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Zal's Tips for Being An Effective UN Ambassador
John Boonstra January 14, 2009 - 9:38 pm
Moments before Susan Rice's confirmation hearing to become the next U.S. Ambassador to the UN (which we'll live-blogging shortly, as we did so vigorously with Secretary of State-designate Clinton's) begins, it seems appropriate to reflect on some of current Ambassador Khalilzad's pragmatic points from his "exit interview" at the New America Foundation yesterday.
And finally, Khalilzad admitted: always have a resignation letter tucked away in a drawer somewhere, just in case.<!--break-->
UNanimoUS Support for a Stronger UN-U.S. Relationship
John Boonstra November 19, 2008 - 9:08 pm
(cross-posted at On Day One)
A sneak preview of an ad, signed by dozens of Republican and Democratic foreign policy luminaries, that will run in Thursday's New York Times.
In today's rapidly changing world of interdependence, globalization, and transnational threats, the United States must balance a strong military with creative diplomacy to secure America's interests. We must recognize that the United Nations is a critical platform and partner for advancing international cooperation on today's global threats and challenges, such as poverty and disease, nuclear proliferation, terrorism, and climate change.
The UN cannot succeed without strong U.S. leadership and support. The next President has a unique opportunity to revitalize the U.S.-UN relationship as a symbol of America's commitment to constructive international cooperation. This investment will pay off substantially by helping to enhance our standing internationally and strengthen our ability to keep America safe and strong.
The letter, sponsored by the Partnership for a Secure America and the UN Foundation and spearheaded by former Democratic Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and former Republican National Security Advisor Brent Scowcroft, also includes the signatures of various high-profile Senators, Representatives, and officials from both parties. These foreign policy experts express a UNanimoUS (UN-U.S., get it yet?) consent that the incoming Obama administration should, among other important steps, pay U.S. debts to the UN on time, seek a seat on the Human Rights Council, and provide concrete support for UN peacekeeping.
If you can't wait to see the ad in tomorrow's Times, check out coverage in WaPo and Reuters, or take a look at the pdf version.<!--break-->
Ken Bacon on the UN
John Boonstra October 29, 2008 - 1:57 pm
From his influential corner, Refugees International president Ken Bacon breaks down the two presidential candidates' differing outlooks toward the UN. He also offers a compelling case of why the United States -- under either a Republican or Democratic administration -- should revamp its support for the UN, which has too often flagged in the past eight years.
Not only is the U.S. sometimes slow to pay its dues to the UN, but it is also hundreds of billions of dollars short of meetings its obligation to pay its share of UN peacekeeping operations that have been so important in helping to restore order in places like Liberia.
[snip]
There are many things to criticize and to change at the UN, but for all of its frustrations and foibles, it remains the best-positioned organization to craft multi-lateral solutions to trans-national problems, such as climate change and nuclear proliferation, as well as difficult regional issues involving conflict, refugee flows and disaster response.
Well said.
You can see why the UN is so important to Ken when you check out the top three priorities that he thinks the next president needs to focus on, starting On Day One of the next administration.
<!--break-->
No, this coup was necessary, really
John Boonstra September 30, 2008 - 2:22 pm
It's somewhat of a truism that leaders of an armed coup will attempt to justify their takeover by painting it as urgently necessary for their country's welfare and overwhelmingly supported by the local population. In his turn speaking in front of the General Assembly, the UN ambassador from Mauritania, whose military toppled the country's democratically elected president in early August, made no exception to this formula:
In view of the political impasse, the armed forces and the security forces, conscious of the serious dangers to the country, intervened in order to correct the deviations and pressure national unity and the other gains of the country, and its prospects of development and progress.
This change has engaged the support of two thirds of members of parliament and about 90% of mayors and two thirds of the recognized political parties in addition to other organizations of the civil society including cultural and professional societies and unprecedented popular marches.
I don't know where the ambassador is getting his statistics, but independent news outlets have reported that the junta is "facing criticism at home and abroad," even if the putsch "garnered some support in Mauritania's political establishment." Some of the "popular marches," of course, were actually protests against the new regime. The Security Council has condemned the coup, as have the United States, France, the World Bank, and both the European Union and African Union. Also apparently opposed to the coup is al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb -- the very terrorist organization that, ironically, the junta claimed that it would be better than its predecessor at combating.
