XPost: rec.travel.air, alt.travel   
   From: gofig@mac.com   
      
   In article <4002006C.55E774EA@nobody.com>, nobody    
   wrote:   
      
   > Go Fig wrote:   
   > > world opinion as expressed at the UN.  But as the UN ponders, the   
   > > psychopath in N. Korea stockpiles.  The UN answers this with begs,   
   > > pleads and bribes and gets laughed at or ignored..   
   >   
   >   
   > The UN takes collective actions when warranted. It had no problems organising   
   > worldwide support to out the Taliban.   
      
   Support and (now) $2.25 will get you a coffee.  But it was NATO that   
   took care of the problem.  The UN has given vital support in the   
   aftermath though... but pledges are so coming from member states.   
      
   A better example of UN strength is the failures of Cyprus and Korea and   
   the blind eye it took to Rwanda.  Even the tribunals for Rwanda and   
   Bosnia have failed those countries by not having them in the country of   
   the crime... they say they have learned from this....   
      
   Words can be helpful, a big stick can be persuasive, but sometimes it   
   action is required... the UN is always late to that dance and million   
   are dead because of it.  In 50 years, they can point to E. Timor, and   
   they were late there as well.   
      
   >   
   > The UN has mechanisms to prevent a single rogue state from dictating to the   
   UN   
   > what to do. If an international consensus cannot be built, then the country   
   > that couldn't get consensus shouldn't be allowed to act alone.   
      
   Sorry, but some won't wait around to be sucker punched while Syria   
   convenes Human Rights Committees for the UN, I'm with them.   
      
      
   > That is where   
   > the UN failed. It shoudl have found a way to stop the USA from illegally   
   > invading Iraq, or at the very least, institude sanctions against the USA the   
   > day it bagan its invasion.   
   >   
   > The UN had accomplished a lot during the 1990s in Iraq. And yes, there was a   
   > tamper tantrum in 1998 when the USA got tired and forced the UN to widthdraw   
   > the inspectors.  But why didn't the USA then convince the UN that serious   
   > attemps should be made to restart inspections ?   
   >   
   > Don't blame the UN, blame those countries that prevent the UN from taking the   
   > necessary actions, or those countries that fail to put on the UN agenda those   
   > items they feel shoudl be dealt with.   
   >   
   > Koffi Anan is not a leader, he is an administrator. It is the member states   
   > that lead the UN. That is the way the UN was designed.   
      
      
   It was designed as an inept body, serious changes must be made.  It   
   finally looks like they may have the votes to force a new agenda each   
   year, which will hopefully eliminate the endless political sermons that   
   carry over year after year... that will only get rid of some of the   
   talk though, nothing for action when needed.   
      
   jay   
   Sun Jan 11, 2004   
   mailto:gofig@mac.com   
      
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