Topsy Turvy Land on Turtle Bay (Wizbang)

I've repeatedly said that I think the UN is worse than useless. But now it's officially gone from a bad joke to an obscene one.

It was pretty bad when it decided that Iran deserved a seat on the Commission on Disarmament. That's the same Iran that is repeatedly flirting with acquiring nuclear weapons. But this week, it went even further.

It was time to elect member nations to the new Human Rights Council. This body, chartered to promote human rights and censure or sanction oppressive governments, is replacing the much-maligned (and justly so) Human Rights Commission. And winning seats on this body were such stalwarts of individual freedoms and liberties as the worker's paradise of Cuba, China (land of mandatory abortions), Saudi Arabia (if you aren't a Muslim male, you might as well be a slave), Pakistan, Russia, and Azerbaijan.

The United States saw which way the wind was blowing, and Ambassador John Bolton did the unthinkable: he walked away from it.

The UN is not only a joke, but it's a joke that we are paying about half a billion dollars towards every year. We alone pay 22% of the UN's total budget, and that's just the "core" costs. We also gave them the land where the building stands, we have provided a huge number of the peacekeeping forces over the years, and we are the nation of first resort whenever a disaster (such as the 2004 tsunami) occurs.

At what point do we just pull the plug?

Comments (21)

When it comes to the UN, th... (Below threshold)

1. Posted by Cybrludite | May 11, 2006 8:33 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Cybrludite:

When it comes to the UN, the plug isn't what I'd be pulling. The trigger would be more like it. Public decentcy forbids me to mention what the Leftists pull in response to hearing the UN mentioned.

Posted on May 11, 2006 08:33

I wonder why nobody points ... (Below threshold)

2. Posted by cirby | May 11, 2006 8:45 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

cirby:

I wonder why nobody points out to the diplomats at the UN that, if someone pulls a big WMD attack on the US, the guys at Turtle Bay are going to be in the target zone...

Posted on May 11, 2006 08:45

"Obscene" doesn't even begi... (Below threshold)

3. Posted by Jason | May 11, 2006 8:50 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Jason:

"Obscene" doesn't even begin to describe it, Jay. The UN is pure, unadulterated evil. The U.S. should get out of the UN posthaste.

Posted on May 11, 2006 08:50

I wonder why nobody poin... (Below threshold)

4. Posted by Jason | May 11, 2006 8:53 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

cirby, perhaps the presence of the UN is why NYC hasn't had a WMD attack yet. Or maybe not. I don't know. Seems like if it were, the terrorists would just attack a different city.

Posted on May 11, 2006 08:53

What would have happened if... (Below threshold)

5. Posted by epador | May 11, 2006 8:56 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

epador:

What would have happened if one of the 9/11 737's hit the UN instead of the WTC?

Posted on May 11, 2006 08:56

Justice!... (Below threshold)

6. Posted by virgo | May 11, 2006 9:16 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

virgo:

Justice!

Posted on May 11, 2006 09:16

If the UN is some abstract ... (Below threshold)

7. Posted by MyPetGloat | May 11, 2006 9:17 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

MyPetGloat:

If the UN is some abstract and usless organziation, why does the White House
cite all the UN sanctions Iraq broke as justifification for war?
-while simultaneously having the highest veto or no-vote for Security Council resoulutions?

Posted on May 11, 2006 09:17

I would call this event a c... (Below threshold)

8. Posted by EdMcGon | May 11, 2006 9:25 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

EdMcGon:

I would call this event a comment on the world's view of human rights today: There aren't any.

Posted on May 11, 2006 09:25

"What would have happened i... (Below threshold)

9. Posted by srl | May 11, 2006 9:37 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

srl:

"What would have happened if one of the 9/11 737's hit the UN instead of the WTC?"

Why, the UN's ability to issue a strongly worded condemnation would be set back by years! It's unthinkable.

Posted on May 11, 2006 09:37

MyPetI thought the... (Below threshold)

10. Posted by virgo | May 11, 2006 9:46 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

MyPet

I thought the reason for going to war was WMDs? not Iraqs UN violations?

