Too Late to Stop Ban Ki-Moon

Unfortunately, it looks like he has the Secretary General position all locked up. Sadly, he seems to have bought a significant amount of the support the made the difference. One wonders whether the U.N.’s next scandal will be the story of Ban’s accession. Sadder still, he did it with the support of our own State Department, which smells (my raw suspicion; no evidence asserted) like a behind-the-back handshake between the “pro-engagement” faction and the U.N.

This means that when it comes to North Korean human rights, we can forget the U.N. Its chief executive will be the man who ordered this. I suppose this moment completes my transition from internationalist, to U.N. skeptic, to one who now believes that there is no hope for the U.N. to become an effective enforcer of international peace, security, or human rights. Now organizations like NATO, the Proliferation Security Initiative, and various ad-hoc coaltions must do the heavy lifting. If Ban can keep control of the U.N., let it become a global public health clinic. If Hugo Chavez and company wrest it away, let it fade into obscurity. Eventually, someone will realize that one “Non-Aligned” Movement is enough.