U.N. Lowers Flag for Kim Jong Il
Batsy @ Thu Dec 29, 2011 8:06 am
I wonder if the EU Parliament in Brussels has its flag at half-mast, too.
After all, the EU is also communist and ruled by an unelected politician.
bootlegga @ Thu Dec 29, 2011 8:22 am
EyeBrock EyeBrock:
Well, he was the head of state of a UN member nation.
xerxes xerxes:
Gonna go out on a limb and surmise that the UN is showing a modicum of respect in the probably futile hope that the gesture will make the new regime chill a little bit.
Stop making sense - the UN haters are busy ranting...
All these comments about the UN fading into irrelevance sound like nothing more than a spolied child denied candy at the store.
People need to remember that the UN was founded on the principles of DEMOCRACY - that is everyone gets a vote - no matter whether or not you or I like them. You know, kind of like the system we have here in Canada. Even criminals in Canada get a vote, no matter the heinousness of their crime. Same too for the UN. Too many people in the West decry the UN for not acting, but the UN is a GLOBAL body, not a Western one (as it was in the days after it was founded).
Seriously, who gives a flying fuck if Iran sits/runs the Women's Rights Committee or North Korea sits/runs the Disarmament Committee? Those, like the General Assmebly are the proverbial kiddie tables at holiday dinner. All the real power is in the Security Council, not these rinky dink committees and commissions with absolutley NO power to do anything or enact real change.
Gunnair @ Thu Dec 29, 2011 8:29 am
bootlegga bootlegga:
EyeBrock EyeBrock:
Well, he was the head of state of a UN member nation.
xerxes xerxes:
Gonna go out on a limb and surmise that the UN is showing a modicum of respect in the probably futile hope that the gesture will make the new regime chill a little bit.
Stop making sense - the UN haters are busy ranting...
All these comments about the UN fading into irrelevance sound like nothing more than a spolied child denied candy at the store.
People need to remember that the UN was founded on the principles of DEMOCRACY - that is everyone gets a vote - no matter whether or not you or I like them. You know, kind of like the system we have here in Canada. Even criminals in Canada get a vote, no matter the heinousness of their crime. Same too for the UN. Too many people in the West decry the UN for not acting, but the UN is a GLOBAL body, not a Western one (as it was in the days after it was founded).
Seriously, who gives a flying fuck if Iran sits/runs the Women's Rights Committee or North Korea sits/runs the Disarmament Committee? Those, like the General Assmebly are the proverbial kiddie tables at holiday dinner. All the real power is in the Security Council, not these rinky dink committees and commissions with absolutley NO power to do anything or enact real change.
Wow, speaking of acting like a child. Wade in throwing insults because you disagree what people are saying? Not everyone is a supporter of the UN and stating such hardly makes them acting like spolied children.
Grow up already and don't turn a polite discussion into a flame session.
And you're right, the rinky dink committees have no power but the they do give legitimacy to countries when you place, for example, a country like Iran with a very poor record of women's rights in charge of a Woman's Rights committee. Next you'll shrug at Assad heading a poltical protest management committee.
saturn_656 @ Thu Dec 29, 2011 8:56 am
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/new ... 294922.cms
$1:
The tribute was paid before the start of the General Assembly's afternoon session with Assembly President Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser saying the minute of silence will be observed for the North Korean leader in keeping with the "existing practice."
"I request the representative of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to convey condolences to the government and the people of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea," Al-Nasser had said.
However, the General Assembly hall was almost half empty when the condolence was paid, with a majority of the delegates waiting outside the hall doors and walking in only after the end of the minute of silence.
North Korea's UN mission had made a similar request to the Security Council but it was turned down.
"I request the representative of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to convey condolences to the government and the people of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea," Al-Nasser had said.
However, the General Assembly hall was almost half empty when the condolence was paid, with a majority of the delegates waiting outside the hall doors and walking in only after the end of the minute of silence.
North Korea's UN mission had made a similar request to the Security Council but it was turned down.
I hope everyone outside the GA was bellowing in very loud tones.
PublicAnimalNo9 @ Thu Dec 29, 2011 8:57 am
bootlegga bootlegga:
People need to remember that the UN was founded on the principles of DEMOCRACY-that is everyone gets a vote
I think the UN needs to remember that, not us "people".
Gunnair @ Thu Dec 29, 2011 8:59 am
PublicAnimalNo9 PublicAnimalNo9:
bootlegga bootlegga:
People need to remember that the UN was founded on the principles of DEMOCRACY-that is everyone gets a vote
I think the UN needs to remember that, not us "people".
With a security council that can Veto that democratic vote if the putcome is not in their interest - irrespective of the number of member countries that vote yes or no.
bootlegga @ Thu Dec 29, 2011 9:03 am
Gunnair Gunnair:
bootlegga bootlegga:
EyeBrock EyeBrock:
Well, he was the head of state of a UN member nation.
xerxes xerxes:
Gonna go out on a limb and surmise that the UN is showing a modicum of respect in the probably futile hope that the gesture will make the new regime chill a little bit.
Stop making sense - the UN haters are busy ranting...
All these comments about the UN fading into irrelevance sound like nothing more than a spolied child denied candy at the store.
People need to remember that the UN was founded on the principles of DEMOCRACY - that is everyone gets a vote - no matter whether or not you or I like them. You know, kind of like the system we have here in Canada. Even criminals in Canada get a vote, no matter the heinousness of their crime. Same too for the UN. Too many people in the West decry the UN for not acting, but the UN is a GLOBAL body, not a Western one (as it was in the days after it was founded).
