The U.N. has now entered the media criticism business, announcing its annual list of “Ten Stories the World Should Hear More About.” Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information Shashi Tharoor declared, “In today’s round-the-clock media world, reporters often find themselves flooded with news, and sometimes urgent and important stories are simply overlooked.” That’s a good point, and we have our own list of overlooked or ignored stories-about the U.N.
While Tharoor’s list is mostly about developments around the world that deserve more attention (and money) from the U.N. and its member-states, we have developed a list of stories about the U.N. itself that deserves more attention. Taken from Eric Shawn’s book, The U.N. Exposed, these include:
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The U.N. sought the extradition of Osama bin Laden before 9/11 but his protectors in the Taliban in Afghanistan ignored the world body.
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Fewer than half of the members of a special U.N. committee to investigate and combat Al Qaeda filed the necessary paperwork on time.
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The U.N. has “failed effectively to respond” to the Iranian nuclear weapons program, raising the possibility of Islamic Shabab nukes taking out Paris, London, Berlin, Tel Aviv, and American forces in the Gulf.
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No U.N. member, no matter how odious or outrageous, has ever been booted from the world body.
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The U.N. press corps is largely “friendly” and “sympathetic” to U.N. Chief Kofi Annan. Reporters are “wined and dined by the people they cover.”
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Billionaires George Soros and Ted Turner have financially underwritten prizes given out by the U.N. Correspondents Association.
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Getting employed by the U.N. means you probably never will be fired.
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The world body is characterized by chronic anti-Americanism.
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Fewer than half of U.N. member-states are democracies.
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A top U.N. Development Program official campaigned for John Kerry for President.
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In calculating what countries spend on foreign aid, the U.N. ignores the money that Americans give privately to help the people of the world.
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