Wolf!
Wolf!
Wolf!
1995 Government shutdown: Wolf! Wolf! Wolf!
Filibuster : Wolf! Wolf! Wolf!
UN Dues: Wolf! Wolf! Wolf!
Posted on 06/11/2005 2:10:57 PM PDT by West Coast Conservative
Less than two years after finally paying its full dues to the United Nations, the US is again threatening to withhold payments from the world body unless the UN undertakes the important reforms sought by Washington.
A US congressional committee on Wednesday voted narrowly to approve legislation that would withhold half of its annual $500m contribution unless the UN streamlined its bureaucracy, barred countries that violated human rights from UN human rights bodies and created an independent oversight board and ethics office.
Henry Hyde, Republican chairman of the House international relations committee, said the bill was the only way to force the UN to make long-overdue reforms. “You can't have reform if you don't withhold dues.”
Mike Pence, a Republican member of the committee who leads a group of conservatives in the House, warned: “The power of the purse is the power of the American people.”
The committee approved the measure 25-22 after rejecting a Democratic proposal that would have given the administration discretion on withholding payments.
The administration opposes the measure but has so far not made strong efforts to discourage the House action, say critics of the Hyde legislation.
While the Senate is not currently considering similar legislation, the House move could embolden Senate critics such as Norm Coleman, the Minnesota Republican who has led an investigation into the UN's role in the Iraq oil-for-food scandal.
In addition, the Senate is likely to act shortly to approve the nomination of John Bolton as US ambassador to the UN. In doing so it would send a harsh critic of the world body to New York, armed with growing congressional threats to punish the UN if reforms are not made.
The bill is set to move to the House floor next week, where it is likely to win approval. Tom DeLay, House Republican leader, linked the bill to the Bolton nomination. “What an incredible thing it would be if you had John Bolton negotiating these kinds of issues with the United Nations,” he said.
Mr DeLay added: “I think we're getting a two-fer if we can get this through the Senate as quickly as possible and John Bolton confirmed to be ambassador to the United Nations.”
The US was in arrears on its obligations to the UN for more than a decade until they were finally paid off in September 2003, helping the UN emerge from a long financial crisis.
Expect every last Islamic country in the Middle East to violently oppose that one.
Nah, let the US not give them any funds, and throw their a$$es of of the US, thus getting the US out of the UN.
This is nothing more than a money pit, a waste of US Tax dollars. The UN robs, steal, and scams behind our backs, then our sons and daughters have to pay the price in their blood.
Looking at my globe just now, that should bar more than half of the world. Good.
Yes, and that is exactly why we should get out of the UN and force them out of the US.
Since our crooked, self-serving politicians won't get us out of the U.N., is it possible to start a national grassroots movement to get ourselves out of it? Just asking.
Define "human rights". Many say that the death penalty would eliminate the US. Some might even say that the lack of universal health care is a barrier to entry.
It's about time!
I can't wait for an American President to address the UN General Assembly and say "You have 30 days to vacate the premises, on the 31st day these facilities will be demolished to make way for a parking-lot. Thank you, and have a nice day."
Ditto! They will never reform, it's time to cut our losses and be rid of them.
IT'S ABOUT TIME! I HOPE, HOPE THAT THEY STAND FIRM.
I just hope they don't backup as usual.
We need to get out of the UN, and, until we do, obstruct it as much as possible - NOT try to "reform" it.
We should not only withold funds from the United Nations we should kick the U.N. and that bunch of crooks and diapered diplomats out of the United States.
Ever since the U. N. was formed while WWII was still going on (Its first Acting Secretary General was Alger Hiss the high government official and spy for Stalin)it has been an abject failure.
I challenge anyone to name one positive accomplishment the U. N. can point to that benefits the U. S. or the free world.
Wow! They must have put Frist in charge of "threatening".
Look how well he's done with the nuc. option.
Wolf!
Wolf!
Wolf!
1995 Government shutdown: Wolf! Wolf! Wolf!
Filibuster : Wolf! Wolf! Wolf!
UN Dues: Wolf! Wolf! Wolf!
It's a step in the right direction anyway.
Wouldn't that be more like the Boy who cried wolf?
The US cannot continue to fund the UN unless they have a good UN Ambassador and reform in the UN.
But I am one of the freepers would just opt for shutting down the UN and getting $1 billion (or more) from the real estate.
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