelis don't share your stupidity optimism.

[Guest Peeves]

The unbalanced (as in NUTTY), position of Oxfam

Ignoring the real bloodshed in Syria by focusing on Israel

Exerpt;

Syria continues to descend into madness. Statistics released last week by The Syrian Network for Human Rights show that since the commencement of anti-government protests, 30,000 Syrians have been murdered, and a further 28,000 people have disappeared. The Syrian human rights organization Sawasya estimates the figure to be even higher. It has been reported that more than 100,000 refugees have fled the conflict, with most said to be sheltering in Turkey.

And;

In sharp contrast to its inaction on Syria, Oxfam can always be relied upon to direct overwhelming energy and resources to pummelling Syria’s democratic neighbour, Israel.

This week, Oxfam, Crisis Action and other NGOs will send delegations to Brussels to lobby the European Parliament in the political campaign to single out Israel by labelling goods that originate from Israeli settlements on the eastern side of the “Green Line.”

This is the 1949 armistice line that arbitrarily marked where Jordanian and Israeli forces were located at the end of the 1948 war, and has no legal significance. This political event is funded by the government of Denmark, whose support for boycotting Israel and failure to implement similar measures against Syrian products reveals the same hypocrisy and poor judgment as the NGOs it’s hosting in Brussels this week.

Crisis Action’s attendance in Brussels and its involvement in anti-Israel boycotts is particularly confusing. After all, this is an organization established to “avert conflicts, prevent human rights abuses and ensure governments fulfil their obligations to protect civilians.” Surely the priority of an NGO concerned with war and conflict should be directed against Assad’s slaughter of his own people rather than ensuring that consumers know which side of a defunct armistice line their basil and carrots are coming from?

Targeting Israel at the expense of genuine cases of injustice is nothing new. During the three-week 2008-2009 Gaza War, Oxfam published 10 statements accusing Israel of using “disproportionate force” and “illegal collective punishment.” It also appears that while Oxfam has failed to produce a single report on human rights violations in Syria, it has issued no fewer than nine policy papers on Israel. Oxfam also was active in lobbying the U.K. Parliament for the cancellation of export licenses to Israel.

http://fullcomment.n...sing-on-israel/

[Guest Peeves]

Is that supposed to be a real question?

Do you really think the country would be developed and capable of supporting the many millions there now living in pretty good means had it been left as was?

Israel developed the country and the lands they hold by borders that are legit and those others in dispute will remain in dispute until satisfactory terms are achieved.

Meantime, the Arabs,citizens or otherwise depend on Israeli jobs and development. They not happy with the present state may leave or stay as they please. Israel will stay.

Please elaborate on the terrible destitution the Israelis have foisted on the Arabs in comparison to the human rights abuses on the Arabs (Gazans) and others by other Muslims.

Edited October 24, 2012 by Peeves

[Guest Peeves]

you only need do a google on ariel sharon to find an Israeli butcher of children, and they elected him prime minister ...

then there was the recent murder of a 13 yr old palestinian girl in which the accused admitted to the crime and was acquitted, where were the thousands of israel protestors when that happened, where was your moral outrage?

Please provide an independent link to the Arab girl's murder.