Durban II: Boycott it
March 15, 2008 
Pittsburgh Tribune Review 
Original Source: http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/opinion/archive/s_557342.html

Until now the United States has expressed only reservations about the United Nations' follow-up conference on racism. It's time to send a less-ambiguous message by boycotting this farce and ensuring that any U.S. funding is cut off. 
Durban II, as it's commonly called, is scheduled next year and follows the despicable U.N. conference in Durban, South Africa, in 2001. That prior inquiry into intolerance descended into an excoriation of Israel and the United States. 
Amid calls for foreign infringement on the U.S. Constitution, no less, the U.S. delegation walked out. Durban II portends to be as bad or worse, with a 20-member planning committee that's chaired by Libya and includes Iran and Cuba. 
Even liberal Canada already has backed out. Though the U.S. has distanced itself from the run-up to Durban II, it's still taking a wait-and-see attitude on its involvement. That's far too weaselly in our book. 

Turtle Bay already is pumping cash into this mealy-mouthed confab from its regular budget, of which the U.S. picks up 22 percent. With money in hand, what does it care if the U.S. shows up or not. 
Which is precisely why a boycott and a cutoff in funding is needed now. Should a new president decide to reverse this course next year, he or she would need, at minimum, some assurances that the 2009 conference won't be another U.S.-Israel slap-fest. 
From the U.N. coddlers of intolerance? Fat chance. Again, boycott Durban II.