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| Messages 1 - 9 of total 9 in this topic |
froodish
Social climber
Portland, Oregon
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Jan 27, 2011 - 11:16pm PT
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I'm always puzzled by the disdain held by most conservatives for the UN. Aside from a few notable exceptions, the UN has provided political cover for almost every US military action.
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TGT
Social climber
So Cal
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Jan 27, 2011 - 11:19pm PT
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Wars end when one side completely has and totally expended its will for the conflict.
Total defeat.
total victory.
The unintended consequence of truces enforced by the UN has been the extension of wars into multigenerational episodic conflicts that are far more damaging than if the original fire had burned to exhaustion.
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bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, CA
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Jan 27, 2011 - 11:21pm PT
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the UN has provided political cover for almost every US military action.
What??? And are you implying all US actions are unjustified? Or just the ones started by Dems?
The real question is if they're justified under Congress, as started by the U.S.
I don't really give a f*#k about the U.N. They should move to Geneva where they belong.
F*#k the U.N. and stop sending them my money!!!!
EDIT: Be careful, A.C., anti-semitism may be a crime in the U.N.!
Nah, prolly not, they're all joooo-haters. Carry on.
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Jan 27, 2011 - 11:28pm PT
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The United Nations was not created in order to bring us to heaven, but in order to save us from hell.
Dag Hammarskjöld, Secretary-General, 1953 - 61
http://www.daghammarskjold.se/biography/
(He was also into mountain hiking.)
The work that the UN and affiliated organizations have done on things like health, children, and peacekeeping more than justifies its existence. Not to mention providing a more or less neutral forum where all nations meet - and most of the serious diplomacy happens behind closed doors, for all the posturing.
The fact that the US paid its arrears of dues owed to the UN within days after the attacks in September 2001 speaks volumes as to the UN's true value to the US.
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bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, CA
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Jan 27, 2011 - 11:49pm PT
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Matt makes my point. The U.N. is useless.
Jim Brennan post says it all;
The Korean conflict was the first time war was waged under the consensus of a UN agreement as a police action based on violation of National borders.
It was the first test of policy over ethnicity regardless of geographical reality concerning who lived there. The North with Chinese help just about pushed western idealism into the sea.
We are left with the border stalemate as no one on either side wanted to pay in blood for ideas.
My 2 cents,
Jim
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bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, CA
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Jan 27, 2011 - 11:55pm PT
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Our sacred Constitution? The stupid ICC?
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froodish
Social climber
Portland, Oregon
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Jan 28, 2011 - 12:00am PT
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What??? And are you implying all US actions are unjustified?
No. Not what I said. The UN overwhelming does what the United States wants and provides political cover for our actions. When it doesn't, we ignore it or veto its resolutions via our placement on the security council. It's either useful to the US, or impotent to stop US actions. Which is why it's puzzling to me why Republicans hate the UN so much.
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Jan 28, 2011 - 12:01am PT
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The UN in effect stopped the 1956 Arab-Israeli war, in which England, France and Israel ganged up on Egypt. The US thought it anachronistic nonsense, and got the UN (particularly Canada) to stop it - at a time when the US was very preoccupied by the revolt in Hungary.
But don't just focus on the diplomatic and political successes of the UN and related agencies, of which there have been many - although not always, and success for the UN may not always be seen as such by some in the US. Look at all their successes. Eradicating smallpox, say. Worth it right there.
Resolutions from the UN general assembly are mostly posturing and wind, though usually with a kernel of justice. Those of the security council, especially those approved by all five of the veto powers (China, France, England, Russia, US), mean a lot more.
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bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, CA
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Matt, you know I'm right here...
A real man would admit it, and move on to more pressing issues.
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| Messages 1 - 9 of total 9 in this topic |
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