Thomas 1 Ashlyn R. Thomas Ms.

Kelly English 121 29 October 2013 United Nations The United Nations causes considerable global unhappiness under the guise of progression, peace, and prosperity. Born of a war, the United Nations has evolved from an ideology of peace to an organization of conflicting internal interests. The purpose of the United Nations, according to the U.N. Charter, is "to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, to establish conditions under which justice and respect for the obligations arising from treaties and other sources of international law can be maintained, and to promote social progress (U.N. Charter). However, the United Nations has neglected their primary conviction of peace and prosperity; such an establishment has become powerful, aimless, and corrupt. Though the United Nations purpose is to promote and endorse international peace, security, and human rights, this global organization condones sexual misconduct, financial scandal, human rights abuses, and the rewarding of terrorism. While the United Nations continues to defend its purpose for American funding and support, this once noble cause does more harm worldwide than the intended mission of peace and prosperity. Undoubtedly, the United Nations contributes to ongoing sexual exploitation by its members. The greatest cause of strife is the means the United Nations takes to defeat such scandals and sexual harassments to its civilians. In a two year period, over 200 investigations

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Thomas 2 involving peacekeepers and U.N. representatives exposed sexual misconduct through pedophilia, prostitution, and rape. In addition, sexual misconduct doubled in 2003 to 2004. For example, a U.N. soldier, if found guilty of rape, may be sent back to his home country under the context of disciplinary actions, while the victim of the crime does not receive justice for such an offense. Moreover, a Moroccan diplomacy unit hid one peacekeeper, accused of rape, in its garrisons for over a year. Confidential information, published by the Washington Post, revealed allegations of criminal activity like child prostitution and rape by U.N. peacekeepers. In an attempt to hide the scandal from public speculations, Moroccan and Pakistani peacekeepers tried to use monetary means to have witnesses change personal testimonies (Column). The United Nations, in their lack of addressing sexual scandal among its workers, condones corruption and irresponsibility. Another transgression, financial scandal, further plagues the United Nations. The Oil for Food Program, administered by the United Nations, should have provided crucial medical and nutritional support for suffering Iraqi citizens in 2003. However, the selling of oil to support humanitarian supplies for Iraq was a mismanaged 15 billion dollar fraud. Furthermore, illegal kickbacks and oil surcharges paid to politicians and countries with the intent of establishing friendly relations has not only disregarded the suffering Iraqi citizens, but darkened the reputation of the United Nations. The mismanagement and abuse of the oil wealth also intentionally influenced foreign policy in order to bend regulations for the United Nations gain. Further scrutiny of the scandal found additional corruption in the Oil for Food program. A United Nations officer from Russia, Alexander Yakovlev, claimed himself guilty for conspiracy, wire fraud, and receiving more than one million dollars in bribes from a Swiss business bidding in an Iraqi oil company. Such incidents greatly affect the United Nations proficiency in professionally managing similar programs without further financial faults.

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Thomas 3 Additionally, when forming the Commission of Human Rights in 1946, the United Nations actively responded to the holocaust: an act fighting for justice. On the contrary to supporting fundamental rights as social and political freedoms, the United Nations is an ineffective advocate for human rights. For example, any nation may join the Commission of Human Rights, regardless of violation of human rights. As Joseph Loconte noted before the U.S. House Subcommittee on Africa, "It is a regrettable, yet widely recognized fact: Repressive governments seek membership on the Commission to escape scrutiny and censure" (Loconte). Under this pretense, countries on the U.N. council may vote and participate, thus using the Commission as protection. Equal protection of the law, freedom of speech, and the right to own property defined the Declaration of the Commission of Human Rights in 1946. Yet, today, the prohibition on slavery, torture, arbitrary arrest, and discrimination is commonly overlooked and the original meaning of the Human Rights has been consistently violated by the United Nations. Furthermore, in April 2005, the Commission on Human Rights denied condemning killing in the name of religion. An example of outright religious racism against non-Muslims, freedom is stipulated by Islamic sharia in Cairo, Egypta member nation of the Councilwhich violates the U.N.s article 24. The Commission, or rather, Council, as the commission renamed itself, no longer advances or protects human rights. An instrument of member states interests, the Council of Human Rights does not honor the ideals and principles hallowed in its original declaration. Moreover, the United Nations rewards terrorism at the expense of the United States. For example, at the General Assembly, Yasser Arafat addressed the assembly wearing a holster on his hip. Six months after his terrorist Palestine Liberation Organization murdered Israeli children and three American diplomats. After the United Nations passed Resolution 2708, stating that the United Nations reaffirmed the approval of terrorists to dominate foreign people, which included

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Thomas 4 with brutal armed force. Thus, the United Nations has rewarded terrorism, through Resolution 2708, since 1970. Refuting the validity of the United Nations movement, an article titled What is the United Nations good for? quoted American President Dwight D. Eisenhower saying, "With all the defects ... the United Nations still represents man's best organized hope to substitute the conference table for the battlefield." Though, Eisenhower may be correct in that the United Nations represents hope for peace, he, much like his predecessor, Franklin D. Roosevelt, misses the main and most important point: the United Nations efforts for peace have done much more harm than good. Even worse than financial scandal, the United Nations has demonstrated sheer incapability in stopping violence especially in the Middle East. A cruel illusion of a harmony of interests, the U.N. demonstrates such struggles that have caused billions of dollars in damages, taken irreplaceable lives, and violently destabilized regions. Without President FDR laying the framework for everlasting peace between nations in 1942, the United Nations wouldnt even be part of a global dialogue. According to a reputable author, Brett D. Schaefer noted that PR campaigns are not going to resolve the deep-seated problems within the U.N. and its affiliated organizations. The member states, particularly the U.S. which is the largest contributor to the U.N. system, need to conduct a rigorous examination and evaluation of individual U.N. agencies, funds, and programs to determine what aspects of the U.N. are effective and deserve continued funding and, even more importantly, which ones do not (Schaefer). If the United Nations is to last, reforms must be made and America must play a leading role. While the United Nations may appear effective through P.R. campaigns in the media, the ineffectiveness, mocks their organizations goal of peace and prosperity. The United Nations is the scourge of modern progression. Since 2000, the budget has doubled, as they coax America

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Thomas 5 for more funds. Like a fox guarding a henhouse, the United Nations is a corrupt, immoral, and unethical organization appeasing member countries interests. With scandals such as sexual misconduct, financial scandal, human rights abuses, and the rewarding of terrorism, the United Nations has greatly impacted global unhappiness.

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Thomas 6 Works Cited

U.N. Charter. <http://www.un.org/aboutun/charter/>

Column, Lynch. "U.N. Sexual Abuse Alleged in Congo: Peacekeepers Accused in Draft Report." June 21, 2006. <http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A31452004Dec15.html>.

Loconte, Joseph. The United Nations and Human Rights: A Strategy for Meaningful Reform. April 19, 2005. Web. <http://www.heritage.org/research/testimony/the-united-nationsand-human-rights-a-strategy-for-meaningful-reform>.

Schaefer, Brett D. "A Bad Quarter for the U.N." March 18, 2013. <http://www.heritage.org/research/commentary/2013/3/a-bad-quarter-for-the-un>.

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