A sampling of United Nations related blog commentary
Constant Inanity: “Huge crater and whale-with-feet boneyard named U.N. heritage sites – The cultural and education arm of the United Nations on Friday added a giant meteorite crater in South Africa and a whale boneyard from the time the creatures had feet among seven new global heritage sites. The new spots also include two long and deep Norwegian fjords, 244 rugged islands off the coast of Mexico, a forest park in Thailand and the last refuge of the crested eagle off southwest Panama. The heritage list, which has 188 sites around the world designated for their importance to nature and to culture, is part of a campaign to encourage conservation in host countries.”
Exbaptist: “There is no shortage of well-documented dementia of Americans who think the United Nations building in New York is occupied by a secret cabal of European intellectuals who would like nothing better than to turn us all into brie-eating socialists, but I think the John Bolton nomination represents how closely Christian conservatives have merged their religion with their politics.”
Intellibriefs: “Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Bush today declare their resolve to transform the relationship between their countries and establish a global partnership. Drawing on their mutual vision for the U.S.-India relationship, and our joint objectives as strong long-standing democracies, the two leaders agree on the following: Develop and support, through the new U.S.-India Global Democracy Initiative in countries that seek such assistance, institutions and resources that strengthen the foundations that make democracies credible and effective. India and the U.S. will work together to strengthen democratic practices and capacities and contribute to the new U.N. Democracy Fund.”
Mudville Gazette: “5800 to contest Afghan polls – NEARLY 6000 candidates have been declared eligible to contest Afghanistan’s first post-Taliban parliamentary polls in September, more than 10 per cent of them women, election officials said today. A total of 2778 candidates will stand for the 249-seat lower house Wolesi Jirga elections and 3027 will stand for provincial councils, Bismillah Bismil, chairman of the UN-backed electoral commission told reporters.”
Sideshow: “Publication of The Costs of War by Sir Jeremy Greenstock, UK ambassador to the UN during the build-up to the 2003 war and the Prime Minister’s special envoy to Iraq in its aftermath, has been halted.”