The U.N.'s inaction 
It dodges major reform issues, including human rights and arms trafficking 

September 25, 2005
Albany Times Union
http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=402234&category=OPINION&BCCode=HOME&newsdate=9/25/2005

 
That the United Nations needs reform is self-evident -- the recent oil-for-food scandal was a glaring example of the need for stronger leadership and oversight. And just the other day, there was another example of how ineffective the U.N. can be, when it turned a bold reform package into a watered-down disgrace. John Bolton, the outspoken critic of the U.N. who is now U.S. ambassador there, must be telling everyone he meets, I told you so. 
The proposed reforms had been talked about for months. They included new standards for a seat on the Human Rights Council that at one time or another has included representatives from nations with some of the worst human rights records in the world. Another reform would have expanded the Security Council to recognize the emergence of Japan, Germany and other nations that have become global players. Yet another reform would have established an independent auditing board to oversee U.N. spending -- oversight that could prevent another oil-for-food scandal. But none of this was acted upon. 
Perhaps the greatest outrage was the U.N.'s failure to get member nations to halt the transfer of weapons of mass destruction to terrorists. It's hard to fathom why any nation, even those ruled by tyrants who are sympathetic to terrorist factions, would oppose this provision. For despots know, perhaps better than anyone else, that they can be targeted by terrorists just as readily as leaders in the free world. Yet negotiations on the crucial proposal simply collapsed. U.N. member nations also could not agree on another basic reform -- a call to nations with nuclear arms to keep their commitments on disarmament. 
Credit Secretary-General Kofi Annan for candor when he called the failure to approve the arms measures a real disgrace. The nations that refused to endorse the provisions were spoilers, let's be quite honest about that, Mr. Annan said. 
So what did the U.N. do, if anything? Mostly, it agreed to avoid the tough issues. Instead, the General Assembly approved a declaration on reducing poverty, disease and child mortality worldwide and establishing a new human rights council, as well as a commission to monitor post-war rebuilding. But declarations -- no matter how sincere and eloquent -- are words. Without actions to back them up, they are hollow.