ObamaOdrama

After 8 years, the U.N. is hosting another anti-racism conference.  To improve the focus of dialogue that impeded discussion during the last conference, this time around the U.N. is identifying Zionism with racism and taking criticism of Islam off the table. 

Opening the ceremony, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon-Pie implored the world to unite against the threat of intolerance and then promptly handed Iranian President Ahmadinejad control of the floor to elaborate further.

British delegates joined a dramatic diplomatic walkout today when President Ahmadinejad of Iran told a major UN conference against racism that the state of Israel had been founded “on the pretext of Jewish suffering” during the Second World War.

Around 20 delegates, including envoys from the UK, France, and Finland stood up and left the room at what was considered an anti-Semitic remark by the Iranian leader, who has repeatedly called for Israel to be wiped off the map.

Nine Western countries including Israel and the United States had already decided to boycott the conference entirely because its draft declaration endorsed the conclusions of an anti-racism conference in South Africa eight years ago in which Islamic nations pushed through a text equating Zionism with racism.

Even before the walkout, Mr Ahmadinejad’s speech had been interrupted by three protesters dressed as clowns who where quickly bundled from the vast conference room at the Palais des Nations by guards.

I’m glad the U.S maintained its boycott of this sham conference but it’s still rings rather hollow when Obama wants to improve relations with Iran and the U.S. is willing to take Iran’s nuclear program off the table as a key condition to talks.

Monday the U.N. Security Council officially agreed to condemn North Korea’s April 5^th missile launch which was in violation of 2006 sanctions.  In response, North Korea said it was boycotting six-party negotiations and resuming its nuclear arms program.

How Provocative!  

Even without support for an actual resolution, the U.N. Security Council managed to pass a non-binding presidential statement to demonstrate the unanimous disapproval for North Korea’s violation. 

How could the North Korea be so arrogant, dismissive, and even derisive?

The head of the U.N. Environment Program (UNEP), Achim Steiner, has a plan that would revive the world economy and protect the environment.

Reuters reports:

The UNEP report said investments of one percent of global gross domestic product, or about $750 billion, could bankroll a “Global Green New Deal” inspired by the “New Deal” of U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt that helped end the depression of the 1930s.

Investments should be split between more energy efficient buildings, renewable energies, better transport, improved agriculture and measures to safeguard nature — such as fresh water, forests or coral reefs, it said.

Thursday’s study adds details of spending after UNEP called for a Green New Deal late last year.

Steiner also said that the world urgently needed funds to jump start a U.N. deal to fight global warming, due to be agreed in Copenhagen in December to succeed the U.N.’s Kyoto Protocol beyond 2012.

He floated the possibility of taxing oil in rich nations of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) to help a new pact become the cornerstone of a greener economy.

“If, for argument’s sake, you were to put a five-year levy in OECD countries of $5 a barrel, you would generate $100 billion per annum. It translates into roughly 3 cents per liter,” he said.

More taxes… its so simple.