Posted on May 11, 2006 09:46

why does the White House... (Below threshold)

11. Posted by OregonMuse | May 11, 2006 10:06 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

OregonMuse:

why does the White House
cite all the UN sanctions Iraq broke as justifification for war?

Because if he didn't, Bush would be accused of being a unilateralist cowboy, and you wouldn't want that now, would you?

Also, the French would get the vapors. Can't have that.

Posted on May 11, 2006 10:06

virgo, maybe you should loo... (Below threshold)

12. Posted by Nicholas | May 11, 2006 10:42 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Nicholas:

virgo, maybe you should look more closely into the matter. It seems that you think what you think, because it's what someone wants you to think, not because it's the truth.

Posted on May 11, 2006 10:42

Nicholasfunny, I w... (Below threshold)

13. Posted by virgo | May 11, 2006 10:52 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Nicholas

funny, I would have to conclude that is exactly the way You come to Your conclusions..

Posted on May 11, 2006 10:52

Hmmm.Frankly if, w... (Below threshold)

14. Posted by ed | May 11, 2006 11:05 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

ed:

Hmmm.

Frankly if, when, the UN is evicted out of it's HQ and it's demolished, I'll be there with a camera and a bottle of champagne.

I'll even buy French champagne to celebrate. Which should tell you just how much I despise the UN.

Posted on May 11, 2006 11:05

ed,I'll bring the ... (Below threshold)

15. Posted by Sheik Yur Bouty | May 11, 2006 11:30 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Sheik Yur Bouty:

ed,

I'll bring the fois gras and brie.

-syb

Posted on May 11, 2006 11:30

I think it's a good idea to... (Below threshold)

16. Posted by muckdog | May 11, 2006 11:48 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

muckdog:

I think it's a good idea to have an official forum where countries can meet and discuss world events. Even if it sometimes seems ridiculous. But why does the UN have to be a permanent building here in the US? Why not have countries take turns hosting the UN and shouldering the costs for doing so?

Posted on May 11, 2006 11:48

NYC holds onto it cause it ... (Below threshold)

17. Posted by epador | May 11, 2006 11:54 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

NYC holds onto it cause it is a big revenue source. No sense outsourcing this too, lol.

Posted on May 11, 2006 11:54

I think everyone wants the ... (Below threshold)

18. Posted by jp2 | May 11, 2006 1:02 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

jp2:

I think everyone wants the UN to be more effective. I'm not sure if it needs a plane flown into it though, psychos.

"The UN is not only a joke, but it's a joke that we are paying about half a billion dollars towards every year."

You know are a bad American if you worry more about the 500 Million we pay the UN than the 9 Billion that went missing in Iraq.

Posted on May 11, 2006 13:02

Now jp2 - come on... we all... (Below threshold)

19. Posted by Lee | May 11, 2006 1:11 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Lee:

Now jp2 - come on... we all know there are huge differences between the terrorists pyschos who fly planes through skyscrapers, and the ultra-conservative psychos who advocate flying a plane into the U.N. headquarters!

Such as.... uhm, well - let's see....

Ahhhhh. No.

Wait a minute.

I guess I'll have to get back to you on that.

Posted on May 11, 2006 13:11

I think everyone wants t... (Below threshold)

20. Posted by McGehee | May 11, 2006 1:17 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

McGehee:

You start making the UN more effective your way, we'll start making it more effective our way.

Posted on May 11, 2006 13:17

I'll go along with McGehee'... (Below threshold)

21. Posted by Jay Tea | May 11, 2006 2:47 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Jay Tea:

I'll go along with McGehee's suggestion, but just to make it perfectly clear to the moonbats: we will not only allow those who work in the UN building to evacuate first, we will demand it -- and remove them by force if necessary. If for no other reason than to not have a bunch of body parts messing up the nice, clean rubble. Biohazards are a bitch.

Posted on May 11, 2006 14:47