Radical Right Pushes Agenda For U.N. De-form
americanprogressaction.org
CENTER FOR AMERICAN PROGRESS: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Today, the right-wing leadership in the House of Representatives will force a vote on a measure that, if passed, would effectively hamstring the mission of the United Nations. Rep. Henry Hyde (R-IL) has proposed a measure that would require the United States to withhold up to half of its regular contributions to the U.N. if the organization does not take orders from the United States Congress. Despite selling the crippling proposal under the guise of "reform," the White House, former U.N. ambassadors, and the global community have condemned the radical right's agenda for what it truly is -- an effort to do harm to the United Nations.
HYDE NOT HAPPY WITH ELIMINATING TEN STORIES OF THE UN - HE WANTS IT ALL: With the United States facing a critical juncture not only in the war on terror but in its relationship with international allies, the Hyde bill, which has already passed through the House International Relations Committee on a largely party-line vote, threatens to harm our efforts to build and maintain credible relationships with foreign governments. Withholding dues, according to the New York Times, takes a "meat-ax approach" to the idea of U.N. reform and attempts to "bludgeon the organization into submission." Rep. Tom Lantos, ranking member of the Committee, called the effort "draconian." Rep. Hyde's bill would both undermine the Executive powers of President Bush, who has said we are "committed" to the U.N., and undermine America's commitment to vital U.N. missions, such as those urgently needed to keep the peace in Sudan.
HYDE IS EVEN TOO RADICAL FOR BUSH: The White House made the right move yesterday in condemning the Hyde measure, which would financially-downsize the institution. "We specifically cannot agree to the withholding provisions," Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns said. "We are the founder, host country and leading contributor to the U.N." Thus, withholding 50 percent of its contribution would "deal a great blow to our credibility." Eight former U.N. ambassadors who served in both Republican and Democratic administrations wrote a letter to Congress yesterday, arguing that "withholding U.S. dues to the U.N. threatens to undermine our leadership and effectiveness at the U.N. and the reform effort itself."
CONSENSUS EXISTS ON NEEDS FOR REFORMS: On Tuesday, a congressionally-mandated bipartisan task force released its recommendations for U.N. reforms. Many of the reforms that have been discussed both in the Hyde bill and in the bipartisan task force report were previously put forward by Annan himself. Headed by former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell, the task force suggested the need for more "oversight of U.N. spending, protecting whistle-blowers and shedding unneeded staff." U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan quickly applauded the ideas, saying he "supports many of the recommendations and believes that the task-force's strong commitment to working with other Member States and the UN staff is the best basis on which to pursue and achieve lasting reform." Hyde's bill thus threatens to undermine the consensus that already exists on the need for reforms, and the manner by which he chooses to do it only isolates the U.S. from this much-needed debate.
POLITICS IS UNDERMINING POLICY: Many view the Hyde bill as a brazen attempt to interject politics into a policy debate. The bill appears to be an opportunity for the radical right to show their colors and do their dance, as evidenced by the name of the bill -- the self-aggrandizing Henry J. Hyde United Nations Reform Act of 2005 -- and as seen with respect to the process by which this bill has been taken up -- as a stand-alone measure rather than as a part of the State Department authorization process, which seems the most logical vehicle for the bill. Overlooking his own credibility issues, House Majority Leader Tom DeLay grandstanded on the bill, saying the "U.N. should not be blindly trusted." |
