Apparently Susan Rice’s push to legitimize the planet’s worst human rights abusers…
By letting some of the world’s worst regimes rub shoulders with its leading democracy, the United States becomes an enabler… They use the council to: (1) feign interest in human rights, (2) keep the focus on Israel and away from themselves, (3) manufacture victim status, (4) encourage liberal guilt and concomitant financial responsibility, and (5) undermine the universal application of real human rights standards… There have been 10 regular sessions on human rights for all, and five special sessions to condemn Israel alone… It has terminated human rights investigations on Belarus, Cuba, Liberia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
… which was supposed to establish a new tone of good will and multilateralism…
The Obama administration is weighing a bid to join the U.N. Human Rights Council (HRC), a decision that would reverse Bush administration policy and underline a more favorable U.S. attitude toward international organizations. Susan E. Rice, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, has discussed joining the organization with fellow ambassadors at U.N. headquarters in New York.
… up to and including cooperation on North Korea…
The U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations says the United States believes the most appropriate response to North Korea’s rocket launch will be to work toward a new U.N. Security Council resolution, but she fell short of guaranteeing tougher sanctions. U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice… says the United States will work closely with its allies in the Security Council to get a united and firm response against North Korea. “The United States’ view is, this is serious, it is a violation, and it merits an appropriately strong United Nations response,” she said.
… failed:
The US and its allies sought punishment Sunday for North Korea’s defiant launch of a rocket that apparently fizzled into the Pacific, holding an emergency UN meeting in response to the “provocative act” that some believe was a long-range missile test… Council members met for three hours, seeking above all a unified response, but broke up for the night without issuing even a customary preliminary statement of condemnation. Diplomats privy to the closed-door talks say China, Russia, Libya and Vietnam were concerned about further alienating and destabilizing North Korea.
At least we’ve swept away the ineffectual Bush-appointed diplomats and replaced them with sophisticates who know how to get things done. And on the plus side, Rice has indicated that this will do nothing to dissuade her from embedding the US in more multilateral institutions. No more cowboy diplomacy for this country!
References and previously after the jump…
References:
* Obama’s human rights fiasco [Bayefsky]
* U.S. eyes bid for U.N. rights council [Wash Times]
* US Ambassador says UN Resolution Best Response to North Korea Launch [VOA]
* UN council fails to condemn North Korea [JPost]
Previously:
* Obama’s Durban II Participation Undermining European And Israeli Objections
* Obama Foreign Policy Appointees: Israel To Blame For Mideast Instability, Sweeping Concessions Necessary
* Obama’s Anti-Israel Advisers Push US Into Durban II
