Monday, April 11, 2005

Animal House: The Democrats are initiating a hazing ritual with the confirmation hearings of John Bolton, Bush's nominee for ambassador to the United Nations. This is good, because the fire-tongued Republican should go through a humbling confirmation process to bring him back down to earth. After that, though, he should be quickly confirmed.

Despite Bolton's earlier rhetoric, the new ambassador is not going to dismantle the United Nations. The most he could do as a voice representing a despised administration from the United States is challenge the organization, be a thorn in its side, which is exactly what the United Nations needs.

We do need the U.N., there's no doubt about that. We cannot fight a global War on Terrorism without some cooperation from the globe. And the United Nations needs us, otherwise it would just turn into another League of Nations. The United Nations, however, needs to undertake some drastic institutional changes.

Now, Bolton isn't known for using diplomatic language, which is unfortunate considering his job consists of nothing but diplomacy. That whole, "lost 10 stories" rhetoric that has been so often repeated is shameful, especially now that terrorism has become such a global menace. Organizations, such as StopBolton.org are right to give the nominee the third degree. But then we need to turn right around and interrogate the mission of the U.N.

The United Nations is at risk of becoming a failure. I'm not talking about the oil-for-food scandal, I'm talking about its inability to accomplish anything worthwhile since the first Gulf War. It could not stand up to Saddam Hussein since that war. And it fails to do anything in Sudan except write reports. It is an organization full of corrupt dictatorships bent on undermining the United States and democratic reform across the globe.

If the United Nations is to remain the top deliberative body for the world's nations, then it is going to have to show more strength to accomplish some good. Until then, the United States will have to do it.