UN rides to the rescue in Baghdad

Posted By Uncle Jimbo

From the WaPo

UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 7 -- The United Nations has offered to bolster its presence in Baghdad for the first time in more than three years, laying the groundwork for a more ambitious role in mediating the country's sectarian disputes.

It really took me a bit to get past the sinking feeling in my gut whenever I contemplate the UN helping with anything. I have far too many first hand experiences with UN help to consider it even a net positive thing. But in Iraq, they would serve a purpose almost no other group could. Our loyal opposition has shown they are willing to take a victory from our troops and abandon the Iraqi people to a genocidal civil war, but will they throw the UN under the bus?

I don't think so, and that will make the greatest irony of my life. If the UN makes it impossible for the Dems to surrender, I will be watching for lightning bolts, hellfire and all matter of damned nations. In all honesty this is exactly what you would hope they would do, and while I am skeptical I think it is another sign of the Resurgence of the Surge. The left tried an ill-advised pre-emptive attack trying to end the war and denying any progress has been made. It was obvious they were making a political play and that disgusts most Americans. The UN, in a perfect world ought to be the next step.

Now the UN expects to operate in the style they are accustomed to and in Baghdad you do need a serious hooch, so.

The United Nations is also seeking $130 million in funds to build a heavily reinforced compound in Baghdad to house its growing mission.

OK fine guys, maybe if we give you a secure compound then small children will be able to safely walk around...outside your wire. But believe me, I am not going to begrudge the UN their share of credit even if it's just for showing up. That matters and since the security situation is where the progress was needed and made, it's time for some of that political deal-making. Well I am constantly reminded that we should be using the tremendous diplomatic skills of the UN. Then let's get some formalized lying in formal wear going, Game On!

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Comments

[Ymarsakar]

The best that we could hope for is that the UN only leaks the things they hear to the terrorists.

Stalin purged Trotsky after Lenin died. The Left aren't going to let the UN stand in their way.

[Grimmy]

Can anyone point me to an issue where UN involvement actually helped?

The UN, as an organization, is composed of member states that have a direct link to those who we fight in Iraq. There is absolutely zero reason, that I can think of, to see this as anything more than throwing another load of enemy sympathizing and enemy supporting crap on an already nasty cake.

The only reasons that the UN might want to get involved is for some of their upper echelon bosses to suck up more illegal gain from double dealings in Iraqi oil, or maybe they've lost the taste for raping sub saharan African children and want to get their nasty hands on some of cute kids they see in photos coming out of Iraq.

[Arch]

Beware of the nationalities and politics of the people they put on the ground, not only Baghdad but in the provinces as well. While the NGOs are very capable of feeding, sheltering and treating diseases, some of their workers have intelligence roles that may not help us.

UN High Commissioner for Refugees will name a regional Director of Operations for Iraq from one of the nations serving on the Executive Committee. If he names an Egyptian, Jordanian or a Moroccan, we're probably okay. If he picks a Lebanese or a Pakistani look out. If it's a Turk or Iranian we should veto the nomination.

[Ojoe]

Well, having the UN in Iraq would undercut the viscous 5th column in the USA and as that's where we are most likely to lose the war, I'm all for it.

[JE]

I have zero use for the UN and I would not be surprised if they are not after "oil for food part II" or to facilitate Iran. However, Ojoe has it right! How on earth, as he puts it, can the fifth column in the USA stand against the war when the left's most santified group on earth has as much as admitted that Baghdad is safe enough to come back. I personally would give them the $130M if I had it for them to set up shop. Twice in 24 hrs the clock is right even if not running. So add this to the vote to go into Korea and you have the same thing with the UN and have justified their existance! Throw in the vote for troops for Darfur as the bonus.

[Lands’nGrooves]

Ah...yea...no. Do the possible (most likely) negatives have to be spoon feed?

The UN doesn't even deserve to exist much less belong in Iraq, especially at this point.

[athingortwo]

Agree with Uncle Jimbo on this one .. this development is a follow-on to the statement last month by the new UN leader, Ban ki-Moon, that literally pulled the rug out from under the Defeatocrats when they thought they had stampeded all the weak-willed Republicans on Iraq.... when Moon said it would be a REALLY BAD IDEA for the USA to bug out of Iraq now, in any kind of precipitous move. Nobody, of course, expects the UN to do any serious good work for everyday Iraqis, or to support the goals of the counterinsurgency ... but the mere fact that the UN is betting on a positive outcome in Iraq IS significant as hell.

[Some Soldier's Mom]

well, I'd like to hear what their "role" will really be: "mediating" is a very big word for an organizations that hasn't done much in the way of mediating anything but fat wallets for quite some time. While they may be able to get Sunni, Shia and Kurdish elements of the government to sit and talk, they cannot hope to "mediate" with AQ and other criminal elements who -- even if they actually had a "representative" to sit at a table -- there is no one who could bind AQ to any agreement -- let alone enforce compliance. Ludicrous. Grandstanding at its best.

If they really want to bring aid to the Iraqis, they can work OUTSIDE the country... from a neutral site -- say Switzerland. If they are looking for a physical presence in Iraq, they can wait until we leave... when they can do little harm to the military mission.

And are the Left and the defeatists willing to throw the UN under the bus? You bet.

[Grimmy]

When I think of the UN in Iraq, I can't discount what the UN has been doing in Lebanon.

The UN's only apparent purpose in Lebanon is to facilitate the rearming and safeguarding of hezbolla. The UN is NOT a neutral player.

The foreign entities that are feeding and aggravating the Iraq insurgency have every bit as much access to UN info and UN direction as we and our allies do.

This is a fools game. The story of the frog and the scorpion come to mind.

(sorry if this is a double post. The login bug bit me, not sure if the other attempt went through)

[Uncle Jimbo]

I'm reminded of an ancient SF parable I learned as a little weedhopper.

If frogs had .45s, snakes wouldn't f**k with 'em.

Cordially,

Uncle J

[Grimmy]

That is true UJ. But, in the same spirit, if the UN had any virtue, it wouldn't be the UN.

[Deltabravo]

There's always the fine chance that the folks at the UN can serve as useful targets for AQ and Co. What a liberal conundrum... to either have to admit there is a problem and we're up against a ruthless enemy, or take the position that the UN is invading Iraq in a blood for oil scheme and deserves to be attacked also. Either way, when the inevitable UN personnel become victims, it just might make some people think. That's good, right?

[Grimmy]

Deltabravo:

You appear to be making the mistake that is common for reasonable and rational folk to make when considering or dealing with irrational and unreasonable folk.

There is nothing based on reason or cause and affect (or is it effect? I forget). These are the people that can cheer the beheaders and wail for the beheaded in the same breath.

There is nothing honest, honorable, or in any way integrity driven in any part of the betrayers' mindset.

[Grimmy]

The entire concept underpinning the existence of the UN is just another example of idiot socialist utopianism.

Think it through. All the nations, the good and the bad, evil and honorable, friend and foe, all gathered to gather to act and operate as a super state organism that is meant to impose its will on all humanity for their own good.

The whole thing stinks of pomoism and nanny statism.