Change in the UN? New Sec Gen.

[Thefabulousfink]

Ban Ki-moon of S. Korea was just sworn in as the Secretary General of the UN. He talks tough on Drafur (an issue largely ignored by Kofi and others), and S. Korea is a pretty good ally. Could this be a change for the better in the UN on issues like Darfur, Iraq, and Small Arms control?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20061214/wl_asia_afp/unannansuccessionban

Ban Ki-moon calls Darfur tragedy "unacceptable"

1 hour, 48 minutes ago

UNITED NATIONS (AFP) - Ban Ki-moon of
South Korea, who was sworn in as the next UN chief, described the tragedy in Sudan's Darfur region as "unacceptable" and pledged to be personally engaged in efforts to end the bloodshed there.


"The suffering of the people of Darfur is simply unacceptable," the 62-year-old former foreign minister told his first press conference since he took the oath office earlier Thursday to succeed
Kofi Annan on January 1.

Ban said he planned to "make himself directly and personally engaged" in the search for a Darfur settlement.

He said he would consult with outgoing UN chief Kofi Annan who has been leading efforts to persuade Khartoum to accept the deployment of a robust UN force to takeover peacekeeping from ill-equipped African Union troops in Darfur.

Reiterating that there was "no military solution" to the crisis, Ban said the
United Nations needed to work closely with the AU, the Sudanese government and other stakeholders to address all aspects of the issue.

The United Nations estimates that some 200,000 people have died and more than two million have been forced to flee their homes since the conflict between Khartoum and local rebels in Darfur began in 2003.

 

[El Tejon]

Maybe he will airdrop K1 and K2s into Darfur?

 

[Chipperman]

The Sec. Gen only has a limited amount of influence on general policy and the UN's heading. No fundamental changes will occur.

They will still seek to disarm the masses and sit by wringing their collective hands as genocides sweep the globe.

 

[Boats]

More corruption will now flow towards Asia and away from Europe and Africa.

 

[Thin Black Line]

Chipperman is dead on --literally.

 

[kd7nqb]

I am sure that one of the more restrictive mod's will lock this so I am glad to get in early. As gun owners the UN will never be our friend, this is well known and well documented. So getting the US out of the UN is a gun issue, and I think most people here do support that. Be very sceptical of any UN leadership.

 

[nucstl1]

Never know

I think Boats and chipperman are on the right track. Look at all the effort kofi-cup went to to make white people feel guilty about not sqauting in the dirt to poop, yet in his own continent the only people who got press time with him were the ones paying him off.

 

[Thin Black Line]

I am sure that one of the more restrictive mod's will lock this so I am glad to get in early.

I would hope not. Be nice to know more about the guy and his stance on
small arms and the use of military force in general. The UN being against the
civilian possession of Small Arms is and established fact. But, as has already
been mentioned, a change in figurehead will really mean nothing new in how
UN policy is carried out.

 

[Manedwolf]

He ended a UN Correspondents Association dinner by borrowing from the Christmas carol, "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" and sang: "I'm making a list, I'm checking it twice, I'm going to find out who's naughty or nice. Ban Ki-Moon is coming to town."

 

[Thefabulousfink]

The Sec Gen may not have a lot of sway when it comes to how countries vote, but he can influence where the focus goes. Except for this last year, Kofi managed to steer the UN away from many of the problems in Africa. Ki-moon seems to be making Darfur a priority, and he will probably also focus on N. Korea.

I agree with a lot people in saying the UN is hardly the answer to the World's problems, but, properly managed, it can provide some relief.

As far as gun control goes: Hopefully being from a country like S. Korea he will be more aware and concerned with the dangerous pollitical situations in the world than social issues like small arms control. He may not be pro-gun, but there's a chance that he will be more worried about N. Korean nukes than Romanian AK recievers.

Edit: and an interesting comment on Iran:

"The denial of the Holocaust is not acceptable," he said. "Nor is it acceptable to call for the elimination of any state or people," he added in reference to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's remarks that
Israel should be "wiped off" the map and "would soon disappear".

 

[carebear]

Ya know, I'll bet if this thread stays on topic, discussing just the new UN Sec-Gen, and doesn't descend into pointless, generic UN bashing the mods, of any stripe, WON'T lock it.

Nothing like staying on topic and making meaningful, intelligent posts to keep a thread open.

 

[Speer]

They will still seek to disarm the masses and sit by wringing their collective hands as genocides sweep the globe.

Definitely.

 

[SomeKid]

Just as a humorous sidenote, when I first opened this thread, and saw the name Ban Ki-Moon, I thought it was initially a joke on his name.

 

[LAR-15]

Will the UN invade Sudan now?

 

[Kim]

No they will ask the USA to do that. And the liberals will push that as it is in our National Security like that little NATO excersion in the 1990's. If a few thousand of us get killed then it will all be worth it. Just wait and see. Who wants to bet???? And I am serious. Humanitarian warfare is the moral warfare or some such matra would work our troops up into a frinzy for the killing there. I hope this guy is better I do not think he could be worse but the UN wil still be the UN. Which is really not so bad. I want it weak and ineffectual. And it might even be worth our taxes to keep it that way. That way being a JOKE. Keep the liberal NGO's busy and feed well and let them think they are "Imagining" they are saving the world and mankind or should I say personkind to be UN PC.

 

[Art Eatman]

Discuss the SecGen and forget the bashing and the thread will remain open.

This ain't BashFest2006.

Art

 

[Colt46]

I'm certain the new guy will retire extremely well off

And the corporations and charities run by his henchmen and family members will thrive. If, he's anything like Kofi Annan.
'Friend to all, allied to none.' Where did we go wrong?

 

[johnster999]

Couldn't be any worse than Annan.

 

[Kali Endgame]

These Globalists need to keep their hands off of member nations internal policies. Maybe we should cancel our membership. I liked that Bolton fellow.

 

[LAK]

From where do they people appear? Bootros Bootros By Golly, Coffee Anon ... and now Banky Moon?

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http://ussliberty.org
http://ssunitedstates.org

 

[carebear]

UN membership is like a gym membership, you can't stop paying, even if it isn't doing you any good.

Having a Sec-Gen from a US ally and "1st World" nation will hopefully lead to a little less tolerance of the standard nepotism and open corruption we've seen, especially with the recent investigations becoming public.

Like any bureaucracy, the difficulty will be rooting out all the careerists in their little fiefdoms. I'm not sure if the UN structure gives the SG any real power to clean house.

 

[island]

Does it strike anyone else as ironic that this gentleman's first name is "Ban"?

 

[captaincaveman]

the SG is just a figurehead. The UN is still the UN no matter whos name is in the news

Josh

 

[Waitone]

Kofi was a hand puppet belonging to Soros and Maurice Strong. His replacement will have the same job description. The style may be different but the results will remain the same.

 

[brerrabbit]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ban_Ki-moon

Link to his bio. I say give him some time before we start complaining.