On Thursday, Sept. 24, in a move that is historic for reasons extending beyond Obama, he’ll chair a summit-level of the UN Security Council. No American president has ever done this before. There are good reasons no American president has done this, which I will get into in a column I’ll link to on this site tomorrow. For the moment, let’s just note that the UN Security Council is not a White House cabinet meeting, in which Obama can lay out a plan with some expectation of being able to control and enforce it. This is the Security Council which, historically, ignored the Rwanda Genocide while it was taking place (Rwanda was a member of the Council at the time); was corrupted by Saddam Hussein during the 1996-2003 Oil-for-Food program; and has failed abysmally to stop either the North Korean or Iranian nuclear programs. This is the Security Council which among its 10 rotating members currently includes Vietnam and Libya (Qaddafi is expected to share the table with Obama at this meeting), and which always includes China and Russia.
For the topics of this historic Security Council meeting, Obama has picked nuclear nonproliferation and disarmament — but according to Ambassador Rice, there will be no country-specific discussion. That leaves a high probability of Obama taking America down the disarmament road, expecting that others will follow — a strategy entailing a high risk that he will turn around at some point and see that America’s enemies, instead of merrily following his lead, have outflanked him, and, armed to the teeth, have him — and his country — square in their sights. That could yield quite a lot of extremely unpleasant and violents results (such as Overseas Contingency Operations which don’t entirely remain Overseas)– but if making history is what really matters, then not to worry. Even if this brings down new wars on America and our allies, that too would be, of course, historic.
Having decided to shunt Susan Rice aside and take her chair at this Sept. 24th Security Council meeting, Obama has greatly increased the pressure on himself to produce some sort of historic result. That’s tough enough when America sits down to negotiate with its closest allies. At the UN, where hugely divergent interests assemble at the same table, getting an agreement (other than members voting to condemn Israel, or give themselves more U.S. tax money) tends to involve giving away a lot of favors.
I’ve been wondering if the timing, at least, of Obama’s decision this past week to back away from missile defense in Eastern Europe was part of a backroom deal done with Russia to produce some sort of “product” at this Security Council next week. If so, good luck, Barack. The only chumps who tend to honor deals struck at the Security Council are the more law-abiding countries, such as the U.S. For instance, take a look at prosecutions of players who violated UN sanctions during Oil-for-Food. In America, there have been a slew of inquiries, court cases, penalties and prison sentences. In Russia — which was the biggest dealer under the corrupt UN program – the number of inquiries, prosecutions and penalties: Zero. Although, according to a heavily documented Senate Subcommittee inquiry, the corruption reached right up to the Kremlin.
Anyway, having historically chaired the Security Council, Obama will then decamp Thursday afternoon for a meeting of the G-20 in Pittsburgh. Historically speaking, heading for the airport is the smartest move Obama’s likely to make during this UN binge. By then, he’ll have given away whatever he came to give, and fresh requests from an emboldened UN “community” (the G-77, chaired this year by Sudan; the Organization of the Islamic Conference, headquartered in Saudi Arabia; the UN bureaucracy, ever in search of bigger per diems).
At that point, Obama will be a lot closer to “ownership” not only of U.S. healthcare, the stimulus package and defense climbdowns, but also ownership of the UN. For the UN, that’s a sweet deal — good for further concessions, a more debilitated U.S., and more shakedowns of the American taxpayers who are already the organization’s chief sugar-daddies. For an American president, and more broadly for America itself, it’s like trying to build a house with termite-eaten pillars. You own it, it breaks you.
<- Prev Page 2 of 2
PJM Home
Pajamas Media appreciates your comments that abide by the following guidelines:
1. Avoid profanities or foul language unless it is contained in a necessary quote or is relevant to the comment.
2. Stay on topic.
3. Disagree, but avoid ad hominem attacks.
4. Threats are treated seriously and reported to law enforcement.
5. Spam and advertising are not permitted in the comments area.
The clause regarding "hate speech" has been deleted because readers criticized it as being too loosely defined. We agreed.
These guidelines are very general and cannot cover every possible situation. Please don't assume that Pajamas Media management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment. We reserve the right to filter or delete comments or to deny posting privileges entirely at our discretion. If you feel your comment was filtered inappropriately, please email us at story@pajamasmedia.com.
40 Comments
1. Pajamas Media » Obama’s Extremely ‘Historic’ Plans For the UN:[...] Read the entire post here. [...]
Sep 20, 2009 - 12:03 am 2. David W. Lincoln:Real change to the debased glorified debating society on Turtle Bay is withdrawal. Instead of this display of Chicago politics from the Oval Office.
