Topics in the News: United Nations
Antony Blinken on United Nations:
(Welfare & Poverty Mar 29, 2021)
Reopen desperately needed humanitarian access to Syria
Blinken addressed the United Nations Security Council in an at-times passionate plea to increase desperately needed humanitarian access to Syria. "Stop taking part in or making excuses for attacks that close these pathways and stop targeting
humanitarian aid workers and the Syrian civilians they're trying to help. Stop making humanitarian assistance on which millions of Syrians lives depends a political issue," he said.
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Source: CNN on 2021 Biden Administration
Joe Biden on United Nations:
(War & Peace Feb 4, 2021)
Support UN-imposed ceasefire in Yemen
Defense Secretary Austin will be leading a Global Posture Review of our forces so that our military footprint is appropriately aligned with our foreign policy and national security priorities. While this review is taking place, we're stepping up our
diplomacy to end the war in Yemen--a war which has created a humanitarian and strategic catastrophe. I've asked my Middle East team to ensure our support for the United Nations-led initiative to impose a ceasefire, open humanitarian channels, and
restore long-dormant peace talks. To underscore our commitment, we are ending all American support for offensive operations in the war in Yemen, including relevant arms sales. At the same time, Saudi Arabia faces missile attacks,
UAV strikes, and other threats from Iranian-supplied forces in multiple countries. We're going to continue to support and help Saudi Arabia defend its sovereignty and its territorial integrity and its people.
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Source: Manchester Ink Link on 2020 New Hampshire Senate race
Ted Cruz on United Nations:
(Foreign Policy Sep 20, 2020)
Transnational institutions chip away at US sovereignty
But over the past century, America's sovereignty has been chipped away at by the rise of transnational institutions that run roughshod over our own internal decision making. From the United Nations to the
International Crime Court to the World Trade Organization, there has been a dangerous growth of institutions that make purportedly binding decisions over otherwise sovereign nation-states.
To be sure, some of these institutions are better than ours. Some of them, perhaps, are better than others. But by design, all these transnational institutions are not democratically accountable--and
certainly not to the American electorate--thus undermining our most basic conceptions of sovereignty in the Westphalian nation-state system.
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Source: One Vote Away, by Ted Cruz, p.65
Nikki Haley on United Nations:
(Foreign Policy Aug 25, 2020)
Cast American veto at UN over Jerusalem embassy critics
Obama and Biden led the United Nations to denounce our friend and ally, Israel.
President Trump moved our embassy to Jerusalem, and when the U.N. tried to condemn us, I was proud to cast the American veto.
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Source: Speech at 2020 Republican National Convention
Nikki Haley on United Nations:
(Principles & Values Aug 25, 2020)
Biden & Democrats still blaming America first
It's about an American ambassador to the United Nations and a speech she gave. She called for the re-election of the Republican president and called out his Democratic opponent, a former vice president from a failed administration. That ambassador
said, "Democrats always blame America first." The president was Ronald Reagan. Ambassador Jeanne Kirkpatrick's words are just as true today. Joe Biden and the Democrats are still blaming America first. Donald Trump has always put America first.
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Source: Speech at 2020 Republican National Convention
Joe Biden on United Nations:
(War & Peace Feb 7, 2020)
I made a mistake; Bush said he wouldn't go into Iraq
I made a mistake and I said it 14 years ago. I trusted George Bush to keep his word. He said he was not going to go into Iraq. He said he was only using this to unite the United Nations to insist we get inspectors in to see what Saddam was doing.
When we got elected, the president turned to me with the entire security apparatus and said, "Joe, I want you to organize getting 156,000 troops out of Iraq." I did that. I did that.
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Source: 8th Democrat 2020 primary debate, St. Anselm College in NH
Joe Biden on United Nations:
(War & Peace Feb 7, 2020)
I made a mistake; Bush said he wouldn't go into Iraq
I made a mistake and I said it 14 years ago. I trusted George Bush to keep his word. He said he was not going to go into Iraq. He said he was only using this to unite the United Nations to insist we get inspectors in to see what Saddam was doing.
When we got elected, the president turned to me with the entire security apparatus and said, "Joe, I want you to organize getting 156,000 troops out of Iraq." I did that. I did that.
