Where I Stand—Mike O’Callaghan: Few good U.N. friends

Friday, May 18, 2001 | 4:11 a.m.

Mike O'Callaghan is the Las Vegas Sun executive editor.

THE UNITED STATES was bounced off the United Nations Human Rights Commission, a body of which we have been a member since it was founded in 1947. The biggest insult was being beaten out in a secret ballot that elected Sudan and Pakistan, two of the world's biggest violators of human rights, Sudan is best known for its slave trading problems.

A few days later we lost our seat on the 13-member International Narcotics Control Board. This board was created 37 years ago at the insistence of our country and one of our diplomats has been a co-chairman for the past 10 years.

Getting slapped in the face by people we thought were our friends was too much for the U.S. House of Representatives, where all members must face the voters next year. It was a time for indignant speeches and a call for not paying our dues to the United Nations.

Several editorials in newspapers across the country blamed the Bush administration for not being on its toes and campaigning for the seats prior to the votes. Some critics pointed out that the president has been slow in filling vital U.S. slots in the international organization.

Before we get overly distressed and blame the president for what has taken place in the United Nations, let's look back to 1989 when his father was president. The Washington Report took a close look at the voting in the United Nations and wrote:

"When you look at the voting records of the top 50 recipients of U.S. aid, it's clear dollars make little difference in the U.N. Of the top 50 aid getters, only two countries other than Israel -- Spain and Portugal -- agreed with the U.S. more than half the time."

The same article showed the top recipients of U.S. aid voting like this: Israel votes with U.S. 89.74 percent and with U.S.S.R. only 25.27 percent; Egypt votes with U.S. 8.62 percent and with U.S.S.R. 98.64 percent; Pakistan votes with U.S. 8.94 percent and with U.S.S.R. 99.35 percent; Turkey votes with U.S. 26.83 percent and with U.S.S.R. 89.62 percent; El Salvador votes with U.S. 17.53 percent and with U.S.S.R. 94.62 percent; the Philippines votes with U.S. 12.28 percent and with U.S.S.R 98.64 percent; Greece votes with U.S. 31.74 percent and with U.S.S.R. 87.74 percent; Honduras votes with U.S. 20.00 percent and with U.S.S.R 94.49 percent; Guatemala votes with U.S. 14.19 percent and with U.S.S.R. 97.83 percent; and Costa Rica votes with U.S. 18.56 percent and with U.S.S.R 95.97 percent.

So this isn't the first time we have been given the short end of the stick in the United Nations, and it won't be the last. The answer is more diligence and strong, clear policies that will leave little room for such voting shenanigans.

In the meantime, President Bush has wisely urged Congress not to withhold funds owed to the U.N. He sees the value of our membership during the coming years and is responsible for our foreign policy.