The UN and American Policy
President Bush gave a speech recently at Turtle Bay, and I read the comments by a few contributors to National Review Online. They critiqued his rhetoric - too much of this, too little of that, etc. - but they reminded me of how refreshing is Bush's approach to the UN. There was a time in our nation's not-too-distant past when another president acted at the beck and call of the UN.
Do you remember the Cuban-American organization called Brothers to the Rescue? They were a private organization of pilots who flew small propeller planes over the waters south of Florida, looking for defectors from Cuba. In a few instances, the Brothers to the Rescue pilots sighted rafts on the surface and notified the Coast Guard of the refugees fleeing Cuba, thus facillitating their rescue. Two Cuban MiGs shot down two of these pilots over international waters and Fidel Castro thumbed his nose at us from ninety miles away. President Clinton went to the UN and essentially asked for permission to visit reprisals of some sort. He felt their pain, bit his lip, remonstrated with them, and entreated, but the UN refused. Two American citizens had been murdered by the air force of one of America's neighbors, and President Clinton did absolutely nothing about it.
Go ahead, critique President Bush's speech - too much praise of Annan, too little criticism of the UN's impotence - but be thankful for this: W. plans American policy and lets the UN come along for the ride if it wants to. W.'s message to the UN has been consistent over these six years, and it is essentially, "Lead and we'll follow, follow as we lead, or get out of the way and we'll go forward with out true allies without your stamp of approval." Clinton subjected American policy to the wishes of the UN and those two Brothers pilots' families are still waiting for justice. Here is a major reason why we cannot elect presidents who talk of a "Global Test" that American policies must pass. If we elect another Democrat, the UN will be central to our foreign policy rather than peripheral, as it is now. Viva W.!
Another foreign policy development: The U.S. asked NATO allies for 2500 additional troops for Afghanistan. The day had not ended before Poland pledged to send 900. Another cheer for New Europe! Viva Solidarity! Viva la Gipper!
Do you remember the Cuban-American organization called Brothers to the Rescue? They were a private organization of pilots who flew small propeller planes over the waters south of Florida, looking for defectors from Cuba. In a few instances, the Brothers to the Rescue pilots sighted rafts on the surface and notified the Coast Guard of the refugees fleeing Cuba, thus facillitating their rescue. Two Cuban MiGs shot down two of these pilots over international waters and Fidel Castro thumbed his nose at us from ninety miles away. President Clinton went to the UN and essentially asked for permission to visit reprisals of some sort. He felt their pain, bit his lip, remonstrated with them, and entreated, but the UN refused. Two American citizens had been murdered by the air force of one of America's neighbors, and President Clinton did absolutely nothing about it.
Go ahead, critique President Bush's speech - too much praise of Annan, too little criticism of the UN's impotence - but be thankful for this: W. plans American policy and lets the UN come along for the ride if it wants to. W.'s message to the UN has been consistent over these six years, and it is essentially, "Lead and we'll follow, follow as we lead, or get out of the way and we'll go forward with out true allies without your stamp of approval." Clinton subjected American policy to the wishes of the UN and those two Brothers pilots' families are still waiting for justice. Here is a major reason why we cannot elect presidents who talk of a "Global Test" that American policies must pass. If we elect another Democrat, the UN will be central to our foreign policy rather than peripheral, as it is now. Viva W.!
Another foreign policy development: The U.S. asked NATO allies for 2500 additional troops for Afghanistan. The day had not ended before Poland pledged to send 900. Another cheer for New Europe! Viva Solidarity! Viva la Gipper!
posted by Bountyhawk at 11:48 AM
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