Sep 20, 2009 - 2:26 am 3. carla:The United Nations was a terrific idea at the end of WW II. And for a few years it functioned more or less successfully, and did some good. But it has morphed into a grotesque forum dominated by corrupt, despotic, medieval, mysogynistic, homophobic, intolerant kleptocracies. The dregs of humanity who treat their citizens as chattel slaves. In short, you would not welcome representives of this august septic tank into your neighborhood or home. That the UN Commission on Human Rights, certainly in name at least, a noble undertaking, is currently chaired by Libya, makes such a mockery of the concept of human rights, as to be obscene. Unfortunately, obscenity has become the dominant standard of behaviour in much of the world, including the United States. Ignoring the repulsive standards of behaviour exhibitted by many memebers of the General Assembly, the functioning of the organization itself resembles a criminal enterprise. Greed, corruption, financial mismanagement, and outright thievery is the accepted method of business at the UN. I don’t care a rat’s ass if Obama-san wishes to puff himself up into Emporor of the World. But I’ll be God damned if I have to pay for it. That one dollar of US taxpayer money goes to support this criminal abortion is abhorrent. But let’s be fair. I propose a check-off on the Federal Income Tax return (that means those elegible to vote must be a member of that rapidly shrinking pool of US citizens that actually pay taxes, excluding the exspanding number of parasites sucking this country dry). Indicate yes/no to allow some percentaqe of your taxes to be applied to funding the UN. If all of you One Worlders are so hot for the UN, than you foot the bill. Better yet, raze the place to the water line, and give it to Trump to build some really nice highrise condos.
f
Sep 20, 2009 - 5:02 am 4. Nick Stuart:David: If it were Chicago Politics it would involve President Obama getting something tangible he wanted, and valuable for him to have. It might not be anything worthwhile for the U.S., but it would be something. A couple billion in a numbered account in the Caymans, an appointment for Van Jones (take care of the fallen soldiers kind of thing).
For now it looks like he’s going to get nothing but a series of ego strokes, and he can get them from the White House press corps.
Sep 20, 2009 - 5:43 am 5. tanstaafl:From Susan Rice’s comments you link:
These transnational security challenges can only be dealt with in cooperation with other nations. They can’t by definition be dealt with by any single country in isolation. In the 21st century America’s security and well-being is in fact inextricably linked to the security and well-being of people elsewhere. And the United Nations is thus essential to our efforts to galvanize concerted international action to make Americans safer and more secure.
The word of the day is no longer nationalism but transnationalism. The message is that the United States will now be driven by so called international standards rather than its own narrow and silly self-interested ones, like the United States Constitution.
Many serving the current administration, just like Rice, have signed up not to support and swear to the Constitution but, apparently, to substitute a set of ideas more to their liking. Rice’s grandiose, and largely empty, words serve an internal vision she shares with this President and many in his administration, a high falutin’ notion of “justice” that bears little relationship to realities on the ground, around the world.
All the self-interested nations who have been rapaciously using “The UN” to further their own narrow agendas will be delighted to hear it.
Susan’s verbal spillage at that press conference should be interpreted in light of the concept of transnationalism.
The progressive’s belief structure
Sep 20, 2009 - 6:36 am 6. whyamInotsurprised?:After crushing ACORN, and ridding the White House of all unvetted and illegal czars, the American people need to target the UN.
1. Cease all funding to the UN by American taxpayers
2. USA withdraw from participation in the UN
3. Give the UN a time table for finding a location for their NEW HQ. It will no longer be welcome in the homeland of the USA.
When Barry is retired as Chief Anarchist, he can get a plush job with Michelle at the UN being a community organizer for African countries whom he cares so much about.
Sep 20, 2009 - 6:36 am 7. Byron Dickens:I can’t wait for Barry’s historic eviction from the White House.
Sep 20, 2009 - 6:38 am 8. Richard:I know you’re planning to link this particular subject tomorrow so I’ll just ask my humble question a day in advance: the usurper is planning to assume the Chair of the Security Council next week. This is in total violation of the U.S. Constitution…..he CAN’T do that! DOESN’T ANYONE CARE? I suspect if he does,in fact assume this position, it will be a major statement to the fact that our Constitution, as we knew it, no longer exists, along with the Bill of Rights….
Sep 20, 2009 - 6:52 am 9. Sebastian Shaw:President Obama will continue to bash the United States while kissing the rear-ends of dictators. In the long run, this will make Obama’s effort to sell any legislation–Socialist Health-Care, Crap & Tax, Card Check, Amnesty 2.0, etc al–that much harder within the United States of America. Essentially, President Obama is cutting his own nose to spite his face. Let him be. President Obama, who yearns to be Dictator Obama, will learn the hard way he works for us…
Sep 20, 2009 - 7:11 am 10. misanthropicus:“I’ve been wondering if the timing, at least, of Obama’s decision this past week to back away from missile defense in Eastern Europe was part of a backroom deal done with Russia to produce some sort of “product” at this Security Council next week. [...]
