Today, President Trump will address the UN General Assembly.As New Yorkers fume over traffic nightmares created by the president and by hordes of visiting diplomats, they may (again) question, as do many Americans, why U.S.
taxpayers support this badly managed and scandal-scarred institution.Especially when the UN so frequently works against our interests and seems incapable of accomplishing its primary mission.A new Gallup poll shows that 73% of Americans think the UN does a poor job of "maintaining international peace and security" and 70% say the same about the UN "upholding international law" and "protecting human rights." That’s a lousy report card for an organization that spends roughly $70 billion per year.Elsewhere in the world, the UN scores better, which is not surprising since poor countries, which constitute the majority of members, look to wealthier nations for handouts via the UN.
The nations of Sub-Saharan Africa, for instance, are especially keen on the sprawling organization.WALTZ DELIVERS BLUNT WARNING TO NATIONS DEFYING IRAN SANCTIONS, TOUTS GREENLAND DEALHow does that wealth transfer happen? One way was described by President Trump’s UN Ambassador Mike Waltz in recent testimony before Congress: "The UN let countries use peacekeeping missions as cash cows for their militaries.Peacekeepers could bring equipment, park it, never use it, take it home brand new, and get it paid for by the UN." Those operations can employ "10,000 to 18,000 soldiers"; the costs, Walz says, are "quite significant".
He is ending that practice — just one step in reforming the bloated UN, whose budget has quadrupled over the past 25 years.Americans have reason for skepticism, given the frequent votes that go against the U.S.or our ally Israel.
For thirty-three years in a row, the General Assembly has voted to end our embargo on Cuba, and for decades it has opposed Israel’s attempts to protects its citizens from Palestinian terrorists.Waltz calls the body a "cess...