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Source: 8th Democrat 2020 primary debate, St. Anselm College in NH
Donald Trump on United Nations:
(Environment Feb 4, 2020)
Join the United Nations' "One Trillion Trees initiative"
To protect the environment, days ago, I announced that the United States will join the One Trillion Trees Initiative, an ambitious effort to bring together Government and the private sector to plant new trees in America and around the world.
Wikipedia explanation:The Trillion Tree Campaign is a campaign of Plant-for-the-Planet to plant a trillion trees, a development and continuation of the activities of the earlier Billion Tree Campaign from 1977.
The World Economic Forum during 2020, held in Davos, Switzerland announced the creation of the One Trillion Tree Initiative platform made for governments,
businesses, and civil society to provide support to the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2020-2030), led by the UN Environment Programme and the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization.
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Source: 2020 State of the Union address to Congress
Bernie Sanders on United Nations:
(Technology Jan 14, 2020)
Our infrastructure is crumbling because of endless wars
Our infrastructure is crumbling. Half our people are living paycheck to paycheck. Eighty-seven million people have no health care or are uninsured or underinsured. We got 500,000 people sleeping out on the streets.
The American people are sick and tired of endless wars which have cost trillions. Our job is to rebuild the United Nations, rebuild the State Department, make sure twe have the capability to resolve international conflict diplomatically.
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Source: 7th Democrat primary debate, on eve of Iowa caucus
Donald Trump on United Nations:
(War & Peace Dec 11, 2019)
Bar Iranian diplomat from addressing UN over assassination
The Trump administration is barring Iran's top diplomat from entering the United States this week to address the United Nations Security Council about the U.S. assassination of Iran's top military official in
Baghdad, violating the terms of a 1947 headquarters agreement requiring Washington to permit foreign officials into the country to conduct U.N. business, according to three diplomatic sources.
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Source: Foreign Policy magazine on impeaching Trump
Joe Biden on United Nations:
(Principles & Values Dec 4, 2019)
AdWatch: World laughs at Trump for dangerous incompetence
[Biden campaign video showing Trump at NATO summit in London]:Narrator 1: "World leaders caught on camera laughing about Pres. Trump"
Narrator 2: "Several world leaders mocking Pres. Trump"
Narrator 3: "They're laughing at him"
Pres. Trump
[speaking at the United Nations in Sept. 2018]: "My administration has accomplished more than almost any other administration in the history of our country"
[Audience laughs]
President Trump: "Didn't expect that reaction, but that's OK."
Narrator
4: "World leaders mocking and ridiculing him for being completely off-balance."
Joe Biden: "The world sees Trump for what he is--insincere, ill-informed, corrupt, dangerously incompetent, and incapable, in my view, of world leadership. And if we give
Donald Trump four more years, we'll have a great deal of difficulty of ever being able to recover America's standing in the world, and our capacity to bring nations together."
Video text: "We need a leader the world respects. Biden for President."
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Source: Twitter posting AdWatch on 2020 Democratic primary
Joe Biden on United Nations:
(Foreign Policy Nov 20, 2019)
Speak out against China at UN, for Uighurs and Hong Kong
With regard to China, look, unless we make it clear that we stand for human rights, we should be going to the United Nations seeking condemnation of China, what they're doing with the million Uighurs that are there, essentially in concentration camps
in the west. We should be vocally, vocally speaking out about the violation of the commitment they made to Hong Kong. We have to speak out and speak loudly about violations of human rights.
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Source: November Democratic primary debate in Atlanta
Joe Sestak on United Nations:
(Foreign Policy Jul 30, 2019)
Support 2-state solution; return embassy to Tel Aviv
We must maintain our steadfast support of Israel, but we must also work much harder to deal fairly with the Palestinians. This means returning our embassy from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv, because it has always been accepted that this would be part of a
two-state solution, not a unilateral decision. At the same time we must deal with the bias against Israel in key United Nations organizations and make clear that our support for Israel as a democratic homeland for the Jewish people is sacrosanct.
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Source: Council on Foreign Relations on 2020 presidential primary
Bernie Sanders on United Nations:
(War & Peace Jul 30, 2019)
More terrorists after spending trillions on War on Terror
We have spent $5 trillion on the war on terror. And there are probably more terrorists out there now than before it began. The Congress passed--and I will not vote for--a $715 billion military budget, more than the 10 next countries combined.
