johnny_raoul Posted September 28, 2006 Share Posted September 28, 2006 anyone wanna tackle this? Foreign Affairs Help Wanted: UN Secretary-General by Thomas P. Kilgannon Posted Sep 28, 2006 The United Nations is continuing its process of selecting the next secretary-general to lead the anti-American chorus at Turtle Bay. At the same time, the U.S. Senate continues to drags its feet on the confirmation of John Bolton as ambassador, the only individual at the UN who is defending American values. Today, the UN Security Council will conduct a third straw poll on the candidates to replace Kofi Annan. Leading the race at this point is Ban Ki-Moon, the South Korean foreign minister who has won the two previous secret ballots conducted by the Security Council. The other leading candidate is Kofi Annan’s protégé, Shashi Tharoor, who hails from India and has spent his whole life in the comfortable cocoon of the UN. Members of the Security Council vote “encourage,” “discourage” or “undecided” on each candidate, but do so on a secret ballot, so it is unknown how the five permanent members of the Council vote. There have been some late entries into the field, fueling speculation that while the Security Council may be willing to settle for South Korea’s Ban Ki-Moon, members are not enthralled with his candidacy. Many in Washington believe that a new secretary-general will be able to clean the Augean Stables at the UN. Not so. The UN is corrupt, anti-American, and a safe haven for dictators, thugs and terrorist states. Ban Ki-Moon is leading the race precisely because he says little and is unwilling to offend any interest. The other candidates do the same. So no candidate to replace Kofi Annan has denounced the vile rhetoric of Hugo Chavez and defended the “decorum” of the institution. Meantime, the confirmation of John Bolton languishes. Why? Because liberals have no objection to Hugo Chavez’ trash talking about our country and our president. They are perfectly comfortable in sending billions of dollars to the UN to help the leader of a terrorist state spread his anti-American ideas around the world. Today, the UN Security Council moves one step closer to a new secretary- general. Meanwhile, the U.S. Senate will have added one more day of delay to the confirmation of John Bolton. The Senate is doing what no other individual or institution has done in the 61-year history of the United Nations: making the UN look efficient and organized. Mr. Kilgannon is the president of Freedom Alliance, an educational foundation dedicated to the preservation of American sovereignty. He is the author of "Diplomatic Divorce: Why America Should End Its Love Affair With the United Nations." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mantis Posted September 28, 2006 Share Posted September 28, 2006 We could call it the Kofi Break version! It certainly sounds like an interesting idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaskGuy Posted September 28, 2006 Share Posted September 28, 2006 There's also a Canadian, now the president of Latvia, running for the post as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mantis Posted September 28, 2006 Share Posted September 28, 2006 The next secretary general should be from North America. I looked it up, there have been 4 Europeans, 2 Africans, 1 Asian and 1 South American. It's our turn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
progressivedem Posted September 29, 2006 Share Posted September 29, 2006 In this instance (conventional wisdom in the UN), North and South America are collectively grouped as "The Americas" and Ocenia is included as part of Asia. So by the conventional wisdom in the UN... it's Asia's turn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mantis Posted September 29, 2006 Share Posted September 29, 2006 In this instance (conventional wisdom in the UN), North and South America are collectively grouped as "The Americas" and Ocenia is included as part of Asia. So by the conventional wisdom in the UN... it's Asia's turn. It figures that they'd come up with a system which screws us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
progressivedem Posted September 29, 2006 Share Posted September 29, 2006 Well, the US could just veto anyone from Asia and demand that it be a North American, so I think there's something deeper than just them trying to screw us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RonnieRaygun04 Posted October 10, 2006 Share Posted October 10, 2006 Well, the US could just veto anyone from Asia and demand that it be a North American, so I think there's something deeper than just them trying to screw us. Nope, I think Mantis had it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goldberg Posted October 10, 2006 Share Posted October 10, 2006 That article was funny. So Bolton has not been confirmed because Democrats love Hugo Chavez. LOL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScorpionBPI1988 Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 Bolton should be the only person representing 'American values' right? Why would, say, Kenya's, South Africa's, or Armenia's ambassadors represent the 'values' of a country on the other side of the planet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyJones Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 Nope, I think Mantis had it. To be fair, Asia population is what? Around 2.5 Billion... Africa 1 Billion... the Americans... .5B AND there are far more countries in Asia and Africa than in the Americas. I think the next time it comes around to the Americas, we should simply insist that the leader come from the North. