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--> --> It's better to work with all the world's countries By Selma McAlaster Ashland Since the Sept. 11 attack on our soil and people, relations between the U.S. and the U.N. have improved. The U.S. has paid part of its back dues to the U.N. The House of Representatives approved, after minimal debate and without a dissenting vote, payment of $582 million in arrears to the U.N. That was encouraging since the money had been held up over issues like family planning. Many members of the House were cutting our foreign aid budget, which was only one percent of the Federal budget. Foreign aid helps, in part, alleviate poverty in the Middle East, Africa and Asia that leads to instability, violence, hatred - breeding conditions for terrorist organizations. Senator Russel Feingold has said "Too often in our recent history, people around the world have come to the conclusion that America is a global bully. They accuse us of arrogance." Crosette writing in the NATIONAL VOTER points out that the U.S. seems to welcome a multilateral approach to terrorism via the U.N. An American ambassador, John Negroponte, whose nomination had been held up, was quickly confirmed after Sept. 11 for the Bush administration's war on terrorism. And Canadian Malone, President of the International Peace Academy, said that while the U.S. allies were not happy with the early months of the Bush administration, "They are now delighted that the U.S. is approaching its international relations multilaterally on the issue of terrorism." Perhaps it is time to revisit an article written in 1998 of what the U.N. can and can't do. In his commentary "Remembering the U.N. Dream" Don Wells reminds us of the opening to the U.N. Charter "To save succeeding generations from the scourge of war and reaffirm fundamental human rights." He describes what the U.N. Is and what the U.N. Does. WHAT IS THIS U.N.? 1. It is not a world government. No decision is legally binding on the 189 member states. 2. The U.S. as a permanent member of the 15 member Security Council can veto any proposal it finds objectionable. 3. The U.N. has no independent military force. Peacekeeping forces are volunteers from member states. 4. The U.N. cannot impose taxes nor borrow money. WHAT DOES THE U.N. DO? 1. It provides a forum for nations to settle their grievances without war. 2. It provides for food, clothes, medicine, and housing in war-torn lands. 3. It serves as a clearing house for relief during natural disasters. 4. It provides assistance of food, medicine, clothes, and housing for millions of refugees. 5. It provides technical and economic assistance for developing nations to create programs to aid women and children. 6. It works to codify principles for international trade. 7. It monitors significant changes in the environment. 8. It helps nations implement population control and family planning. 9. It seeks to end world hunger and malnutrition. 10. It promotes worldwide health programs for disease prevention and health care. We can do no better than to end with Sen. Feingold's statement: How much better to work with all the countries of the world, following regional leadership where appropriate, as in East Timor, or coordinating efforts and expertise through one body, like the World Health Organization. I believe in burden-sharing - today, anyone who is serious about fighting terrorism has no choice but to believe in it - and I recognize that burden-sharing is far easier in the context of positive relations with our allies and with a strong effective accountable U.N. Email your... Technical questions & comments to: WebMaster Daily Tidings editorial comments & questions to: Editor Visit our other Oregon Newspapers... | Albany Democrat-Herald | Ashland Daily Tidings | Corvallis Gazette-Times | | Lebanon Express | Newport News-Times | Springfield News | Cottage Grove Sentinel | Ashland Daily Tidings 1661 Siskiyou Blvd. Ashland, OR 97520 Telephone 541-482-3456 © Copyright 2001 Lee Northwest Publishing