What we need is a foreign policy that focuses on diplomacy, ending conflicts by people sitting at a table, not by killing each other. I will go to the United Nations and not denigrate it, but bring countries together and solve those problems peacefully.
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Source: July Democratic Primary debate (first night in Detroit)
Marianne Williamson on United Nations:
(Foreign Policy Jul 1, 2019)
2007: Let Iranian president visit Ground Zero
In 2007, when Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad traveled to New York City to speak to the United Nations, Williamson wrote, "When he said he wanted to go to Ground Zero and pay his respects, I think we should have let him.
He didn't perpetrate the horrors of 9/11, any more than Saddam Hussein did! What's going on here?"
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Source: National Review magazine, articles on 2020 candidates
Beto O`Rourke on United Nations:
(Foreign Policy Jun 30, 2019)
Diplomacy should yield results: none yet with North Korea!
I would continue diplomacy contingent on progress that keeps this country and our allies safe. Despite three years of almost bizarre foreign policy, this country is no safer when it comes to North Korea. They have removed none of their nuclear
weapons or their potential to deliver them to the United States. In contravention of the United Nations they have launched other missiles flouting the diplomacy that this President has attempted so far. We've added legitimacy to Kim Jong-un.
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Source: CBS Face the Nation 2019 interview series
Tulsi Gabbard on United Nations:
(War & Peace Mar 11, 2019)
U.S. government lied to American people to launch Iraq War
Gabbard would not say whether she believes Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad is a war criminal -- the latest in a string of skeptical comments about whether Assad was, as the United Nations concluded, behind an April 2017 chemical weapons
attack. "I think that the evidence needs to be gathered and, as I have said before, if there is evidence that he has committed war crimes, he should be prosecuted as such,"
Gabbard said.Gabbard also would not say whether she would trust the American intelligence community as president. "We have, in our recent past,
a situation where our own government told lies to the American people, and to the United Nations for that matter, to launch a war," she said.
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Source: CNN KFile on 2019 SXSW conference in Austin
John Kasich on United Nations:
(Foreign Policy Sep 26, 2018)
America First should not be America Alone
Kasich criticized President Trump over his rebuke of "globalism" during remarks at the United Nations, while taking a cue from Trump's 2016 Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton. Kasich warned Trump that his policy of "America First"
could result in "America Alone." He added that the U.S. and other nations are "Stronger Together," a nod to Clinton's campaign slogan.
Trump told members of the U.N. General Assembly that his administration "reject[s] the ideology of globalism and we embrace the doctrine of patriotism."
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Source: John Bowden in The Hill: 2020 Presidential hopefuls
Donald Trump on United Nations:
(Foreign Policy Sep 25, 2018)
Reject ideology of globalism; embrace doctrine of patriotism
President Donald Trump blamed Iranian leaders for sowing "chaos, death and destruction" in a steely speech to the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday that heavily emphasized the president's support of national sovereignty over globalism.
Touting his meeting this year with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and blasting Iran for spreading mayhem in the Middle East, Trump offered an impassioned defense of a foreign policy doctrine he said would allow countries to reject "global governance."
"We reject the ideology of globalism, and we embrace the doctrine of patriotism," Trump said. "We will never surrender America's sovereignty to an unelected, unaccountable, global bureaucracy."
Trump's remarks were buffeted by warnings from
other world leaders that America's pullback from the international institutions was ill-conceived and even dangerous. "Do not accept the erosion of multilateralism. Don't accept our history unraveling," the President of France said.
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Source: USA Today on Trump Administration UN Speech
Donald Trump on United Nations:
(Foreign Policy Sep 25, 2018)
Foreign aid only for allies with shared values
Lobbing criticism at a bevy of international institutions, Trump called the U.N. human rights council "a grave embarrassment to this institution" and said the International Criminal Court "has no jurisdiction, no legitimacy and no authority." He touted
some of his most divisive foreign policy decisions, including his crackdown on immigration and his recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.The "America first" remarks drew on a similar speech he delivered at the United Nations last year but
included more detailed examples of how that vision informs his policies on trade, immigration and the world's hot spots.