Oh, and also like many putschists before them, the Mauritanian coup leaders have assured that free elections are coming "in the near future."<!--break-->
East Timorese President Highlights his Country's Peace
John Boonstra September 26, 2008 - 4:24 pm
Continuing our coverage of some of the speeches of world leaders at the General Assembly, yesterday the president of East Timor, where the UN has maintained a peacekeeping presence since 1999, proclaimed the dawning of a new era of peace for his country. Addressing the UN -- albeit perhaps not in the role he may have expected that he would -- President Jose Ramos-Horta applauded the progress that East Timor has made in moving beyond recent violence, and duly acknowledged the crucial support his country has received:
"However, we would not have succeeded in pulling back from the brink without the prompt and steadfast support from the international community," Mr. Ramos-Horta, co-laureate of the 1996 Nobel Peace Prize, said, highlighting the assistance received from the UN and countries such as Australia and New Zealand.
He mustn't forget to recognize the influence of Jackie Chan, of course.<!--break-->
Site Notice
Mark Leon Goldberg June 2, 2008 - 2:34 pm
We have been experiencing some technical difficulties on UN Dispatch. We should be up and running at normal capacity soon. Our sincere apologies for the interruptions.
<!--break-->
Ban: Millennium Development Goals must be met: http://bit.ly/aq48OX #UN #SecGen
from UN
"Haven't we said so already?" - Blog post on Beijing+15 and meeting the MDGs, by UNIFEM Regional Director for the... http://bit.ly/9kQsDp
from UNIFEM
RT @corporateknight: Aboriginals in Canada face ‘Third World'-level risk of tuberculosis (via @globeandmail) http://3bl.me/ztcah2
from Diplotweet
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Male Monsters -- Girl Buried Alive for Being a Girl and the World Shrugs (Trigger Warning)
Peter Daou - February 5, 2010 - 2:12 pm
One Laptop Per Child - The Dream is Over
Alanna Shaikh - September 9, 2009 - 9:06 am
Haiti Earthquake
Mark Leon Goldberg - January 12, 2010 - 6:52 pm
Final Durban Thoughts
John Boonstra - April 24, 2009 - 3:06 pm
Live-Blogging Susan Rice Confirmation Hearing
John Boonstra January 15, 2009 - 1:46 pm
Comment ( 0 )
12:22. Kerry concludes, "the UN is too valuable, and the issues are too urgent." He expects to have Rice sworn in by next Wednesday at the latest.
12:20. Kerry's message to the UN: "this is a new moment," and it's time for the UN to reform. He seems to be addressing those few countries that frustrate reform efforts to "stick it in the eye of the UN." It'd be important to remember that this "new moment" may decrease the numbers of those countries.
12:13. Senator Casey brings up the General Assembly vote on decriminalizing homosexuality. Good for him.
12:06. Casey says "Lugarrrr" a day after Clinton does. A mutiny in the SFRC?
12:02. This is newsworthy: Rice says the incoming administration has not yet made a decision on whether or not to join the Human Rights Council.
12:00. "What might have been different with U.S. participation and leadership" in the Human Rights Council? A worthwhile question.
11:53. Wyoming Senator Barrasso asks the black helicopter questions on guns and global taxes. Rice responds that the UN can't change the U.S. constitution nor impose taxes on American citizens absent the consent of Congress. So your guns are safe, Senator Barrasso, and a UN "global tax" is about as likely as a UN attempt to raise an army of giant green swamp monsters.
11:50. Rice navigates a tricky answer about involving U.S. personnel in UN operations; they will not operate under UN "command responsibility," but can contribute to UN missions.
11:47. Boxer likes her International Human Rights Convention on the Rights of the Child. Rice calls it a " shame" that the United States stands only with Somalia in not ratifying the treaty.<!--break-->11:42. Rice confirms that CEDAW will be an "important priority" for this Administration. Amen
11:41. Boxer is "embarrassed" that the U.S. hasn't ratified CEDAW. We agree!
11:38. Kerry giving up the reigns to Lugar for a few minutes. Hold on!
11:37. Senator Boxer: how do you convince people at the UN that the situation in Gaza is all Hamas' fault?
11:28. Uh-oh. Isakson conflated the peacekeeping missions in Darfur and Sudan into "UNAMIS." No UN-AU mission in Somalia (yet, at least), and UNAMID and UNMIS are different entities. Hopefully it was just a mix-up by this member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee...
11:24. Rice admits that she regifted Isakson's peanuts!
11:23. Senator Isakson calls U.S. investment in UN "disproportionate." Well, yes, but disproportionately small. If the United States paid proportionate to its GDP, as other nations do, it would be paying more than the quarter of the budget that it currently pays.
11:21. Rice has an imposingly large notebook in front of her. And she looks like she's read it all...
11:20. Iran makes its first appearance. Rice makes the point that both Russia and China have agreed that they don't want to see a nuclear Iran. I like the tack: focus on common interests.
11:16. Rice sees that the lack of an underlying peace is at the root of the problems in Darfur and throughout Sudan.
