Interesting read! +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ >In a bipartisan, bullish show of outrage, the US House of Representatives >sought to enforce its way by teaching the United Nations a punitive lesson >in >"who pays the piper calls the tune." They voted to withhold $244 million >in >dues next year unless the United States regains its seat on the U.N. Human >Rights Commission. Democrats joined Republicans in a 252-165 in this >dictatorial maneuver. The House also stamped America's lone, global >super-dog >status by approving 282-137 in a separate amendment that would shun any >country by withholding U.S. aid if it approves of prosecuting U.S. military >personnel in the newly created International Criminal Court (ICC). > >Not that the world is rushing to have its pulse taken by the US. No, not >after Florida Butterfly Ballots were hanging by the dimples, warranting a >divided Supreme Court to select a president, less than two hours before the >deadline for any redress. >The " after the fact of who won" is irrelevant because the decision was >final >for election 2000. History noted the world witnessed extra-judicial, or >even >extra-judicious intervention in the making of a First World president. With >that, the fallacy that America's torch illuminates enough to prod global >directions, is giving way to realistic, wake-up reassessments. > >America's fits of pique over being thrown out of the UN Human Rights >Commission, the first time since its inception in 1947 with Eleanor >Roosevelt, is a lesson in "national self interest and precarious >journalism." >These self-righteous or wounded exposes reflect the drum hum of politicians >from left, right and center, including sages like Jeanne Kirkpatrick, >former >US ambassador to the UN, as they flaggingly opined in US media. The US >trailed with 29 votes out of a possible 54. France, Austria and Sweden won >the three seats reserved for Western Nations. In a Washington Times >commentary (Thursday May 10, 200), Amos Perlmutter, a professor of >political >science and sociology at American University and editor of the Journal of >Strategic Studies, moaned, vexingly, about the danger of a rapidly >consolidating European Union. To wit, America will find it more difficult >to >cajole individual nations to foster US priorities. Mr. Perlmutter has been >exercised, to extents of suggesting more undemocratic ways to secure US >interests at the UN, beginning with overriding stumbling blocks like one >nation, one vote. > >Can anybody explain how the US intends to win or "rewin" these votes in >order >to "reinstate" itself as a member of the Commission, short of all sorts of >open extortions and covert blackmail? How can this sole superpower enter a >race, lost, retaliate for loosing, and call any country a rogue regime? At >least rogue regimes do not camouflage moral/and or democratic hypocrisy; >they >outright steal elections. What the US is talking about is fraudulence >wrapped >in warp patronage. Among US post-voting anger is the gripe that countries >had >pledged their support in public, but voted differently. C'mon, do we need >elementary civic lessons here? Even communist outlaws would not allow this >kind of brain confiscation in matters of ABC. It is just like a politician >calling for damages because the polls showed him/her leading, only to loose >when voters decided. > >Is the United States trying to use its resources to circumvent, bulldoze >and >corrupt democratic processes that it cannot manipulate? For five decades, >instead of continued deceptions that US and other mighty, veto-touting >nations have been winning by demonstrated merits, why can't we just admit >the >open secret: powerful nations have been preying and exploiting weaker >nations, yet posturing as democrats. There is no democracy that money >cannot >hijack. Let's debunk that pretentious stuff and deal with realities of >self-preservation that weaker nations should catch up, join the club and >play >by the rules. > >What American journalists, pundits and variety essayists are not amplifying >are these facts: in the same period, United States voted against providing >access to cheaper HIV/AIDS drugs to poor people; voted against making the >"right to food'' a priority for mankind. The US has taken a stand against >curbing global warming and landmines that are robbing poorer nations of >limbs. Do we have landmines in the US that explode and amputate school >children, maiming and killing American citizens at random? With positions >like these, what in the name of democracy is US thinking? Unquestioned >allegiance and deference to US impunities in exchange for its money? The >likes of global Mobutu Sese Sekou Kuku Bengu Waza Banga may have died, but >they are still some, and more to come, to master US master-controls. > >Long Live America the Raging Bull. > >MsJoe Evelyn, African Union Page, Renaissance Connection Network _________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html You may also send subscription requests to [log in to unmask] if you have problems accessing the web interface and remember to write your full name and e-mail address. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------