Trump suggested he would sharply curtail U.S. foreign aid, saying he ordered a review of whether countries that receive American
assistance are allies with shared values. "We are only going to give foreign aid to those who respect us and, frankly, are our friends," Trump said. "And we expect other countries to pay their fair share for the cost of their defense."
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Source: USA Today on Trump Administration UN Speech
Mike Bloomberg on United Nations:
(Energy & Oil Apr 22, 2018)
America should be big part of climate solution
Q: Special Envoy to the United Nations for Climate Action Michael Bloomberg tells us he's making good on his pledge to help America's financial commitment to the Paris climate change accords, an international agreement that President Trump pulled out of
last year:BLOOMBERG: If the government is not going to do it, we all have a responsibility. I'm able to do it. So, yes, I'm going to send them a check for the monies that America had promised to the organization as though they got it from federal
government.
Q: $4.5 million dollars this year. Will you do the same next year?
BLOOMBERG: Hopefully, by then, President Trump will have changed his view.
Q: President Trump has been a huge critic of this Paris climate change accord.
BLOOMBERG: Yes, but he should change his mind and say, "look, there really is a problem here, America is part of the problem, America is a big part of the solution," and we should go in and help the world stop a potential disaster.
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Source: CBS Face the Nation 2018 interviews of 2020 hopefuls
Xi Jinping on United Nations:
(Government Reform Feb 26, 2018)
Most serious challenge since the end of the Cold War
Some observers have likened [Xi's unbridled power after ending term limits] to the imperial rule of Vladimir Putin, but the similarities are limited. In matters of diplomacy and war, Putin wields mostly the weapons of the weak: hackers in American
politics, militias in Ukraine, obstructionism in the United Nations. It is the arsenal of a declining power. Xi, by contrast, is ascendant. On the current trajectory, Xi's economy and military will pose a far greater challenge to American leadership
than Putin's. Xi, in his first five years in power, dismantled what are known in China as the qian guize (the "unwritten rules"), which allowed people to bribe their way to higher office or to skirt the edges of censorship. Now he is throwing
out the written rules, and to the degree that he applies that approach to the international system--including rules on trade, arms, and access to international waters--America faces its most serious challenge since the end of the Cold War.
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Source: Evan Osnos, "President for Life" in The New Yorker
Pope Francis on United Nations:
(Foreign Policy Dec 25, 2017)
Israel & Palestine should be separate, independent countries
Pope Francis called for Israel and Palestine to be separate, independent countries. The Pope indirectly addressed Trump's decision last week to officially recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, a controversial move that many--including the more
than 120 nations that backed a United Nations resolution--believe will undermine the so-called "two-state solution."The Pope implored followers to consider the children who continue "to suffer because of growing tensions between Israelis and
Palestinians." Palestinians, who hope that Jerusalem will be the capital of their future state, were enraged by Trump's move, with protesters burning American flags and clashing with Israeli soldiers.
"Let us pray that the will to resume dialogue may
prevail between the parties and that a negotiated solution can finally be reached, one that would allow the peaceful coexistence of two states within mutually agreed and internationally recognized borders," said Pope Francis in the Vatican.
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Source: Newsweek magazine, "Christmas Message"
Pope Francis on United Nations:
(Foreign Policy Dec 6, 2017)
Declaring Jerusalem as Israel's capital destabilizes Mideast
Following reports that US President Donald Trump planned to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, Pope Francis expressed his concern that such a move would further destabilize the Middle East. Pope Francis said he could not "keep silent about my
deep concern" for Jerusalem & urged respect for "the status quo of the city in accordance with the relevant resolutions of the United Nations."The pope spoke at the end of his weekly general audience Dec. 6, the same day Trump announced his decision
to move the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv, fulfilling a promise he made during his presidential campaign.
The Vatican supports a "two-state solution" for the Holy Land with independence, recognition and secure borders for both Israel and
Palestine. In his appeal, Pope Francis said, "Jerusalem is a unique city, sacred to Jews, Christians and Muslims who venerate the holy places of their respective religions, and has a special vocation to peace."
