The Road of Good Intentions

Over the weekend the president who brought us double digit inflation, an incompetent foreign policy, and more than a quarter century of pronouncements announced that he hoped that the UN would "out vote" the US and adopt the proposed Council on Human Rights to replace the UN Commission on Human Rights, which by any reasonable account has been an embarassment to the UN.

The current Secretary General, who has a lot of his own problems, proposed creating the council to replace the commission. His original proposal had some merit. But then the UN process got ahold of it and it became the Commission II. The US is right to oppose the idea.

Carter should learn to keep his yap shut. Indeed, he has done some good social service projects since his presidency but he has also shown himself to be a buffoon, especially in the area of international affairs. He has stood up for elections around the world that were questionable at best. He has tried on several occasions to demonstrate his tiny understanding of geopolitics at the most inopportune times. Remember, this is the guy who brought us the hostage crisis. His speeches for human rights are admirable. But how many nations became more democratic under his watch? How many people in the world live better on rhetoric? Reagan was a bit more skillful at rhetoric but he was also steadfast in backing the words with actions. "Mr. Gorbachev tear down this wall" was great rhetoric -but his actions led to the destruction of the wall and the eventual freeing of millions of people behind it.