Undeterred by the League of Nations’ inability to prevent World War II, idealists formed the United Nations in 1945. Other than remaining in existence for a longer period of time, the United Nations has been a failure like its predecessor.
The time has come for the United States to completely and permanently withdraw from the United Nations and to withhold any future financial support from it and all its agencies. Since 1945, congressional records indicate that the United States has given $30 billion to the corrupt organization as it pursues a futile enterprise and undermines the sovereignty of the United States.
The United Nations has recently been criticized for its unwillingness and inability to prevent corruption within its organization. Not only was Saddam Hussein able to cheat the Oil For Food Program and steal billions of dollars, he bribed members of the U.N.’s Security Council to ensure the organization would take no military action against Iraq.
According to The Washington Times, the United States’ attempts to curb the corruption of the program were resisted by the governments of France, Russia, China and Syria. It was later discovered that all of these countries were benefiting from Saddam’s scam.
The United Nations’ faults extend beyond na??vete. Less than a month after the 9-11 terrorist attacks, The Associated Press reported that the United Nations promoted Syria – a known sponsor of terrorism – to the powerful Security Council where it later occupied the presidency. Ironically, this is this same Security Council that is supposed to be assisting in the war on terrorism.
Troubles with leadership in the United Nations are not new. Serving as Secretary General of the organization at its founding was Alger Hiss, the infamous American diplomat who spied for the Soviet Union.
The United Nations’ peacekeeping record is disgraceful as well. In a recent book detailing their experiences on several U.N. missions, authors Kenneth Cain, Heidi Postlewait and Andrew Thomson describe how the “peacekeepers” often committed atrocities of their own. Willfully ignoring genocide in the Balkans and using humanitarian aide to purchase sexual favors from 9-year-old girls in Liberia were just some of the actions of U.N. soldiers.
The United Nations has a history of such events, including the 1961 invasion of Katanga – a province in Congo that claimed its independence from the communist central government. Civilian doctors and Red Cross officials reported that U.N. soldiers and airplanes repeatedly attacked non-military targets such as hospitals and ambulances in an attempt to subdue the area.
The problems are not reserved to foreign countries. The organization often pursues anti-American policies that are grossly contrary to the Constitution. If approved by the U.S. the U.N.’s International Criminal Court (ICC) would restrict Americans’ right to a trial by a jury of their peers. The ICC contains no provisions to confront one’s accusers, and the writ of habeas corpus isn’t guaranteed.
The Declaration of Independence affirms that “inalienable rights” come from God, not the government. This is important because if the government gives something, the government can take it away. The U.N.’s Universal Declaration on Human Rights is antithetical to the Declaration stating that mankind has “fundamental rights granted him by the constitution or by law” that are “subject to limitations as are determined by law.”
According to its Web site, the United Nations is in favor of creating an International Tax Organization and levying international taxes on certain items and transactions. This would allow the United Nations to operate with impunity because it would no longer be dependent on the $300 million annual contribution from the United States.
Even though the United Nations is corrupt, some fear that severing ties with it will lead to a new era of American isolationism. These concerns are unfounded, especially when one considers the situation in Iraq where the United States developed a coalition without the help of the United Nations.
Whether one agrees with the war in Iraq or not, the United States did what it thought was necessary to protect its citizens. America will be no more isolated after ending its involvement with the United Nations than it was prior to its creation in 1945 when the United States helped win World War II.
The United Nations does not need to be reformed or improved to correct its flaws. It is diametrically opposed to the American system of government, and it consistently seeks to increase its power and control at the expense of sovereign nations like the United States. The only solution is an immediate withdrawal from the United Nations.
Fortunately, the process is underway. Congressman Ron Paul of Texas has introduced the Restoration of American Sovereignty Act, which would terminate U.S. membership in the United Nations. The bill’s 16 co-sponsors should be joined by the rest of Congress to promptly get the United States out of the United Nations.