What does the U.N. cost taxpayers, and why?

[Sandra]

According to OMB, total U.S. contributions to the U.N. system were more than $6.347 Billion in FY2009

What does the U.N. cost taxpayers, and why?

Bob Cash  Thursday, October 20, 2011


There was talk a few years ago that the was considering moving its’ Headquarters to Singapore (WHEN ???), the sooner the better !!!

It has been written that It was clearly in America’s interest to work with the U.N. to advance U.S. diplomatic initiatives related to our values, and to facilitate cooperation with other nations to address these common concerns.

U.S. assistance to other member countries of the U.N. has not resulted in support for U.S. diplomatic initiatives in the U.N., On the contrary, most recipients of U.S. assistance vote against the U.S. more often than they vote with the U.S.

This poses the question, aside from our remaining in the U.N., why the hell are we giving these people any money at all when we can’t even pay our own bills without going into hock to the international loan sharks ?

The U.S. is providing hundreds of millions of dollars of foreign aid to some of the world’s richest countries - while at the same time borrowing billions back from those same countries, according to a report seen by Congress ???

The Congressional Research Service released a report in June, which shows that in 2010 the U.S. handed out a total of $1.4 Billion to 16 foreign countries that held at least $10 Billion in Treasury securities, including four countries in the world’s top 10 richest who received foreign aid last year - China receiving $27.2m, India $126.6m, Brazil $25m, and Russia $71.5m ? - Mexico received $316.7m and Egypt $255.7m ?

And yet despite the massive outgoings in foreign aid, the receiving countries hold trillions of dollars in U.S. Treasury bonds - China is the largest holder with $1.1trillion as of March, according to the Treasury Department - Brazil held $193.5 Billion, Russia $127.8 Billion, India $39.8 Billion, Mexico $28.1 Billion and Egypt had $15.3 Billion - can that be explained ?

Foreign aid is earmarked for causes including HIV/AIDs prevention, combating weapons of mass destruction, fighting tuberculosis, and counter-terrorism efforts.
The news has caused grave concern, with Senator Tom Coburn, R-Okla, who requested the report seen by Fox News, calling the policy ‘dangerous’.

In a written statement Senator Coburn said: ‘Borrowing money from countries who receive our aid is dangerous for both the donor and recipient.

Who ever is responsible for this financial insanity should be staked out over an anthill in the hot sun.

Oh I almost forgot about the $400.4 million which was appropriated for economic aid to the Palestinians and $100 million for support of Palestinian Authority police training, and another $61.5 million in emergency humanitarian aid through USAID, UNRWA, and the International Committee of the Red Cross following Israel’s assault on Gaza (this is a joke ?), which in reality was not an assault but a retaliation for all the rockets fired indiscriminately into Israel from Gaza.

CUT OFF ALL FOREIGN AID, EXCEPT TO ISRAEL, WHO IS OUR ONLY TRUE FRIEND AND ALLY IN THE REGION .......

These people will take our money and at the same time they hate us, so let them hate us on an empty stomach - What did all these countries do before there was such a thing as foreign aid ?

The supposed diplomatic delegates to the U.N. are nothing more than a glorified debating society whose resolutions have no teeth and mean nothing, while they sit around drawing salaries they could never make in their own countries (most of it paid by us).

The U.S. has been the largest financial supporter of the U.N. since the organization came into being in 1945. The U.S. is currently assessed 22 percent of the U.N. regular budget and more than 27 percent of the U.N. peacekeeping budget (peacekeeping my foot, their whole battle plan is “READY, AIM, FLEE”).

In dollar terms, the Administration’s budget for FY 2011 requested $516.3 million for the U.N. regular budget, and more than $2.182 Billion for the peacekeeping budget.

However, the U.S. also provides assessed AND voluntary contributions to many more U.N. organizations. According to OMB, total U.S. contributions to the U.N. system were more than$6.347 Billion in FY2009.

This is more than $1 Billion more than total contributions as compiled by OMB for FY2005, and it is indicative of the rising budgetary trends in the U.N. and the consequential demand on U.S. budgetary support.

What is really amazing is that until just a few years ago, the U.S. had only a vague idea of how much money the U.S. was providing and where it was being spent.

Given the lack of transparency and oversight in the U.N. financial system, this brings up the question of who is watching the store.

The legislative requirement for the Administration to report to Congress on U.S. contributions is set to expire in 2011. Congress should take action to make this requirement permanent, but that is rather like closing the barn door after the horse has already bolted as it appears they haven’t been doing a very good job so far, but then what else is new (no surprise).

http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/41499