11:12. Former New Jersey senator Jon Corzine was an early leader on Darfur. The new New Jersey senator Robert Menendez seems to be picking up the mantle. Thank you, Garden State!
11:09. Rice: UN is an "imperfect but indispensable vehicle" to address global problems, and presents a desirable "third way" between doing nothing and going it alone. DeMint is impressed.
11:05. DeMint thinks the UN is a paper tiger...yeah, a paper tiger with a nuclear weapon!
11:04. Sen DeMint does not believe Americans trust the UN. He too must have missed our polling data.
11:03. Senator DeMint repeats the tired canard that U.S. payments to the UN need to be tied to reforms. Not sure who he thinks will pay for those reforms...
10:59. Responding to Feingold, Rice says she is "skeptical about the wisdom of a UN peacekeeping force for Somalia at this time. " We wholeheartedly agree.
10:57. Feingold asks about Rice's "going down in flames" comment.
10:54. The newest Senator from New Hampshire, Jeanne Shaheen, takes her seat. Glad to see she's on the SFRC.
10:51. Ah, Feingold opens with eastern Congo; I was wrong, but no less deserving a topic.
10:48. Lugar concerned with upcoming mandate expiration of UN "peacekeepers" in Georgia. Actually, they are "military observers," and they have only been deployed in Abkhazia, not in South Ossetia.
10:45. Feingold enters the room. Ready to talk more Darfur? Iraq too, I'm sure.
10:42. Lugar repeats his error re: the Procurement Task Force. Susan Rice knows what's up though; says the transition was supposed to happen
10:40. Rice expresses hope that the countries of Africa will speak with one voice supporting democracy in Zimbabwe...South Africa, are you listening?
10:39. Kerry asks a tough question about the extent to which our economic interdependence with China affects our ability to press China on issues like Darfur and Zimbabwe. Rice responds that sometimes tough, quiet diplomacy can be effective.
10:34. Kerry tells Rice not to be offended if Senators are popping in and out -- lots of confirmation hearings today.
10:31. Rice: "we will work to strengthen international will to take on Darfur, Congo, and Zimbabwe."
10:26. Rice affirms that the U.S. needs to pay its UN dues in full, without conditions, and on time, and urges Congress to lift the outdated U.S. cap on peacekeeping contributions.
10:22. Rice's four areas of concentration: improving ability to undertake complex peacekeeping missions; strong leadership on climate change; preventing the spread and use of nuclear weapons; fighting poverty, disease, corruption, and more. That last one can be summed up with three letters: M-D-G.
10:19. U.S. will participate "vigorously" at climate change negotiations in Copenhagen.
10:13. Rice: "My first experience with the UN was like many others...as a trick or treater." (She means those ubiquitous orange-and-black UNICEF boxes.)
10:10. Lugar thinks that Americans don't have too favorable a view of the UN. He apparently hasn't read this polling, which suggests otherwise.
10:09. Senator Lugar says that UN's Procurement Task Force has been shut down. Not true -- it's simply been incorporated into the UN's broader Office of Internal Oversight Services. Somebody should fact-check The Wall Street Journal.
10:07. The excellent Gayle Smith is sitting with Rice's family. I'm told they share an office at Obama's transition HQ.
10:03. Kerry listing myriad benefits of the UN: peacekeeping, election monitoring, advancing fights against global hunger and global poverty. U.S. underfunding "handicaps" these efforts. Emphatically makes a judgment: "that's wrong."
10:00. Kerry: no "blanket condemnations" of the UN, but no whitewashing.
9:59. After Clinton vote, gallery and press stay. Senators clear. Only Kerry, Lugar, and DeMint remain.
9:57. UN Foundation and UNF president Tim Wirth get shout-outs from Senator Kerry!
9:56. Three generations of the Rice familly in the house. Beaming.
9:54. Vitter votes nay on Clinton nomination. Clinton passes SFRC with a vote of 16 to 1.
9:50. The committee moves to its "business meeting," to vote on Hillary Clinton's nomination to become Secretary of State.
9:48. Strength through alliances! Bayh: "We do not seek alliances because we are weak. But because working with our friends and allies around the world makes us strong."
9:46. Evan Bayh, introducing Rice: "the last eight years show there is great peril acting alone in a dangerous world."
9:39. Susan Collins praises Susan Rice's Maine roots.
9:36. Be sure to check out Spencer's commentary on the confirmation hearing of Michele Flournoy to become Undersecretary of Defense, over at attackerman and The Washington Independent.
9:33. Here we go! Mark is live on scene, and I'll be updating regularly.
(image from flickr user New America Foundation)