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Bolton's UN punctuality drive comes to early end |
2006-03-02 |
![]() UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - An unpopular punctuality drive launched in the U.N. Security Council last month by U.S. Ambassador John Bolton came to an abrupt end on Thursday when Argentina took over the council's rotating presidency. And champagne glasses were raised all over the world... Bolton had cracked the whip while presiding over the 15-nation U.N. body in February, starting meetings precisely on time, even with empty chairs in the room, as part of a plan to modernise council operations. He had also called in ambassadors almost every morning of the month for closed-door briefings by U.N. staff on overnight global political and peacekeeping developments. C'mon, John, dammit! You act as if this is a real job! But Argentine Ambassador Cesar Mayoral made clear it would be a different story in March. If ambassadors wanted to come on time, it would be up to them, he told reporters. As for the morning briefings, "this is impossible," he said. "We aren't having a daily briefing each day." Why we haven't even put our hookers in cabs by that time of the morning... If an ambassador asked for a briefing on a particular matter, he would try to accommodate the request. But absent that, the council work program was simply too heavy, he said. So many restaurants, so little time... Some ambassadors had grumbled in February that they already had too many commitments to attend the daily sessions. Yeah...ummmmmmmmmm...commitments! That's it! Bolton has described the U.S. campaign to reform the United Nations as an "irresistible force" pitted against an "immovable object." Bypassing the U.S. Senate, President George W. Bush sent Bolton to the United Nations last August with instructions to shake up the world body after findings of mismanagement and corruption in the $64 billion oil-for-food program for Iraq. Here's a suggetstion. Torch it for the insurance... |
Posted by:Sen. Edward M. Kennedy |
#6 That's the idea, Frank. Hit them in their pocketbook and they will react, one way or another. Better yet, collaborate with Japan on this. |
Posted by: Alaska Paul 2006-03-02 21:40 |
#5 cut our contribution by half and issue a stern warning, then cut the other half. They'll understand that |
Posted by: Frank G 2006-03-02 20:39 |
#4 Torch 'em against a wall and punt it. Nice to see Bolton show these featherbedders up for the bunch of slackers they really are. I never thought bloodsucking could be raised to the level of high art until Koffi and his crew took the helm. |
Posted by: Zenster 2006-03-02 20:38 |
#3 Put 'em against the wall and THEN torch it? ! |
Posted by: anon 2006-03-02 19:32 |
#2 "Torch it for the insurance..." LOL! Best idea I've heard, yet - except for something about putting most of 'em against a wall or something. ;-) |
Posted by: .Alley Oop 2006-03-02 19:27 |
#1 UN - We waste more money than Paris Hilton before 9am! |
Posted by: mmurray821 2006-03-02 17:23 |