Take a moment to be thankful for the UN

[frankiegoestostoke]

As you guys may or may not be aware of, a civil war has been taking place in Sudan.

The war has been going on for 21 years and the United Nations has declared the current situation the worlds worst humanitarian crisis.

In Chad, over the border from the Darfor regoin 150,000 refugees are in camps set up by the UN. Without the UN many of these people would probably be dead.

I think many people here need to stop worrying about how the UN is "hurting" America, and start thinking about how it is helping the world.

[MO]

No comment needed here. Your post contradicts itself.

[frankiegoestostoke]

So are you going to show me how it contradicts itself?

[BOLO]

The war has been going on for 21 years and the United Nations has declared the current situation the worlds worst humanitarian crisis.
In Chad, over the border from the Darfor region 150,000 refugees are in camps set up by the UN. Without the UN many of these people would probably be dead.

Why has it gone on 21 years. What did, or is, the UN doing? Watching it, and declaring it a HUMANITARIAN CRISIS? That will help. Do two things 1. Throw money at it. (Other peoples) 2. Throw words at it. You know like C'mon guys stop it. That's the UN.

As to the second part, Well there you go. Housing. The UN will house them. Also they will throw money at it. That's good.
Instead of stepping in, taking decisive action and ending the slaughter the UN stands back and allows the killing to continue. Ce La Vie.
What we need here is 30 or so Resolutions condemning it and calling for it to end. Yep that oughta do it.
In the meantime the UN continues to try and strip away our (USA) freedoms, to constrict, or restrict, or do away entirely with our individual amendments.
Besides how come I gotta stop worrying. (Not that I knew I was) maybe I like worrying, maybe I call it vigilance.

Bottom line they are not helping anyone.

[TNRighty]

Are you talking about the same UN who's top officials were being bribed by Saddam Hussein's oil riches? The same UN that expects the USA to turn its sovreignty over to a collection of "diplomats" that despise us? I'm so proud that we have a president who will not put our security second to the approval of the UN. The United Nothing can go jump off a bridge for all I care.

[frankiegoestostoke]

As to the second part, Well there you go. Housing. The UN will house them. Also they will throw money at it. That's good

Then do you not agree this is better than nothing?

Bottom line they are not helping anyone.

Except for the hundreds of thousands of refugees they housed. I'm not saying the UN is perfect, but as it stands its better than nothing. So would you argue that the UN should disband and all the refugees in Chad should be sent off into the desert to die of starvation?

The United Nothing can go jump off a bridge for all I care.

You seem to be taking a classic, "How does the UN help ME, and help AMERICA" line. When actually it is doing quite a lot of good elsewhere in the planet...

[lordjulius7]

Frank, I think the point is that the UN institutionalises conflicts like the one in the Sudan. One might point to the supposedly temporary Palestinian refugee camps with high rise buildings and two generations of people who have never lived in the place they're meant to be refugees from. UN management allows short, brutal conflicts to be followed by decades of low intensity misery.
Better than nothing? Maybe. But wouldn't it have been even better for a handful of countries to have helped the refugees temporarily whilst simultaneously pressuring the Sudanese government into ending it's genocide? UN involvement not only takes the problem out of the hands of both the Sudan and Chad - thus ensuring that nobody has any ultimate responsibility for, or interest in, resolving the matter. It also legitimises the disgusting actions of the Sudanese government.

[BOLO]

As to the second part, Well there you go. Housing. The UN will house them. Also they will throw money at it. That's good

You ask.

Then do you not agree this is better than nothing?

If the UN had been around when Americans decided to take over their own country we would all be living in tents set up by the UN.
Better than nothing? Any thing is better than nothing, but that does not mean it is the answer. The UN has NEVER won any battle it was involved in, nor has it EVER gone all the way through with any commitment it made. Witness Bosnia. NATO took over. The UN maintains a presence in so many HOT SPOTS, they have lost track. In every one of them the Cease Fire or Truce has, or is violated on a daily basis. What does the UN Do? Pass a resolution. Oh That's good. You ever figure maybe those refugees need to find a new home. They weren't willing to fight for the one they had. Maybe they were disarmed by a well meaning UN that decided they would not have a need for weapons. Ta Da. The UN is here please fear, er don't fear, what ever.

Except for the hundreds of thousands of refugees they housed. I'm not saying the UN is perfect, but as it stands its better than nothing. So would you argue that the UN should disband and all the refugees in Chad should be sent off into the desert to die of starvation?

They helped them do what? Remain refugees? Maintain the Status Quo? More was done in that area by individual countries, than by the UN. As to disbanding the UN. You bet. They have gone too far and want too much. They are trying to become a Global Government. I don't want that. Apologies to Keith Laumer and Robert Heinlein. Big brother is watching you.
Now that last part of that missive was childish. No one would do that, and you took it to an extreme. A poor way to make a point.

[frankiegoestostoke]

So then what would you have in place of the UN?

[BOLO]

So then what would you have in place of the UN?

No more U.N. The first attempt did not work. Do you know what that was called?
The League of Nations. Congress refused to subscribe.
The UN has done no better. You have countries sitting on the council that addresses inhumane treatment. These self same countries practice on a daily basis that self same inhumane treatment of their own citizens.
The UN is hypocrisy in action and a contradiction in terms. None are united except against the U.S.

Koffee Annon was one of those receiving bribe and kick back money from Saddam. there should be a sign posted outside the UN. "UN For Sale" see inside.
I would not replace it. Who says it has to be?

[lordjulius7]

I would replace the Un with (1) short term voluntary associations of nations who will join together with agreed aims to help in situations like the Sudanese one, (2) various worldwide agencies, independent of one another, to do the work of the WHO etc, and (3) bilateral treaties and understandings between states to replace the general assembly and security council.

[BOLO]

You mean like NATO before the French got involved, and the thing went on after the cold war ended? And now the French are messing it up again. Like that? I would not replace it. Let those nations that have the will, meet, and take the necassary actions, The others can go jump. Ne`s Ce Pais?

[lordjulius7]

That's pretty much what I had in mind, yes.