The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #73420   Message #1273212
Posted By: sledge
16-Sep-04 - 11:16 AM
Thread Name: BS: Kofi Annan says Iraq war was illegal
Subject: RE: BS: Kofi Annan says Iraq war was illegal
If you want sabotage just look at the shameless financial manipulation of the UN by the US government over the years as mentioned previoulsy on the 1000 gone thread.

Here is the relevent part of that post in full.

-----------------------------------------------------
I just think that the whole response by the Bush administration was excessive, so he ignored a few UN resolutions, thats not something that new in the history of the UN, the US was as one point in serious debt to the UN by failing to pay up its financial obligations to the tune of $365 million in the early 90's, this of course was period when Washington sort of liked the UN thanks to their support following the invasion of Kuwait, they only did so "when they saw fit" but not enough to counter their eventual debt of around $1.5 billion. Obligations to the UN should be a 2 way street then, resolutions or not I think.

The size of this debt has been part of US goverment policy for quite a while, when the US could command a majority in the UN which they did for some time, only those unfriendly to the US were pressured for payment as was the case with the Soviet union. However as their influence waned they sought to regain it by refusing to pay, putting pressure on the UN that way. Its a big stick to carry. While there are other countries who are in arrears none are ever as in debt as the US, who, could more easily settle her debt.
-----------------------------------------------------------

If you are going to hold fast to UN resolutione etc. when they serve your needs and prefernces you should accept their rebukes as well.



Sledge