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Source: Catholic News Service, "Jerusalem as the Capital of Israel"
Bernie Sanders on United Nations:
(Foreign Policy Sep 21, 2017)
UN is bureaucratic, but does enormously important work
One of the most important organizations for promoting a vision of a different world is the United Nations. It has become fashionable to bash the UN. And yes, the UN needs to be reformed. It can be ineffective, bureaucratic, too slow or unwilling to act,
even in the face of massive atrocities, as we are seeing in Syria right now. But to see only its weaknesses is to overlook the enormously important work the UN does in promoting global health, aiding refugees, monitoring elections, and doing
international peacekeeping missions, among other things. All of these activities contribute to reduced conflict, to wars that don't have to be ended because they never start. At the end of the day, it is
obvious that it makes far more sense to have a forum in which countries can debate their concerns, work out compromises and agreements. Dialogue and debate are far preferable to bombs, poison gas, and war.
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Source: Westminster College speech in Where We Go From Here, p. 98-9
Nikki Haley on United Nations:
(Foreign Policy Mar 29, 2017)
We will deal fairly with people who are fair to us
At the U.S. Mission, we're all about changing the culture and bringing positive energy to the United Nations. We've put accountability front and center. I have no tolerance for unmet promises and inaction. We demand that of ourselves and we expect it of
others. We're also having the backs of our allies, and we're not afraid to call out the governments that don't have our backs. We will deal fairly with the people who are fair with us. If not, all bets are off.
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Source: Council on Foreign Relations on Trump Cabinet
Nikki Haley on United Nations:
(Foreign Policy Mar 29, 2017)
Time to show people reasons to support the U.N.
This is a moment of great responsibility for those who believe in peace and security through international cooperation. Countries all over the world are turning inward. People are questioning the value of interactions with other nations and with
international institutions. Some of those questions are good ones and long overdue, but there's also a danger. Hanging in the balance is the very relevance of the United Nations. This is a time, in short, to show the people reasons to support the U.N.
The Human Rights Council is so corrupt. Countries get on it to protect themselves, to make sure that the fingers never pointed at them instead of actually looking at what we need to be doing around the world. When you've got bad actors that actually
sit on the Human Rights Council, it makes you call into question what we're trying to do. I don't think the Human Rights Council has been effective. I'm trying to find value in the Human Rights Council. If I find it, I'll let you know.
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Source: Council on Foreign Relations on Trump Cabinet
Donald Trump on United Nations:
(Foreign Policy Dec 22, 2016)
Supports construction of Israeli settlements in West Bank
President-elect Donald Trump publicly pressured President Obama to veto a United Nations resolution critical of Israel. Trump called on the president to use the US veto in the UN Security Council to block the Arab-sponsored resolution, which condemned
the "construction and expansion" of Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem. The Obama administration, which vetoed a similar resolution in 2011, had withheld judgment over the latest measure.Trump amplified his position by
posting the statement on Facebook and Twitter as well: "The resolution being considered at the United Nations Security Council regarding Israel should be vetoed." His words closely echoed the positions expressed by Israeli leaders, including Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has treated the impending UN vote as a crisis, posting on his own Twitter account a message urging Obama to veto what he called the "anti-Israel" resolution. Egypt, who drafted the resolution, withdrew it afterwards.
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Source: NY Times on Twitter posting: 2016 Trump transition promises
Jay Inslee on United Nations:
(Energy & Oil Sep 19, 2016)
I see climate change already affecting Washingtonians
Q: According to Kofi Annan, former Secretary-General of the United Nations: "Climate change is the most emblematic challenge in this age of globalization. For the sake of our grandchildren, we cannot refuse that challenge." (The Case For True
Leadership on Climate Change--Kofi Annan Foundation, 30 Nov 2015) What is your opinion of this quotation?Jay Inslee: Support.
Q: Please explain your response.
Jay Inslee: I wholeheartedly agree.
I see the impacts of climate change already affecting Washingtonians everywhere I go. None are more jeopardized by the climate related disasters like fire, flooding, and sea level rise than
our most vulnerable communities. We need a comprehensive strategy that reduces carbon pollution from Washington while harnessing the jobs and economic opportunities that are coming to those who take action on climate change.
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Source: LWV's Vote411.org on 2016 Washington Gubernatorial Race
Hillary Clinton on United Nations:
(Energy & Oil Oct 13, 2015)
Obama & I crashed China meeting and got climate change deal
Q: What will you do about climate change?CLINTON: I have been on the forefront of dealing with climate change, starting in 2009, when President Obama and I crashed a meeting with the Chinese and got them to sign up to the first international
agreement to combat climate change that they'd ever joined.
