by Barbara Stanley

Created on: April 23, 2008

As an international peacekeeping agency, the UN has an overwhelming record of failure. Presently, the UN has an opportunity to put a stop to the genocide in Darfur. With the billions of dollars in dues paid to the UN, the United States could offer that money to the country of Chad, and others surrounding the area of Darfur, as incentive to build homes and create jobs for refugees that number over one million. Although Chad is trying to cope with this huge number of displaced citizens of Darfur, it is obvious they would need aide in the form of workers, planners, architects, and materials. By using the dues we would otherwise pay to the UN for doing nothing to bring about an end to the massacre, we could pay American citizens out of work due to the mortgage fiasco to build a better life for millions on the African continent.

I believe that no country should pay further dues to an agency that has the dismal record that the UN has in carrying out its objectives. It appears that the huge budget allotted the UN is misspent and unaccounted for. As a part of the group of international citizens who support the UN, we should be given a financial report of money spent annually as well as a list of accomplishments for the year. Anytime an agency or organization has too much freedom without accountability, there will be gross amounts of money misspent or embezzled.

What are the UN's plans for ending the war that Sudan is now waging against her own citizens? How long must millions of people endure the constant threat of rape, hunger, and even murder? If there is no help forthcoming from the very organization designed for times such as these, where will help come from? I vote that our UN dues be better spent to build permanent homes for the refugees wherever they feel safe and welcome. It is obvious that the Sudanese government has no intentions of intervening for the sake of Darfur citizens. After all, it is they who threw the "flammable Janjeweeds" upon the fire to ensure that few, if any, would survive this conflict over water.

With the millions of dollars in aide from China, and the billions earned through exports to China, Sudan has had the means to supply clean water to all the farmers and ranchers in Darfur. There should never have been a large scale war within Sudan's borders. Had the UN intervened from the beginning, there would be 300,000 citizens of Darfur still living peaceful lives.

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