New U.N. Chief Defends Death Penalty for Hussein

We have written before on how the new U.N. Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon, may be the best thing to ever happen for the U.N.  Yes, I am still reluctant to lavish praise, after all it is the U.N., but so far the new top dog at the U.N. is sounding like a good change.

U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki Moon said Tuesday that Iraq and other countries have the right to impose the death penalty, adding that the world should never forget Saddam Hussein’s “heinous crimes.”

Ban’s first public reaction to Hussein’s execution signaled a sharp break from his predecessor, Kofi Annan, an ardent death-penalty critic who opposed U.N. participation in the Iraqi war crimes tribunal that sentenced Hussein to die. Human rights advocates expressed concern that Ban’s comments lend credibility to what they see as a flawed trial of the former Iraqi leader, and complained that he could set back efforts to abolish the death penalty.

 

The remarks suggest that the former South Korean foreign minister, who began a five- year term on Monday, would defer to the United Nations’ 192 member states on some of the day’s most controversial and unsettled issues. Nearly 70 countries, including the United States and South Korea, retain the death penalty.

“Saddam Hussein was responsible for committing heinous crimes and unspeakable atrocities against the Iraqi people,” Ban said in his first news conference as secretary general. “The issue of capital punishment is for each and every member state to decide.”

 

A states’ rights kind of guy…I’m liking it.  While the “human rights” crowd cries over the death of a mass murdering mad man, I applaud the new U.N. Secratary General!  What he is really doing is causing a setback on the erosion of National soverignity agenda of these “human rights” groups. 

Captain Ed:

I’m no fan of the death penalty, but I am a proponent of national sovereignty over governance through the UN. This statement from Ban suggests that he has the same outlook, and it should serve as a reversal of thought among Turtle Bay power elites. For too long, the UN bureaucracy and leadership have taken for granted the notion that the UN represents some sort of supergovernment rather than a diplomatic venue, and Annan was among the worst at using his position to meddle in sovereign affairs of member states.

Iraq has a representative government elected by its people. If they want to abolish the death penalty, then they will elect representatives who will do so.

American Mind:

Ban’s nation-state’s rights must have been a shock to the system of U.N. bureaucrats who see their mission to mold the laws of each member nation to fit their Leftist, one-size-fits-all approach on a host of social and political issues.

While the new boss is making some promising and hopeful remarks in the beginning, he’s got his work cut out for him as UN staff are accused of raping children in Sudan.

Members of the United Nations peacekeeping forces in southern Sudan are facing allegations of raping and abusing children as young as 12, The Daily Telegraph reported today.

The abuse allegedly began two years ago when the UN mission in southern Sudan (UNMIS) moved in to help rebuild the region after a 23-year civil war. The UN has up to 10,000 military personnel in the region, of all nationalities and the allegations involve peacekeepers, military police and civilian staff.

The first indications of possible sexual exploitation emerged within months of the UN force’s arrival and The Daily Telegraph has seen a draft of an internal report compiled by the UN children’s agency Unicef in July 2005 referring to the problem.

This paper has learnt of more than 20 victims’ accounts claiming that some peacekeeping and civilian staff based in the town are regularly picking up young children in their UN vehicles and forcing them to have sex. It is thought that hundreds of children may have been abused.

 

Prarie Pundit:

 

What makes the story credible is the past conduct of the “peace keepers.” The main question I have about the story is the filming of the acts by the Sudanese government. The first question is why didn’t they stop it if they saw it happening. The second question is more cynical. Since it is known that Sudan opposes UN force in the region to stop their genocide in Darfur, did they set the situation up to have a reason to keep them out? Since both the UN forces and the Sudanese have a demonstrated lack of morals it is difficult to say at this point. One thing seems pretty clear. The UN force lacks the discipline necessary for their job.

Flopping Aces:

 

Just one more example of the inept and corrupt leadership of one Kofi Annan.  Time and time again, whenever the UN was called upon to go save the poor and suffering, to maintain order and bring peace to the world they have done nothing but rape, pillage and destroy everything in its way as Kofi and family got rich.  How much will Ban Ki-moon retire with you think?

While Ban Ki-Moon has made an impressive start especially with hopeful sounding words, he has his work cut out for him.  He has a long way to go if cleaning up corruption and perversion at the UN is on his priority list.  I wish him a lot of luck!

Others:Reject The U.N.

Don Surber

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