Dubbya's UN double-speak

"I'd like to see a United Nations that's effective, one that joins us in trying to rid the world of tyranny, one that is willing to advance human rights and human dignity at its core, one that's an unabashed organisation..."

This hopeful declaration was uttered yesterday by none other than Dubbya himself at a joint press conference with Tony Blair. The embattled leaders spewed the usual bullcrap, however this quote by Bush is particularly laughable; if indeed the UN is an ineffective organization, surely US non-compliance and unilateralism contribute to the problem! Here are just a few dazzling examples:

- The US invasion of Iraq defies the UN Charter and international law

- The US has rejected important UN treaties, such as the Kyoto protocol and the test ban treaty on nuclear disarmament

- The US has repealed the Anti-Ballistic Missile treaty

- The refusal of prisoner rights in Guatanamo Bay is in violation of the Geneva Conventions

- The US owes the UN more than 1 billion dollars in unpaid dues

Perhaps what Dubbya means is that rather than seeing a UN that's effective in ridding the world of tyranny and protecting human rights, he's hoping for a UN that represents American interests on a global scale. If that's the case, someone should tell him to send his CV to the UN- I'm pretty sure that Annan's term is almost up.