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mantis Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 To be fair, Asia population is what? Around 2.5 Billion... Africa 1 Billion... the Americans... .5B AND there are far more countries in Asia and Africa than in the Americas. I think the next time it comes around to the Americas, we should simply insist that the leader come from the North. I have a better idea, we should insist that the next leader be the most qualified person. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaskGuy Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 I have a better idea, we should insist that the next leader be the most qualified person. And if that person isn't from North America? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mantis Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 And if that person isn't from North America? Then so be it. The problem is that the UN has been running around trying to be oh so politically correct by choosing Secretary Generals from everywhere (except North America). The system seems designed to screw those of us in North America. Geography should never be a consideration. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SSVegeta123243 Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 The system seems designed to screw those of us in North America. yes life here in north america is alot worse because we cant get a un secretary general Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mantis Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 yes life here in north america is alot worse because we cant get a un secretary general Of course not. Do you not think that if the position is supposed to rotate around the continents, we're overdue? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyJones Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 Then so be it. The problem is that the UN has been running around trying to be oh so politically correct by choosing Secretary Generals from everywhere (except North America). The system seems designed to screw those of us in North America. Geography should never be a consideration. Who cares? It's like how they rotate where the Olympics go or where the World Cup is played ... lot of people or places that meet the qualifications. So why not rotate it. AND the Americas are in the rotation, how is it design to screw North America? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mantis Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 Who cares? It's like how they rotate where the Olympics go or where the World Cup is played ... lot of people or places that meet the qualifications. So why not rotate it.AND the Americas are in the rotation, how is it design to screw North America? We have been screwed.....Here's the score card: Europe: 4 Africa: 2 Asia: 1 South America: 1 North America: 0 Oceania: 0 The next should be from North America or Oceania (Australia, New Zealand, New Guinea, etc) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyJones Posted October 12, 2006 Share Posted October 12, 2006 We have been screwed.....Here's the score card:Europe: 4 Africa: 2 Asia: 1 South America: 1 North America: 0 Oceania: 0 The next should be from North America or Oceania (Australia, New Zealand, New Guinea, etc) Not if you count it like this: Europe: 4 Africa: 2 Asia/Oceania: 1 Americas: 1 Why would you count it like that? First of all the Americas are of comparable size to Europe, both in population and in number of states, so it makes sense to lump them together... Furthermore, why is Oceania its own continent? like 30 Million ppl tops live there... like 1% of the world's population?! That ludicrious... why not give it to Antarctica... afterall, its a continent too The only thing you could make a claim for is that Europe is over-represented, but the UN is taking steps to reverse that... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
natx17 Posted October 26, 2006 Share Posted October 26, 2006 Well, I think it would be a really bad idea having a north american UN secretary...don´t you have enough with controlling this organization and manipulating it just to serve to America´s interests? What matters the nationality of the secretary if the US controlls him, as has done with Annan? PS: Forgive me if i have made many grammar or vocabulary errors, but i am from Spain and my english is not perfect... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sanmari Posted November 8, 2006 Share Posted November 8, 2006 Mantis: Oh please, Oceania? One way to look at the rotation would be to use the regional blocs that the United Nations uses for the allocation of non-permanent seats on the Security Council: Asia, Africa, East Europe, Latin America, Western Europe and Other. By that thinking, we're pretty far ahead here in North America. Plus, "North America," i.e., Canada and the United States has so much sway in the United Nations as it is. When you dominate the system, why quibble over whether or not the chief diplomat (who most swear to serve the United Nations and not his or her own state) is originally a national of your home state? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.