Blog Roundup #90

A sampling of United Nations related blog commentary

Peek: “Number one of the eight Millennium Development Goals that all 191 United Nations member states have agreed to try to achieve by the year 2015 is to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger. In addition to the security concern noted above, there’s an ethical imperative. Is there a belief system on Earth that doesn’t essentially tell you that you’re connected to every other human and that your soul suffers as theirs does?”Coalition for Darfur: “Darfur: Benn Calls for UN Action – From SAPA-AFP: “Britain’s International Development Secretary Hilary Benn has called for the United Nations (UN) to take over peacekeeping duties in the conflict-torn Sudanese region of Darfur.”

Logical Voice: “News 24 brings us news that Jean Bertrand Aristide, the former leader of Haiti, ousted with the complicity of the US, is planning on returning to his home country soon: “In an interview with the broadcaster, Aristide said a date for his return to his country from South Africa would be announced as soon as the necessary consultations have taken place. He said newly elected president Rene Preval would consult with the United Nations, other Caribbean states and South Africa about his return.”

Matthew Yglesias: “Israel and NATO – A little while ago, someone floated to me the idea that NATO membership should be extended to Israel as a means of, among other things, coping with the Iran issue. This struck me as a pretty good idea marred by a serious flaw — Article V of the North Atlantic Treaty commits member states more-or-less unconditionally to defend each other’s borders, but Israel doesn’t have borders. Or, rather, it has several sets of borders. On the one hand, there’s the 1948 cease-fire line that constitutes its official borders in the eyes of the UN. On the other hand, there are the de facto borders it controls, including the Gaza Strip, the West Bank , the Golan Heights , and the Sheba Farms area.”

Stygius: “Sketchy reports are out that Ratko Mladic has been arrested in Belgrade. Or is he negotiating a surrender? Is it all just BS? Serbia ‘s government is denying. The United Nations is denying. A London Times profile of Mladic.”

Brothers Judd: “NOW YOU’RE TALKIN!: Gorkha Rifles earmarks for United Nations Mission in Sudan: “1/5 Gorkha Rifles (Frontier Force), an elite infantry battalion of the Indian Army, earmarked for the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) on Tuesday. India is contributing two Infantry Battalions to this mission in addition to certain support elements. The Force Commander in the Mission is also an Indian General, Lieutenant General J.S. Lidder. It is for the first time in any UN Mission that an entire battalion has been earmarked as the Force Reserve Air Mobile Battalion. Incidentally, this is the third foray of the battalion info the African continent, the first two having been during World War I and World War II. This highly decorated battalion has been awarded 23 Battle Honours and four Victoria Crosses in the pre- dependence period and the Battle Honours of Zojila, Kargil and Sehjra and Theatre Honours of Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab in the post independence period amongst many other awards and decorations.” Welcome to the Axis of Good.”