NYTimes Editorial: A Discredit to the United Nations

[furman]

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/21/opinion/21tue2.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

November 21, 2006
Editorial
A Discredit to the United Nations

The old, unreformed United Nations Human Rights Commission was selective and one-sided, but occasionally managed to do some good work. That may be more than can be said for its successor body, the Human Rights Council, born earlier this year of a weak-kneed compromise from which the United States stood honorably apart. If this is the best the U.N. can do at reforming itself, it isn’t worth the effort.

The council is new, but its deliberations have already fallen into a shameful pattern. When it comes to the world’s worst and most consistent human rights violators, like China, Iran, North Korea, Myanmar and Sudan, there has been a tendency to muffle words and conclusions and shift the focus from individual and political rights to broader economic and social questions.

But when it comes to criticizing Israel for violations committed in a wartime context that includes armed attacks against its citizens and soldiers, the council seems to change personality, turning harshly critical and uninterested in broader contexts.

<snip>

To inspire respect and support, the United Nations must be more than a self-protective club of sovereign states. The test of that is whether it is willing to defend the basic human standards embodied in a succession of United Nations declarations and conventions. The new Human Rights Council now seems headed for a failing midterm grade.

[Boston Critic]

1. Ah, obviously part of the Republican Christian Coalition

Not.

Wake up folks. The Times editorial correctly rebukes the sham UN proceedings. This is the NEW YORK Times, not the WASHINGTON Times.

[IntiRaymi]

2. NY Times pompous editorializing:

"To inspire respect and support, the United Nations must be more than a self-protective club of sovereign states. The test of that is whether it is willing to defend the basic human standards embodied in a succession of United Nations declarations and conventions. The new Human Rights Council now seems headed for a failing midterm grade."

So, eliminate the Security Council?

And, anyways, the USA has no legs to stand on, on the topic of human rights, if this is in fact about moral authority.

[Behind the Aegis]

3. Where is a call to eliminate the Security Council?

[IntiRaymi]

4. Gosh, what is it reading comprehension these days?

The editorial is clearly stating that the UN member states ought to be more altruistic. So I retort, full of sarcasm, that they ought to eliminate the security council. That and veto power. It is high time that the community of nations exerted its influence on behalf of those suffering from Israel's boot in Gaza.

[Behind the Aegis]

5. Indeed...

"To inspire respect and support, the United Nations must be more than a self-protective club of sovereign states. The test of that is whether it is willing to defend the basic human standards embodied in a succession of United Nations declarations and conventions. The new Human Rights Council now seems headed for a failing midterm grade."

So, eliminate the Security Council?

Not only is "reading comprehension" a lost art, so is the use of basic facts.

[IntiRaymi]

6. You are failing it...

"To inspire respect and support, the United Nations must be more than a self-protective club of sovereign states. The test of that is whether it is willing to defend the basic human standards embodied in a succession of United Nations declarations and conventions. The new Human Rights Council now seems headed for a failing midterm grade."

What else can you call the permanent members of the Security Council?

[Behind the Aegis]

7. And yet...not a call to disband the Security Council.

It was a statement covering the ENTIRE UN. It is not just relegated to the Security Council, which China and Russia have payed a part in the "self-protective" club concerning Darfur. But, I am sure you knew that. This ENTIRE article is about the discriminatory "Human Rights" Council, or did you not understand that?

[IntiRaymi]

8. Sure, disband it.

It has been used as a tool of paternalism for too long.

[Behind the Aegis]

9. Fascinating.

I am sure the Arab League will disagree with you as it has been a pretty useful tool in diplomatic attacks on Israel.

[IntiRaymi]

10. Amazing!

The world over, conspiring to destroy a country. It always ends up in that.

This brings images of american settlers circling the wagons, preparing to fend off attacks by Crazy Horse.

[Behind the Aegis]

11. Stupendous!

The failing of those to see bias when it smacks them in the face (or via resolution).

[IntiRaymi]

12. Psychosis!

Imagined threats abound!

[Behind the Aegis]

15. Blindness!

It is all around, but people can't see it...for obvious reasons...BLIND EYES!

[Violet_Crumble]

17. Spoken like a true conspiracy theorist n/t

[Behind the Aegis]

19. Sometimes things are what they are.

[IntiRaymi]

20. Care to start a conversation about the AIPAC?

Not hard to find conspiracies, where power is concentrated.

[Behind the Aegis]

21. Talk about conspiracies...AIPAC the "Karel Rove" of PACs

[IntiRaymi]

22. Perhaps so.

Overrated influence in Washington D.C.

But at least you got the reason why I posted it. Beyond that, and ignoring whatever conspiracies are really going on, I think that the overall manipulator in these things is the USA, and the manipulated is Israel.

I don't buy, for one instant, that the WASP establishment would relinquish control. In fact, I would suspect that they are *still* rather antisemitic up top.

[Violet_Crumble]

13. The SC has been nothing of the sort....

The permanent veto power of the US has in fact been used to ensure that Israel is protected from any real and very well deserved censure.

[Behind the Aegis]

14. Sure. I can just ignore those mountains of resolutions.

:eyes:

As for the US protection, it is well-deserved.

[Violet_Crumble]

16. What SC resolutions are you talking about?

You think the recent 'protection' by the US over the killing of both Lebanese and Palestinian civilians was well-deserved??

[Behind the Aegis]

18. There are many...go to the UNSC page...read through them.