Sunday, December 24, 2017

There Is No ‘United Nations.’ So Let’s Stop Paying For It

Spencer Platt/Getty
The worst people in the world gathered in New York on Thursday to condemn the United States for exercising its sovereign right to establish its embassy in Israel at Israel’s capital. The United States, which funds the lion’s share of the United Nations, hosts the organization in its most populous city, and offers $50 billion of taxpayers’ hard-earned money annually in foreign aid to member countries, did not take the condemnation of human rights abusers and terrorists lying down. U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley explained,
When a nation is singled out for an attack in this organization, that nation is disresepected. What's more, that nation is asked to pay for the privilege of being disrespected. In the case of the United States, we are asked to pay more than anyone else for that dubious privilege. Unlike some U.N, member countries, the United States government is answerable to its people, as such we have an obligation to acknowledge when our political and financial capital is being poorly spent. We have an obligation to demand more for our investment, and if our investment fails, we have an obligation to spend our resources in more productive ways. Those are the thoughts that come to mind when we consider the resolution before us today.
Ahead of the vote, both President Trump and Ambassador Haley threatened to withdraw foreign aid to countries that voted to condemn the United States. Nevertheless, representatives from some of the most brutal regimes on earth, including North Korea, Yemen, Turkey, Venezuela, Cuba, Syria, and Iran, spoke in support of the measure; and 128 members countries, including many of our alleged allies, voted in lockstep with them. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu had the temerity to whine that his benefactor might withdraw the hundreds of millions of dollars in foreign aid that it regularly provides to the increasingly hostile regime. “We were all asked to vote no or face consequences,” complained Cavusoglu. “Some even threatened to cut development aid. This is bullying. It is unethical to think that the votes and dignity of member states are for sale.”
Read the rest from MIchael Knowles HERE and follow link below to a related op-ed:

The United Nations Long Ago Lost Its Moral Authority To Tut-Tut At Trump Over Jerusalem

If you like what you see, please "Like" us on Facebook either here or here. Please follow us on Twitter here.


No comments: