Unchallenged on Fox News: Iraq pays more into UN that the US?

Fox News ^ | Jan 21, 2003 | Fox News

[TankerKC]

Today I was watching Fox News while working out at the gym. Davis Asman was interviewing former UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq and Assistant Secretary General Denis Halliday. Halliday claimed that Iraq paid more dues into the UN that the US last years. I wish that were true, but I seriously doubt it.

I did find this link from the US Mission to the UN, that claims the “U.S. pays 22% of the UN's regular budget and about 27.2% of the peacekeeping budgets. It also pays about 25% of the costs of the International Criminal Tribunals for Rwanda and Former Yugoslavia,” and that “UN membership dues, known as assessments, are based primarily on each nation's share of the global economy. The U.S. economy represents about 31% of the global economy. The U.S. therefore benefits from the 22% ceiling on assessments for the regular budget. Many countries actually pay more in assessments than their share of the global economy.”

I just can’t see where Iraq could approach paying more dues than we do.

[TankerKC]

Sorry, I didn't find a link to a transcript on Fox News. Asman did not challenge this assertion. Maybe some Freepers can shed some light.

[TankerKC]

Oops, that would be "David" Asman.

[Davis]

Iraq? What Weapons?
http://www.atrentino.com/CartoonWeapons.html

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[HAL9000]

The UN operates an escrow account for Iraq's "Oil for Food" program. The money in that program is not for UN dues.

[Countdown]

That was not the claim. The claim was that the UN gets a "cut" of the Oil-for-food money. The claim was that this amounts to more than the US pays in dues and therefor the UN has a financial interest in prolonging the current situation.

That's what I got out of the exchange anyway.

[HAL9000]

From the UN Office of the Iraq Programme Oil-For-Food -

To date, some $41 billion worth of contracts for humanitarian supplies and equipment have been approved. Supplies and equipment worth almost $26 billion have been delivered to Iraq, while another $10.5 billion worth of humanitarian supplies and equipment are in the production and delivery pipeline.

[TankerKC]

That's what I got out of the exchange anyway.

I was huffing and puffing at the time, so I may have missed his point. If that is what he said, he may very well be right.

[D. Miles]

Then look at USA dollars of contributions in food to Iraq as well as other countries not done thru the UN. No matter was a$$man says, we pay more than our share period!Just think of the savings to our people if we didn't have the UN to contend with!

[InspiredPath1]

Have also read that. The U.N. is taking a cut of all the "oil for food" sales. In fact, it's estimated that $15 billion in funds is on deposit with the U.N., with the U.N. earning the interest. Funds await approval to be released. Saddam has to approve all contracts in the oil for food program, and naturally he has no inclination to feed his people.

But, even with the added revenues from the oil for food program, I find it hard to believe that anyone throws more money away than we do. Don't let the dems know! They'll insist we pay more!