Q: Are you referring to the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen?
CLINTON: When we met in Copenhagen in 2009 and, literally, President Obama and I were hunting for the
Chinese, going throughout this huge convention center, because we knew we had to get them to agree to something. Because there will be no effective efforts against climate change unless China and India join with the rest of the world. They told us they'd
left for the airport; we found out they were having a secret meeting. We marched up, we broke in, we said, "Let's sit down and talk about what we need to do." And we did come up with the first international agreement that China has signed.
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Source: 2015 CNN Democratic primary debate in Las Vegas
Ted Cruz on United Nations:
(Foreign Policy Sep 16, 2015)
Don't let world courts bind American sovereignty
Q: Governor Kasich accuses you of playing to the crowd and being inexperienced.CRUZ: Well, let's be clear when it comes to experience. What President Obama wants to do is he's run to the United Nations, and he wants to use the
United Nations to bind the United States, and take away our sovereignty. Well, I spent five and a half years as a Solicitor General of Texas, the lead lawyer for the state, in front of the U.S. Supreme Court, and
I went in front of the Supreme Court, and took on the World Court of the United Nations in a case called Medellin v. Texas, and we won a historic victory saying the
World Court, and the U.N., has no power to bind the United States, and no President of the United States, Republican or Democrat, has the authority to give away our sovereignty.
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Source: 2015 Republican two-tiered primary debate on CNN
Rand Paul on United Nations:
(Foreign Policy Jan 1, 2015)
Where do Ron and Rand Paul disagree on foreign issues?
| Where Ron Paul and Rand Paul agree on Foreign issues |
|---|
- Both oppose Iraq War
- Both oppose Cuban embargo
- Both agree on rights for Guantanamo detainees
-
Both agree on non-intervention abroad
- Both oppose the TSA
- Both oppose the United Nations
|
| Where they disagree: | Ron Paul | Rand Paul |
|---|
| Iran: | Stay out of Iran |
Keep options on Iran |
|---|
| Israel: | Cut off all aid | Maintain alliance |
|---|
| Privacy vs National Security: | Privacy first against terrorism | Spying on terrorists ok |
|---|
|
Foreign aid: | End foreign aid | Limit foreign aid |
|---|
| Military Spending: | Cut absolute defense spending | Cut relative defense spending |
|---|
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Source: Analysis: Ron Paul vs. Rand Paul on the Issues
Ted Cruz on United Nations:
(Civil Rights Mar 7, 2014)
UN Treaty on Disabilities threatens US sovereignty
Even before taking office, Cruz made his influence felt in the Senate when he was invited to join the weekly lunch of the Senate Republican caucus on December 4, 2012--the day the full Senate was debating the United Nations treaty on the Rights of
Persons with Disabilities. It seemed a fairly uncontroversial issue until Cruz expressed his opposition: "I was a newly elected senator who hadn't even sworn in yet, but I [said] the issues of U.S. sovereignty resonate powerfully with the American
people," Cruz recounted.To lobby for passage of the treaty, former Republican majority leader Bob Dole was brought in a wheelchair. Cruz explained, "I personally have been passionate about protecting U.S. sovereignty, that our laws should reflect
American values, and not be governed by the laws or tribunals of foreign nations or foreign institutions. I urged my soon-to-be colleagues to protect U.S. sovereignty, and ultimately they did so.
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Source: Cruzing to the White House, by Mario Broes, p. 73-4
Ted Cruz on United Nations:
(Foreign Policy Mar 7, 2014)
Deny visa for Iranian ambassador to visit the United Nations
On April 1, 2014, Cruz introduced Senate bill 2195, a bill that would allow the President of the United States to deny visas to any ambassador to the United Nations who has been found
to have been engaged in espionage activities or a terrorist activity against the United States or its allies and may pose a threat to U.S. national security interests.
The bill was written in response to Iran's choice of Hamid Aboutalebi as their ambassador to the UN in New York. Aboutalebi was involved in the Iran hostage crisis, in which of a number of American diplomats from the U.S. embassy in Tehran were held
captive in 1979.In a letter published in the Politico on April 18, 2014, under the headline "A Bipartisan Message to Iran", Sen. Ted Cruz thanked President Barack Obama for signing his bill into law:
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Source: Cruzing to the White House, by Mario Broes, p. 97-8
Barack Obama on United Nations:
(Foreign Policy Sep 21, 2011)
Support the new Libya who threw off a 42-year dictator
One year ago, the people of Libya were ruled by the world's longest-serving dictator. When the Libyan people were threatened by the kind of mass atrocity that often went unchallenged in the last century, the United Nations lived up to its charter.
