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International-UN-NGOs
U.N. Official Urges Political Independence
2004-08-17
A daily ration of warm milk and platitudes...
The United Nations should find ways to demonstrate political independence, regain the neutrality it lost after the Sept. 11 attacks and better communicate with the world's 1 billion Muslims, a top U.N. official said Monday.
I believe they communicate by hollering slogans or blowing things up...
Mark Malloch Brown, administrator of the U.N. Development Program, also said the Arab region, compared with other parts of the world, is stagnating and governments need to reform if they want to compete in the global economy. Malloch Brown was on an official trip to Lebanon, where he met with President Emile Lahoud on Monday. Malloch Brown said the Aug. 19, 2003, suicide bombing on U.N. headquarters in Baghdad, Iraq, that killed 23 people — including U.N. representative Sergio Vieira de Mello — forced the world body to question whether it had compromised its neutrality.
Milking the oil for palaces program didn't compromise its neutrality, of course...
While saying "broadly we don't believe we had," Malloch Brown told The Associated Press the bombing was "indicative of the fact that in this highly polarized post-Sept. 11 world, this sort of 'with us or against us' mentality which has infected both sides has dramatically reduced the space for a neutral third force like the U.N. to operate.
Was the original idea for the UN to be neutral? Didn't the "UN" fight World War II and Korea?
Posted by:Fred

#6  #2-Right on, BAR. #5-You almost made me squirt coffee out my nose-good one.
Posted by: jules 187   2004-08-17 3:32:34 PM  

#5  IS this asshat English or from North America? Nothing wrong with him a good stumble down a set of stairs won't cure. This is the kind of wussed out thought that has to be stamped out. There is no nutrality when your civilization is under attack mr. asshat.
Posted by: Flamebait93268   2004-08-17 2:40:29 PM  

#4  Neutral . . . between civilization and tyrrany? Between the use of force in defense of innocent life and genocide? Between the rule of law and the rule of men?

That sort of neutrality's not a feature, it's a bug.

"Freedom and fear, justice and cruelty, have always been at war, and we know that God is not neutral between them."

--G.W. Bush, 9/20/01
Posted by: Mike   2004-08-17 12:28:32 PM  

#3  "All of it is a steady erosion of the independence of the U.N. and I feel very strongly that we are failing to communicate with a billion Muslims in the world in an effective way."

I got a newsflash for you, bub. The UN can't communicate effectively with anybody.
Is that neutral enough for you?
Posted by: tu3031   2004-08-17 11:12:42 AM  

#2  The United Nations should find ways to demonstrate political independence, regain the neutrality it lost after the Sept. 11 attacks and better communicate with the world's 1 billion Muslims, a top U.N. official said Monday.

In order to lose something, you have to have it first.
Posted by: Bomb-a-rama   2004-08-17 11:00:20 AM  

#1  Lol - great comments, Fred! I could add some sexual references, since this article disingenuously refers to this mythical neutrality as if it were akin to virginity, but what occurs to me to write is somewhat indelicate.

*self-control*

The fact that the UN has been screwed, blued, and tattooed by every has-been, wanna-be, roaring mouse, thug, despot, mullah, racist, and Paleo-symp who ever wandered by makes the foolish and absurd drivel sentiments displayed in this "piece" a bit silly. Brown is obviously deluded, deranged, and disingenuous - not to mention a self-righteous parasite - and thus well-suited to be a multi-culti apologist and whining UN Staffer. Good fit.
Posted by: .com   2004-08-17 9:54:50 AM  

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