What Is This Business About "UN-Reform" Anyway?

[arwalden]

Is this a legitimate issue that's on the table? Has the UN itself come to a consensus that "reform" is actually needed? Has the UN formed some sort of Reform Committee (with the full and open participation of the appropriate people) to examine which areas need reform, and what should be done to reform them?

Or... is it that the Bush administration is the only one demanding reforms. Are they creating this "debate" (or this UN management/policy "crisis") because Bush feels that the mere existence of the UN places too many limits his global bullying powers.

It would seem to me that if Bush is the only person wanting "reforms"... then we can take that as evidence that the UN is probably working JUST FINE... and the LAST thing we want is Bush-style reforms.

[Justitia]

1. It's totally bullshit by the John Birch Society freaks.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Birch_Society

Their real intent is to destroy the UN, not reform it in any constructive way.

Notice there are never any specific, concrete, constructive suggestions for improving the efficacy of the organization or what we as a nation can do to strengthen or contribute to the ideals of the UN.

The UN to them is an evil, conspiratorial organization that simply gets in the way of them steamrolling over the rest of the world in whatever they want to do. It is the last check on the tyranny of these world-domination nutcases.

[arwalden]

5. Great Information... Thank You.

I always suspected as much. -- Just like they way they want to "reform" Social Security, eh? They want to "reform" it into non-existence, or into IMPOTENCE.

[wli]

2. trying to take credit for UN internal reform actions I think

I know there were reforms ongoing long before Bolton for fiscal reasons, and I think they're mostly done.

It's unclear if they've got additional ideas.

[LiberalEsto]

3. UN reform means making the UN a rubber stamp

for whatever the US wants.

Gotta get those fractious furinners in line with the B*sh agenda, ya know.

[no_hypocrisy]

7. More than that. Other reforms:

1. To make the UN as rancorous as the House and the Senate. Need to reform to make members less diplomatic and civil to each other. Compromise means less opportunity for some countries.

2. To perhaps even destroy the UN as it was designed and as it exists. But how clever! To destroy it by self-implosion rather than something unseemingly by cutting off U.S. funds to it and letting it die on the vine.

Geez, sometimes I think this administration is just like the premise for Mel Brooks' The Producers: get the worst combination of people to run the country, get the most obnoxious and undiplomatic person to be our ambassador to the U.N., get the most war-mongering bureaucrat in the Department of Defense, get the most insipid, clueless, and disinterested opportunist to be our Fearless Leader. And like the Opening Night of The Producers, the people love it!!! It truly is "Springtime for Hitler".

[zanne]

4. We talk like we OWN the UN

The UN didn't fall in lockstep with the Bush administration, so it must be "broken". Alot of people in this country are under the impression that because the UN is headquartered in NYC, we actually "run" it, so we should "reform" it. Alot of Republicans actually think that Bolton will "reform" things all by himself.

[arwalden]

6. Should The UN Move It's Headquarters OUT Of The United States?

Maybe it's time to find someplace else. Switzerland perhaps?

[Justitia]

9. I think the CIA / FBI would hate to lose their ability to "observe" all

that goes on at the UN and all the diplomatic residences of UN Ambassadors from around the world. It is no accident that it is mighty convenient that the UN is located in the US.

The morons who want to demolish the UN or force it out of NYC never think of that - DUH.

[sam sarrha]

8. same thing as Social Security reform... just to F*ck it Up..destroy it

[bryant69]

10. Along with what a lot of other people have said

There have been accusations of corruption, particularly in the Oil for Food Scandal.

There is also the fact that Libya was put on a Human Rights commission? I don't know much about it, but Rush brings it up constantly. But that kind of goes back to the idea that, at the UN, all the nations are equal, and there are plenty of Republicans who don't agree with that. Either they will point out nations who violate human rights consistently or they will point to tiny powerless nations and say "why should the United Stats have to listen to this nation?"

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[Algorem]

11. Fareed Zakariah was using that b.s. last night on Nightline.

Shouldn't he choose one acting role and concentrate on it?Either quit playing 'Fez' on That 70's Show or quit playing 'political analyst' on ABC.

[arwalden]

12. Fez...

:spray:

[bloom]

13. I think reform must mean

something like - fixing it so that the UN never does anything like the 1975 resolution equating zionism and racism (which Bush* mentioned yesterday when he nominated Bolton).

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=124&topic_id=97675&mesg_id=97675

And also - in general - I'm sure Bush*Bolton, etc. want a UN that never says the US or Israel is wrong about anything.

[julianer]

14. There are good reasons to reform the UN

After all it was formed to take into account the prime interests of the winners of WWII, one of whom no longer exists as a country.

There are also issues about the EU being represented in some way - why should UK and France sit on the SC when much of their national independence has been subsumed by the EU; in any case Germany's claim to a SC seat is more powerful etc.

Brazil, India, Indonesia and possible South Africa or Nigeria also have good claims to sit at the top table.

I would think, though, that there may be some mismatch between the wishes of the tiny, almost irrelevant, 'rest of the world' and those of the megalithic, all-important, super-state.

[goclark]

15. It's about RACISM, that is what it is about

It is about some WHITE people (BushCO) not liking the fact that Darker Races can have a say in what happens in this world.

The UN represents us caring and being "One World."

Bush doesn't want that and that is why he sent KKKBolton to fix it.