U.N. death due to suicide
I would like to respond to Wednesday’s editorial (UN-wanted: Don’t let Bush kill the U.N.). For starters, I support the U.N. and the idea of a world-wide organization to work towards that elusive goal of world peace. I respect that the United Nations was founded to prevent oppressive dictators from commiting similar attrocities to those of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party. However, the accusations that the United States’ push for war without U.N. approval will be the downfall of that organization is untrue. The U.N. has enacted its own downfall due to tip-toeing around vile tyrants in order to avoid confrontation. The U.N. has failed not only America, but the millions upon millions of victims of genocide and other attrocities since its advent. I’m sure if you were to ask the Cambodians that died under the hand of the Khmer Rouge whether they felt the U.N. was relevant, they would say no. As would the millions of ethnic Albanians that were killed by Serbs before the U.S. sent in troops to stop them. Saddam Hussein has committed the same attrocities the U.N. promises to prevent, yet the Security Council has shown itself unwilling to put an end to his tyranny. Why could that be? Possibly because the U.N. fails to hold its members responsible for the human rights they trample in their own nations, and these countries are afraid that they might be next. With the Russians shelling their own cities to put down uprisings and the Chinese denying their people’s rights to expression and religion, the U.N. is a paradox unto itself. President Bush is doing a noble thing in removing Saddam from power, and I for one support him completely. As citizens and friends of the United States of America, not the United Nations, we need to examine our loyalties. The U.N. is killing itself, and further inaction and apathy will only prolong its suffering. In waging this war the U.S. is upholding the mandate of the United Nations, and if that organization survives it will be due to our actions and not their own.
Andrew Jacobson 787-0689