America and her allies have been taken to the laundry by Obama, and Obama was double tricked by the Russians in this matter. The premises of this outcome are the following: while Russia was clear that there in no quid-pro-quo in this deal, Obama needed something to peddle at the UN gathering, and part of that PR package was/is the hypothetical notion that Russia still will do something about Iran.
Yet this double Potemkiniade contains two intrinsic, conflicting forces:
1) Obama is aware that he needs to add more and more credits for his metamorphosis from a US president in a completely international authority figure (not little reason being here the fact that the birth certificate affair will catch up with him), and the Russian deal was designed to serve him in this direction –
2) yet his claims at stimulating the Russians to restrain Iran will be not confirmed by reality, because,
a) Russia has no interest whatsoever to promote or protect the geopolitical interests of the US in any form, and:
b) even if they would try to do something in this direction (which again, will be just some going through the motions), their leverage upon Iran is limited and not seen as worth to be vasted on supporting the US (yes, Obama is delusional if he thinks that Putin’s group worry about his future career – no, they don’t).
So, this Obama gross farce opened by the “we’re the hope we’ve been waiting for” crowd, then amplified by some idiotic Europeans will eventually fizzle – hopefully without reaching the point in which Israel will be forced to strike first.
Sep 20, 2009 - 7:34 am 11. zhombre:I have heard a rumor at one of the UN lunches Obama will be served kielbasa and Pilsner Urquell.
Sep 20, 2009 - 9:07 am 12. michiganruth:clearly, you all are a bunch of racists who don’t like Obama because he is a black man.
I mean, it couldn’t be because he is doing everything he can–seemingly deliberately–to destroy this great country that we love…could it?
nah…
Sep 20, 2009 - 9:40 am 13. John Chalus:What is up with Obama? He is so clueless when it comes to both foreign and domestic policy. Who in their right mind could have voted for this babe in the woods. His arrogance and ingnorance are appalling. Hubris like this can only lead to disaster. Get out of the UN and get them out of the USA. It is a useless entity and needs to go away.
Sep 20, 2009 - 10:56 am 14. Dave Surls:Count me in with those who think we should withdraw from the United Nations.
Sep 20, 2009 - 11:34 am 15. Morton Doodslag:I fear that Obama is about to dramatically squander away our nuclear defense with the grandiose pretext of “ridding the world of these terrible WMDs”. The world will play along, in the process making certain America “leads the way” and promising to follow our lead with no intention of doing so. Israel (and mainly her secret nuclear arsenal) will be re-focused through Obama’s foolish actions as the main impediment to peace in the middle east, thus perpetuating one of the biggest lies in recent history.
In the end, American and Israeli nukes will be permanently identified through his actions as the chief reason for global instability. Obama hopes to re-ignite his American and global minions and rally them to the new anti-nuclear scheme. Whether successful or not in re-igniting the fire in the belly of his global footsoldiers, great harm will be done to America in this upcoming charade.
Sep 20, 2009 - 11:42 am 16. Bill:He’s a narcissist. He truly does believe he’s more intelligent than everyone else and that he has all the answers.
Sep 20, 2009 - 12:56 pm 17. Tweets that mention The Rosett Report » Obama’s Extremely Historic Plans for the UN -- Topsy.com:[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Betty Howell and Jim Jarrell. Jim Jarrell said: POTUS at UN. Am I the only person that thinks the country is being run by a spoiled frat .. I can't say . http://bit.ly/3BF6GG via @addthis [...]
Sep 20, 2009 - 1:32 pm 18. sanjuro:I heard about this he’s going to announce PEACE IN OUR TIME!
Sep 20, 2009 - 1:36 pm 19. Kralizec:Oh wait…didn’t somebody else do that once?
What a boring glad-hander.
Sep 20, 2009 - 2:12 pm 20. textp:in response to Carla #3, Absolutely, positively without a doubt, bang on right!!!
Sep 20, 2009 - 2:25 pm 21. OldChief:Why is it that everything that Obambi says, thinks, touches, does or proposes is immediately labeled “HISTORIC”. Granted that the election of the first half White man as President of the United States has been historic. So what, we’re beyond that now. Can’t Obambi just, you know, act “Presidential” and not petulant, like some little kid who shows up at the sandlot with a brand new football but won’t let the other boys use it unless he is included in the game. Even though he really sucks.
Sep 20, 2009 - 2:27 pm 22. Jeffrey:Nothing to look at here folks just move along.
Sep 20, 2009 - 2:40 pm 23. digitalis:Just a bunch of parasites getting together to see how much they can steal from those who earn. One thing they will acomplish this week is assuring their own destruction. Let us all just try to avoid being caught in the devastation they are sure to to bring upon themselves with their corruption.
Our glorious one termer is most comfortable in this crowd of crazies. Afterward he will claim he wasn’t even there and didn’t even know the evil scum he was having dinner, drinks, a few smokes and a good laugh with.
