| 113th Year, 36th Issue | Thursday, April 18, 2002 | Sparta, North Carolina |
On April 11, 2002, at a signing ceremony at the U.N. (United Nations), the ratification of the International Criminal Court was completed. A total of 66 members of the U.N. agreed to the establishment of a judicial body intended to override the sovereignty of any country deemed, by that august body, to have committed "crimes against humanity." The U.S. abstained on the grounds that the establishment of the court was in violation of international law. Of course, the first item proposed by Palestinian sympathizers in Europe and the Arab world is an investigation of war crimes committed by Israel. Not the Catholic bishop using his Mercedes to smuggle explosives into the Palestinian areas; not the street execution of suspected Israeli sympathizers by the PLO; not the use of International Red Cross ambulances to transport weapons; not the evidence, signed by Arafat himself, of funding for homicide bombers; not the Muslim world's training and support of Muslim children as terrorists; not the Muslim murder of Christians and Hindus, as well as Jews, worldwide. No, it has to be Israel and, by association, the U.S.
For years I have ignored the exhortations of Buchanan and others to revisit our association with the U.N. No more. Since the events of September it has become increasingly obvious that the U.N. has strayed beyond recognition of its original intent. Its primary functions are now the extension of European-style socialism, the marginalizing of U.S. influence and pandering to third-world tyrants. Coupled with the likes of Chris Patten of the European Union, Mary Robinson of the U.N. Refugee commission, the European Parliament (which has demanded sanctions against Israel), the German government (which has embargoed arms for Israel), the Norwegian Parliament (which banned a visitor wearing a Star of David on his lapel), and Kofi "Never met a butcher I didn't like" Annan, the entire agglomeration begs to be exorcised.
The past year revealed that U.N. personnel have sold donated relief supplies to the intended recipients, engaged in white slavery in Bosnia, facilitated the Srebrenica massacre in 1995 and condoned the slave trade in Africa while acting as peacekeepers. In no case has there been even rudimentary correction or acknowledgement of the actions on the part of responsible U.N. personnel. While the U.S. is chastised for dues arrears, the U.N. administration embarks upon a "redecoration" of staff offices, commensurate with their "importance." While jibes are directed at U.S. levels of U.N. funding, the U.S. costs of global defense and participation in U.N. actions are ignored. Consider: since the 1991 Iraq war, every "U.N." enforcement action has been conducted by U.S. men and material while the rest of the U.N. membership held our coats. On the occasion that we needed and asked for "allied" support (Somalia), it took 19 hours for the U.N. to render a decision and cost 18 American lives. And the future appears to hold more of the same. I would therefore advance this modest proposal: Send them packing.
Invite the General Assembly to pack it in and move to a more hospitable climate, say, Belgium or France. It would allow closer cooperation with the European Union and European Parliament, while minimizing travel costs. The delegates would not be continually affronted by the World Trade Center remains, allowing their duplicity full reign without those nasty twinges of conscience. And think of the benefits when exposure to decadent American society is eliminated! Certainly both the quality and quantity of U.N. output would improve. Of course, the U.S. would also decline to provide material or financial support unless requested by the full General Assembly, such request to be rendered in detail including reasons why the assembly members could not provide the requested resources themselves — in which case the president would review and recommend to congress for approval, or not.
And the benefit to the U.S.? For one, the need for police department support in New York City would drop by half — no more traffic and parking violations covered by diplomatic immunity; no processions by "heads of state" tying up resources needlessly; no more wasted time solving crimes that can't be prosecuted. For another, the U.N. Plaza would make a great place for open-air concerts and summer gatherings. The building could provide space for multi-theater movie houses, theme restaurants, prestigious condominiums, specialty shops, upscale office space and two or three bar/dance hall establishments. All in all, significant additions to the New York City tax base and a general upgrading of the residents.
The pretense that the United Nations provides anything more than a social club for malcontents and a façade of respectability for petty tyrants and dictators has gone on long enough. The U.S. should look elsewhere for friends and allies.
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