Currently the United States owes $1.4 billion dollars, which translates
into over half of the UN?s $2.3 billion debt.33
The total Contribution per year that the American government is asked
to pay is $312,000,000 or about 25% of the UN?s total budget.34 This is a
relatively small investment for the Americans once you take into account all
of the benefits the Americans receive from the organization.
Of the $426 million in investments and spending the United Nations
done last year, American companies received 49% or 229 million of it.35 If
you take that figure off of their total payment you will see that the Americans
only paid $83 million in which they weren?t given back in direct business.
The UN creates roughly 30, 607 jobs in the New York area alone as
well as yielding an estimated $1.2 billion in earnings and generating $3.2
billion in spending for the region.36 This is a very significant total. When
you see it from that angle it becomes apparent that the Americans receive
much more from the UN than they put into it.
While they refuse to pay their fair share of the costs of the UN the
Americans still make sure that they hold a strong presence. The American
diplomats actually lobbied for the cutting of 3000 jobs in order to save
costs,37 which wouldn?t even of been a problem had their country lived up to
its responsibilities.
As is, the Americans are receiving most of the fiscal benefits of the UN
without putting anything into it.
The American government refuses to pay their debt for other varying
reasons. Bob Dole, who recently ran for President of the United States, said
that he would never allow American troops to come under UN control again
and he blamed then Secretary-General, Boutros Boutros-Ghali, for almost
every problem that has ever occurred in the history of the UN.38
Unfortunately he is not the only member of the US government who
shares this view.
American fears towards the UN are based mainly on myths and lies.
Many Americans hold the UN responsible for the killing of 18 American
soldiers in Somalia in 1994.39 The interesting thing about that statement is
that the soldiers themselves were under the leadership of American officials
based in Florida at the time. If those men had of been under UN control they
would never of been sent out on that particular mission.40
There is also a controversy on whether American troops should be
allowed to be sent into action under the UN at all. Michael New, an army
specialist, is in the center of this controversy. He underwent a court martial
because of his refusal to wear the UN logo on his uniform.41 Under
international law he is required to do so.
The biggest opponents in the US to the United Nations however are the
members of the many vigilante militias. Many of these groups are convinced
that the United Nations is out to take over the United States, or make the US
a communist country. They do not understand the workings of the UN and
thus fear it. As a result they often print propaganda such as the article which
I have included along with this project, which is an exert entitled ?The New
American?.
The United States plays an integral role in the workings of the United
Nations. Admittedly, they provide the back bone for the entire organization.
Because of the importance of the role it plays in world politics, the US
has to take responsibility, and pay its debts. The UN cannot function without
the Americans, which, in a manner of speaking, they are now. The lack of
American funds has created a desperate state for an organization, which in the
past, has bent over backwards to keep them happy. It is time for the
Americans to step up and except their responsibilities as world leaders, and
show the maturity that must come with responsibility.
V. In Conclusion…
The United Nations is making great strides towards making itself
stronger and more unified as it prepare to enter the next millenium. The UN?s
future is not completely certain though, as one cannot predict what will occur
over the next few years in lieu of the reforms being made and the ever
changing face of the world?s politics.
By creating a new and more efficient structure from which to work, the
United Nations has proven that it is serious about fixing its current fiscal
dilemma. Measures are being taken to make sure that the transitions are
smooth, both in the present, as well as in the future. The UN needs to make
its transition to the leaner organization it hopes to be in the upcoming years as
painless as possible in order to avoid a state of chaos which could potentially
bring the organization to its knees.
Only by becoming more fiscally sound can the United Nations ever
hope to continue on into the next millenium as a strong, united group. The
planned consolidations will make the United Nations much more efficient and
save costs, and the new leadership structure will allow for a more diverse
opinion to be heard and more concise and effective decisions to be made.
Veto powers must be eliminated, however, because they are outdated
and have no place in our post cold war society. Equal representation of all
countries, big or small, must become a priority of the Leaders of the United
Nations. Only after everyone has the right to have their own unique views on
the issues effecting our world today heard and respected will the harmony
necessary to keep the United Nations alive exist. The removal of veto
powers would also force the countries who are abusing their power, such as
the United States, to pay the overwhelming amounts of money they owe the
organization.
The United Nations does a lot of good for the world. The peace
keepers have helped many countries end the armed conflicts which once
threatened their very existence, and UN organizations such as UNICEF have
done wonders in helping to feed and medicate the people in Third World
Nations.
I believe strongly that the United Nations will play an important role in
the world as we head into the next millenium. By undergoing these painful,
yet necessary consolidations and reforms, they have allowed the organization
to strengthen itself.
All of the worlds countries, including the ones currently with veto
powers must work together to make sure that we do not lose this important
commodity, for if we do, we will surely suffer the consequences down the
road.
Bibliography
www.un.org; ?Secretary-General Outlines Extensive,
Far-Reaching United Nations Reform?; July 16, 1997
www.un.org; ?Prepared For A Changing World?
www.un.org; ?Untitled?
www.un.org; ?Facts About Peace-Keeping?; July 31, 1997
www.un.org; ?The UN Financial Crisis?
www.un.org; ?Setting The Record Straight: Some Facts
About the UN?; July, 1997
www.washingtonu.edu; ?UN Bashers Spreading Lies and
Myths?; Victor T. Le Vine; October, 1996
www.jbs.org/voll26.htm; ?UN Pawns?; ?The New
American?; Volume 11; Number 26; December 15, 1995
United Nations; Microsoft Encarta 97; CD edition; Microsoft
Corporation 1997
United Nations; Microsoft Bookshelf 1996-97 Edition;
Microsoft Corporation 1996
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