LSOS!
The UN was founded by communists as a Trojan horse for international socialism and the weakening of sovereign nation states. You’d have to be brain dead not to see its trajectory from the founding until today. Together with all its “World” organizations, world government has always been its goal. One step at a time.
Sep 20, 2009 - 2:50 pm 24. Mabel Rockwell:For as long as I can remember, I have observed the UN. They don’t seem to accomplish anything of merit. The U in UN stands for united
Sep 20, 2009 - 3:19 pm 25. Obama:and they definitely are not. For years I have wondered why we throw all those Dollars at them. The best news for me would be that they move out of the United States forever, and move to a place like Iran or perhaps, Russia. Think of all the money we would save.
[...] [...]
Sep 20, 2009 - 3:45 pm 26. Neo:An Obama speech without a teleprompter would be historic.
Sep 20, 2009 - 3:49 pm 27. Hot Air » Blog Archive » Jimmy Carter’s NSA: Hey, let’s shoot down Israeli jets if they fly over Iraq to attack Iran:[...] of hellfire” on critics of ObamaCare while The One’s gearing up to schmooze with the dregs of international autocracy this week at the UN. Our side likes to bait the left by accusing them of weakness, but they seem [...]
Sep 20, 2009 - 3:55 pm 28. Nick Reynolds:I’d have to agree with Nick Stuart. We’re getting NOTHING out of this UN situation . . . besides the bill. I’d say we’re reverting to Georgia peanut farmer politics, of appeasement at any price. Ya’ll remembah Jimmah, don’ cha??
Here’s a thought maybe President Stupidly can promote a new beer, ala Billy Cahtah. BamaBeer . . . they can drink it at the Whitehouse when the ‘racist’ cops come over to palaver.
Sep 20, 2009 - 4:20 pm 29. Jim:For someone who for the last 9 months has not received a single thing he’s asked for, even from people who worship and adore him, President Obama is still labeled a “great communicator.” Let’s see how this UN trip goes. For the US’s sake, I hope he is very successful. But I remain skeptical of this guy.
Sep 20, 2009 - 4:48 pm 30. Yehudit:A Frank Luntz poll several years ago found over 50% of Americans want to withdraw from the UN.
Sep 20, 2009 - 5:16 pm 31. bibio44:Wow. I haven’t seen attacks like this on the UN since the glory days of the John Birch Society. But then again, that’s exactly what the GOP has become.
Sep 20, 2009 - 7:26 pm 32. Jim Baker:If you pay close attention to what Obama says and does at the UN, you will finally see the real agenda of this administration. The cadre that created his public profile is in a full court press to pull off a bunch of world communist government crap before they can be rooted out of the halls of power. At this point, the Democraps will only feel addlepated as to how they lost control of their party and how their party went from the penthouse to the outhouse in less than one year. And they will never learn how it happened to them.
Sep 20, 2009 - 7:52 pm 33. Dave Surls:“Why is it that everything that Obambi says, thinks, touches, does or proposes is immediately labeled “HISTORIC”.”
Well, how often do you see someone as clueless as our Socialist-in-Chief.
He’s setting a whole new standard for dumb.
Sep 20, 2009 - 8:38 pm 34. moventure:I have my own plan. Get the US out of the UN, and get the UN out of the US.
Sep 20, 2009 - 9:44 pm 35. Melissa:The future of a global government is just around the corner and what boggles my mind is the media has never once brought attention to the fact that key words are being used by this administration such as… “global healthcare”… Wake up America and see the bigger picture, do some research and educate yourselves on who is calling the shots for all of our futures.
Sep 20, 2009 - 9:54 pm 36. Rainy days and Mondays… « Nebraska Redneck:[...] [...]
Sep 21, 2009 - 7:53 am 37. Zero:The only actual facts in this article are the names of the events Obama is attending and the members of the Security Council. Literally everything else is conjecture.
Sep 21, 2009 - 8:17 am 38. Sebastian Shaw:I think it would be more prudent to move the United Nations building from Manhattan, New York to Mars; the great debating society can then debate about life on Mars & leave the Earth alone. Mars would be a one way trip for all involved. Good riddance to corrupt dictators & President Obama.
Given Mars is next to impossible, I would say move the United Nations to a third world country ruled by a dictator; as a result, the United Nations would shatter since the USA & UK would withdraw their support. Seriously, the USA needs to get out of the UN. It would collapse not long afterwards like the League of Nations.
Sep 21, 2009 - 9:54 am 39. Steynian 385 « Free Canuckistan!:[...] OBAMA’S Extremely Historic Plans for the UN …. [...]
Sep 25, 2009 - 7:09 am 40. AReader:Something cannot be “extremely historic”. Please take a writing class.
Oct 29, 2009 - 11:30 am