US Republican lawmakers taking aim at UN

If the newly elected GOP Reps continue to make suggestions like this I'll be voting for them again in a few years...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_us_un_investigations

WASHINGTON – Newly empowered Republican lawmakers are taking their first shots at the United Nations, depicting it as bloated and ineffective as they seek to cut U.S. funding for the world body.

On Tuesday, a House of Representatives panel aired criticisms of the U.N. at a briefing expected to prescribe congressional action.

Republican Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, chairwoman of the House Foreign Affairs committee, is seeking cuts and has introduced a bill intended to pressure the United Nations to change the way it operates and to make dues voluntary. She also is promising investigations into possible corruption and mismanagement.

"U.S. policy on the United Nations should be based on three fundamental questions: Are we advancing American interests? Are we upholding American values? Are we being responsible stewards of American taxpayer dollars?" she said in a statement that was read at the briefing, which she could not attend. "Unfortunately, right now, the answer to all three questions is `No.' "

Congress at various times has withheld funding from the world organization, but last year, under Democratic leadership in both the House and the Senate, the United States paid its dues in full as well as some back dues.

The United States is the largest single contributor to the U.N. responsible for 22 percent of its regular budget and 27 percent of the funding for its peacekeeping operations.

Tuesday's briefing comes as Republicans are pressing for broad spending cuts as they seek to reduce the U.S. budget deficit. Where those cuts should be made will be a major issue as President Barack Obama appears before Congress several hours later to deliver his annual State of the Union policy address.

The United Nations has long been a target for conservative U.S. lawmakers. Investigations by Republican-led congressional panels in the last decade helped spur an independent investigation into the U.N.-run oil-for-food program in Iraq.

Peter Yeo, executive director of the Better World Campaign, which advocates U.S. support for the United Nations, said he expected Tuesday's briefing would mark the "beginning of a long examination" by congressional Republicans. But Yeo, who appeared before the panel, said he hoped to convince lawmakers that the United Nations is a good bargain for the United States.

"The U.N. serves our interest in a cost-effective way to promote global security," he said.

He also pointed to U.N. changes already carried out, including creation of an ethics office in 2006.

Rep. Howard Berman, the ranking Democrat on the committee, also defended the world body. While offering a long list of criticisms, he outlined a list of ways that the United Nations operations serves U.S. interests and noted the recent reforms.

It is unclear whether the Republican critiques will lead to cuts in the U.S. contribution. Ros-Lehtinen's bill probably would face resistance in the Democratic-controlled Senate and from the Obama administration.

U.N. dues must be financed through annual congressionally approved spending plans and are thus subject to approval by both the House and Senate.

 

I would completely cut the UN. Their resolutions do nothing. China and Russia never want to support measures against Iran or other rouge nations. We are the worlds peacekeeper, the UN blue helmets are just an afterthought. Besides, we cannot win with these people. The UN makes Europe feel relevant , in reality only the USA and China matter in this world.

 

Why do we pay for the U.N.? No power, they do nothing without the support of our enemies (on many occasions), and we paid $6.347bn to the UN in FY2009. For what? What did the UN do that we couldn't do outside of it, that's right...nothing. We pay some 25% of the total UN spending, and I doubt we benefit from even a quarter of their polices (even ones like spreading human rights). Over 20% of UN program contracts were proven to be scams....what a joke. I don't see why we give them a single dollar. We host our enemies on our soil and get no benefit at all. United Abominations.

Reality hits you hard, bro...
 
ANT:
It's like a hot chick paying to meet dudes. We have the value, the UN doesn't. We should for another group with just the USA and China and call it united nations with a ball sack.

epic

 
ANT:
It's like a hot chick paying to meet dudes. We have the value, the UN doesn't. We should for another group with just the USA and China and call it united nations with a ball sack.

We could call it the Security Council, but that still has the UK and France. And can only do cool stuff like the Korean War when Russia boycotts for a week.

 

Just think if we told China we would evenly divide the riches in Iraq and Afghanistan if yet helped out. The Chinese simply want access to commodities to keep the people at home happy. In a day we could triple the boots on the ground in both countries. China is not religious driven, bringing them in as a partner would show respect and it would reduce our burden. Plus it would allow us to stabilize the region.

We have so many Chinese people in the USA it only makes sense to form a close alliance. The world is big enough to be run by two countries.

Suck on that Europe!

 
Best Response

You guys all underestimate human sentiment. The reason the UN exists (and will continue to, long after any of us are here) is because America benefits from it.

How so?

Very simple. People are not dumb and the ill will that America's built up with its wanton interventionism is well shielded by a puppet body like the UN. Anybody who thinks that America became unpopular globally because of the Iraq War doesn't have a fucking clue about geopolitics.

The UN also gives Chinese and Russian elites the ability to shield themselves (and more importantly) their financial resources from a head on collision with the US. It works for everyone, except the regular folk on all sides of the Atlantic.

The real problem for America is NATO. That's where A TON of the defense budget goes and a great deal of the troops trained maintain loyalties to other interests.

The whole US foreign policy set up in terms of how the military is structured has been completely fucked since mid way through WW2.

But rest assured, the problem's in DC not at the UN. Which ain't going nowhere in spite of the rhetoric.

 

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