Seriously, who gives a flying fuck if Iran sits/runs the Women's Rights Committee or North Korea sits/runs the Disarmament Committee? Those, like the General Assmebly are the proverbial kiddie tables at holiday dinner. All the real power is in the Security Council, not these rinky dink committees and commissions with absolutley NO power to do anything or enact real change.
Wow, speaking of acting like a child. Wade in throwing insults because you disagree what people are saying? Not everyone is a supporter of the UN and stating such hardly makes them acting like spolied children.
Grow up already and don't turn a polite discussion into a flame session.
And you're right, the rinky dink committees have no power but the they do give legitimacy to countries when you place, for example, a country like Iran with a very poor record of women's rights in charge of a Woman's Rights committee. Next you'll shrug at Assad heading a poltical protest management committee.
Oh please...I didn't realize you were that thin-skinned. I would have thought all those years at sea would have made you tough like the fisherman of old!
I would hardly call most of the anti-UN comments 'polite discussion'. My tone may have been abrupt, but it certainly wasn't any worse than most of the comments here.
As I said, the UN was founded on DEMOCRACY. That means everyone gets a vote, whether or not you or I like it. If there is any legitimacy given to these dictators, it is when their banana republics are admitted to the UN - but again, based on democracy, we don't really have a choice do we? Do you really think that Germany gives a damn about who sits on some useless a committee in the UN? Of course not, because the UN has no authority to do anything.
That's why I find the comments here petulant - nobody in the West had a problem with the UN when the West had a majority and ran the place - but now that the West is a minority in the GA, the critics say it is irrelevant and useless. Sure, as a tool for Western power and diplomacy perhaps, but it is still a vital GLOBAL organization that helps millions of people around the world.
edited for spelling...
Gunnair @ Thu Dec 29, 2011 9:35 am
bootlegga bootlegga:
Gunnair Gunnair:
Wow, speaking of acting like a child. Wade in throwing insults because you disagree what people are saying? Not everyone is a supporter of the UN and stating such hardly makes them acting like spolied children.
Grow up already and don't turn a polite discussion into a flame session.
And you're right, the rinky dink committees have no power but the they do give legitimacy to countries when you place, for example, a country like Iran with a very poor record of women's rights in charge of a Woman's Rights committee. Next you'll shrug at Assad heading a poltical protest management committee.
Oh please...I didn't realize you were that thin-skinned. I would have thought all those years at sea would have made you tough like the fisherman of old!
I would hardly call most of the anti-UN comments 'polite discussion'. My tone may have been abrupt, but it certainly wasn't any worse than most of the comments here.
Whatever. I'll note that next time you get whiny and pissy when someone wades into a discussion and calls your opinions [insert petulant remark here] because they disagree with them.
BartSimpson @ Thu Dec 29, 2011 9:41 am
Gunnair Gunnair:
With a security council that can Veto that democratic vote if the putcome is not in their interest - irrespective of the number of member countries that vote yes or no.
Which is as it should be. Absent the veto power of the security council I imagine the UN would not include the USA, the UK, Russia, China, India, Brazil, and it would not surprise me if Canada pulled out, too.
Gunnair @ Thu Dec 29, 2011 9:43 am
BartSimpson BartSimpson:
Gunnair Gunnair:
With a security council that can Veto that democratic vote if the putcome is not in their interest - irrespective of the number of member countries that vote yes or no.
Which is as it should be. Absent the veto power of the security council I imagine the UN would not include the USA, the UK, Russia, China, India, Brazil, and it would not surprise me if Canada pulled out, too.
That may be but that veto emascualtes the UN completely - progress can not be made on a member state that goes rogue as long as they have some supporter amongst the big boys in the security council.
commanderkai @ Thu Dec 29, 2011 10:29 am
bootlegga bootlegga:
Oh please...I didn't realize you were that thin-skinned. I would have thought all those years at sea would have made you tough like the fisherman of old!
I would hardly call most of the anti-UN comments 'polite discussion'. My tone may have been abrupt, but it certainly wasn't any worse than most of the comments here.
I would hardly call most of the anti-UN comments 'polite discussion'. My tone may have been abrupt, but it certainly wasn't any worse than most of the comments here.
You don't see the difference between insulting a massive political body for bad choices, and insulting posters for their opinions over said political body?
Proculation @ Thu Dec 29, 2011 11:39 am
Didn't the U.N. vote that the Holocaust never happened or something like that ? How can you have a democratic supra-national organisation with most of the members puppets or dictators ?
BRAH @ Thu Dec 29, 2011 3:58 pm
The UN is useful as the Kardashians.
Gunnair @ Thu Dec 29, 2011 4:05 pm
Proculation Proculation:
Didn't the U.N. vote that the Holocaust never happened or something like that ? How can you have a democratic supra-national organisation with most of the members puppets or dictators ?
It can't although I don't think most of the members are puppets and dictators.
Apparently the UN lovers are as blind to its uselessness as the UN haters are to its usefulness.
Thanos @ Thu Dec 29, 2011 4:12 pm
BRAH BRAH:
The UN is useful as the Kardashians.
Don't insult the Kardashians with that kind of comparison. Kim's incredible ass alone is about a million times more useful than anything the UN ever thought up.
