Article

2005-08-26 International-UN-NGOs

With Bush's man installed, is this the end of diplomacy? (Or, Webe Whinnin')

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Posted by Captain America 2005-08-26 00:00|| || Front Page|| [3 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 "We could be witnessing the end of diplomacy."

And not a moment too soon.

Posted by .com 2005-08-26 06:45|| 2005-08-26 06:45|| Front Page Top

#2 Gee, .com, I don't know. We could be at grave risk of Belgian disaproval. Belgian disaproval! BWAHAHAHA.

IMHO, diplomacy has been dead at the UN ever since Arafat showed up with a pistol on his hip. Bolton may be just what the UN ( and the US ) needs.

Posted by SteveS 2005-08-26 07:36|| 2005-08-26 07:36|| Front Page Top

#3 I've had enough of this mockery of the Belgians. They make the best chocolate in the world.

Posted by Curt Simon 2005-08-26 10:18|| 2005-08-26 10:18|| Front Page Top

#4 Madeline Albright had a rocket in her pocket?
Eeeeew. Thanks for sharing that...

Posted by tu3031 2005-08-26 10:20|| 2005-08-26 10:20|| Front Page Top

#5 tu: Would it be too much for Bolton to show his "rocket" in front of the Gen. Assembly. Or, I'm not picky, beat Kofi over the head w/ it!

Posted by BA 2005-08-26 10:41|| 2005-08-26 10:41|| Front Page Top

#6 The UNSC is the only "real" UN. The rest of the general assembly are, on average, 5th grade educated relatives of whoever rules the country. Except as a permanent forum for endless international groupthink, it does nothing of value. Granted, there actually is a value in groupthink, but only as art, not as policy.

Therefore, what is needed is a revision of the UNSC, based on what I would call a "three tiered" membership. Nations that have economic power, military power, and a willingness to commit significant money, resources and military power to world needs.

Veto members would have all three. That is, money, guns, and a willingness to use them. This would be the US; Russia; China, the EU, India and Japan. Commitments would be on permanent detachment in a neutral country acting as host, and each member would have to contribute an equal share of manpower and money. Equipment would be standardized in make, but from several manufacturers, and any power that wanted to could provide additional non-proprietary equipment to the UN unit. Funding would be made at the beginning of each mission.

Second-Tier Members could vote "yes" or "no", to lend their voice, but would have no veto. They could contribute materially to missions with standardized equipment and personnel. Otherwise, they would pay into a fund to support such missions, equal for all second-tier members. Germany, Britain, France, Australia, Turkey, and other economic powers would belong.

Third-tier members would be non-voting "blocs", NGOs, and multi-national organizations that could argue before the UNSC about missions it contemplated and recommend others. The African Union, SEATO, the WMF, the World Court, etc. Their main value would be to highlight obvious problems ignored by the major powers, such as the Rwanda genocide.

As things stand right now, nobody who has power will allow it to be diluted, so no change will occur at the UN. The only possible way around it is to create a new body, as outlined above, that acts independently of the UN until it is fully functional, then either supplants the UNSC from outside the UN, or replaces it within the UN.

Posted by Anonymoose 2005-08-26 12:06|| 2005-08-26 12:06|| Front Page Top

#7 Hell, thanks not just a rocket, that's a Hellcat missile.

Posted by Captain America 2005-08-26 12:24|| 2005-08-26 12:24|| Front Page Top

00:03 Dave
23:55 .com
23:44 Sobiesky
23:39 Oldspook
23:36 DMFD
23:35 Barbara Skolaut
23:22 Frank G
23:21 Alaska Paul
23:20 11A5S
23:19 Alaska Paul
23:17 Frank G
23:13 Frank G
23:12 Alaska Paul
23:12 Poison Reverse
23:09 Frank G
23:05 49 pan
23:05 GK
23:05 Bomb-a-rama
23:00 49 pan
22:55 Frank G
22:54 49 pan
22:51 49 pan
22:48 49 pan
22:44 49 pan