Kofi Inane Again

[Annie]

From the most inane of all, Agence France-Presse

http://www.tdg.ch/tghome/tgnews.det...MDowNTAzMjAyMDQ1MzQudDF0ems4eW46MQ==.1.0.html

Dimanche 20 mars 2005
20:45 Two years after Iraq, Annan asks world to re-think war rules
UNITED NATIONS, March 20 (AFP)

Two years after the US-led invasion of Iraq shattered pretence of global agreement on terrorism and security, UN leader Kofi Annan on Sunday asked nations to re-think the rules of going to war.

Annan unveiled a sweeping set of UN reform proposals, including a long-elusive definition of terrorism, and asked the Security Council to fix guidelines on when it could authorise the use of military force.

The UN secretary general's report was largely driven by the March 2003 invasion, led by the United States without the backing of the council or the support of most of the international community.

In addition to calling the war illegal, Annan repeatedly argued that the divisions between nations had brought the international system of security, embodied by the United Nations since World War II, to a crossroads.

The war was widely considered to have seriously weakened the authority of the United Nations, and Annan's proposals aim to keep the world body at the centre of global, multilateral decision-making.

"Both sides of the debate on the Iraq war feel let down by the organisation --for failing, as one side saw it, to enforce its own resolutions, or as the other side saw it, for not being able to prevent a premature or unnecessary war," Annan said in his report.

He asked the Security Council -- the principal UN body for international security -- to "adopt a resolution on the use of force that sets out principles for (their) use" and to commit to abiding by them.

He said the council should reaffirm its "central role" in peace and security, including the use of preventive force in cases of genocide, ethnic cleansing and other crimes against humanity.

He urged nations to consider carefully the chances of any military action succeeding and "whether the military option is proportional to the threat at hand."

Annan also repeated his insistence that no nation can protect itself by acting alone, saying that terrorism can leave even the most powerful states in danger.

Wanna bet? At least for now we can.

While some of the language seemed to be a direct attack on the unpopular US decision to invade Iraq, Annan also asked for a long-elusive and strict definition of terrorism that has been broadly favoured by the United States.

"No cause or grievance, no matter how legitimate, justifies the targeting and deliberate killing of civilians and non-combatants," he wrote in his report, which was to be formally presented to UN member nations on Monday.

and how does he figure if it's 'legitimate, it can be illegitimate?

He called on nations to define terrorism as any action to kill or harm civilians and non-combatants whose purpose is to "intimidate a population or to compel a government or an international organisation to do or to abstain from doing any act."

Well 9/11 certainly seemed to accomplish that for France, Germany, Russia and the UN.

Annan called for a new human-rights council and asked world nations to abide by earlier commitments on development, stressing that health, rights and development are an integral part of security for peoples and nations.

Yeah, like Libya, China, Iran, Iraq, Syria...

"Most people who criticise the United Nations do so precisely because they think the organisation is vitally important to our world," Annan said.

"Declining confidence in the institution is matched by a growing belief in the importance of effective multilateralism," he said.

Again,

The major overhaul would have to be approved by two-thirds of the UN's 191 member nations as well as by the five permanent Security Council members -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States.

Mark Malloch Brown, Annan's chief of staff, said the overall plan was a balanced set of proposals that should be largely adopted as a whole when world leaders gather for a summit at UN headquarters in September.

"It's not an a la carte package," Malloch Brown said. "We believe the whole thing has to hold together."

© AFP Agence France-Presse

 

[musicman]

"...a long-elusive definition of terrorism...". How pretty. I can understand the U.N's difficulty in pinning down a hard and fast definition - the profit motive tends to obscure such "judgemental" speech. Self-important assclowns. We need to wash our hands of the whole treacherous nest of them.

 

[Annie]

"...a long-elusive definition of terrorism...". How pretty. I can understand the U.N's difficulty in pinning down a hard and fast definition - the profit motive tends to obscure such "judgemental" speech. Self-important assclowns. We need to wash our hands of the whole treacherous nest of them.

I was arguing for leaving the UN prior to 9/11. I only believe more fiercely in that position now.

 

[musicman]

I was arguing for leaving the UN prior to 9/11. I only believe more fiercely in that position now.

As do I. I know it's going to be tough, trying to muddle through without supporting - indeed, HARBORING - a world body which hates us and wishes us ill, even as they bleed us - but we might as well bend our backs to the awful task now, and get it over with.
:teeth:

 

[Annie]

As do I. I know it's going to be tough, trying to muddle through without supporting - indeed, HARBORING - a world body which hates us and wishes us ill, even as they bleed us - but we might as well bend our backs to the awful task now, and get it over with.
:teeth:

I think it could go either way. This administration is caught with a foot on each side. I suppose it is up to the UN to decide, I'm sure they will insert at least one foot in mouth.

 

[Johnney]

Kathy your acting like its a suprise he said something like this. the only time hes making sense is when hes got another scam to line his pockets with.
lol

 

[Annie]

Kathy your acting like its a suprise he said something like this. the only time hes making sense is when hes got another scam to line his pockets with.
lol

My point exactly, birthday boy! I hope you got your spanks!

 

[Johnney]

My point exactly, birthday boy! I hope you got your spanks!

hehehehe youll have to wait for the web site to come out... :teeth:

 

[Annie]

hehehehe youll have to wait for the web site to come out... :teeth:

 

[musicman]

Hey, Johnney!

Happy birthday, man!

 

[Johnney]

Hey, Johnney!

Happy birthday, man!

thanks dude! getting ready to crawl into bed, im beat