The Security Council authorized all necessary measures to prevent a massacre.42 years of tyranny was ended in six months. From Tripoli to Benghazi--today, Libya is free. Yesterday, the leaders of a new Libya took their rightful place beside us [in the
UN General Assembly], and this week, the US is reopening our embassy in Tripoli.
This is how the international community is supposed to work--nations standing together for the sake of peace and security, and individuals claiming their rights.
Now, all of us have a responsibility to support the new Libyan government as they confront the challenge of turning this moment of promise into a just and lasting peace for all Libyans.
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Source: Speech to the United Nations General Assembly
Rand Paul on United Nations:
(Foreign Policy Nov 1, 2010)
Exit the UN; maintain US sovereignty
Q: Do you support U.S. withdrawal from the United Nations?A: Yes.
Q: Will you support legislation that forbids U.S. troops from serving under United Nations command?
A: Yes.
Q: Will you support the American Sovereignty Act to restrict the
Executive's ability to forge international agreements that lessen our sovereignty?
A: Yes.
Q: Will you oppose the so-called "NAFTA Superhighway" and any move toward a North American Union?
A: Yes.
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Source: Campaign for Liberty survey of 2010 Congressional candidates
Barack Obama on United Nations:
(Foreign Policy Dec 10, 2009)
The UN has succeeded in avoiding a Third World War
With the advent of the nuclear age, it became clear to victor and vanquished alike that the world needed institutions to prevent another World War. And so, a quarter century after the US Senate rejected the League of Nations--an idea for which Woodrow
Wilson received this Prize--America led the world in constructing an architecture to keep the peace: a Marshall Plan and a United Nations, mechanisms to govern the waging of war, treaties to protect human rights, prevent genocide, and restrict the most
dangerous weapons.In many ways, these efforts succeeded. Yes, terrible wars have been fought, and atrocities committed. But there has been no Third World War. The Cold War ended with jubilant crowds dismantling a wall. Billions have been lifted from
poverty. The ideals of liberty, self-determination, equality and the rule of law have haltingly advanced. We are the heirs of the fortitude and foresight of generations past, and it is a legacy for which my own country is rightfully proud.
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Source: Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech in Oslo, Norway
Barack Obama on United Nations:
(War & Peace Oct 7, 2008)
Prevent Iran from attacking Israel, but keep military option
Q: If Iran attacks Israel, would you be willing to commit US troops in defense of Israel? Or would you wait on approval from the UN Security Council?McCAIN: We obviously would not wait for the United Nations Security Council. Both Russia and
China would probably pose significant obstacles.
OBAMA: We cannot allow Iran to get a nuclear weapon. It would be a game-changer in the region. Not only would it threaten Israel, our strongest ally in the region and one of our strongest allies in the
world, but it would also create a possibility of nuclear weapons falling into the hands of terrorists. And so it’s unacceptable. And I will do everything that’s required to prevent it. And we will never take military options off the table. And it is
important that we don’t provide veto power to the UN or anyone else in acting in our interests. It is important, though, for us to use all the tools at our disposal to prevent the scenario where we’ve got to make those kinds of choices.
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Source: 2008 second presidential debate against John McCain
Mike Bloomberg on United Nations:
(Energy & Oil Feb 11, 2008)
US must set real and binding carbon reduction targets
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Bali, which was my privilege to address, was an historic gathering. It set the stage for a global compact that advances the progress begun some 10 years ago at Kyoto.
However, between now and the Copenhagen Conference next year, we must establish, I think, the preconditions for such progress. Both developed and developing nations must recognize the need to alter their policies and make serious commitments to change.
And I believe that our experience in New York City, and the experience of many of the world’s other great cities, too, can help guide that process.
The first precondition for making the Copenhagen negotiations a success, I believe, is that the
US, which leads the world in greenhouse gas production, must finally set real and binding carbon reduction targets. And I believe the American people are prepared to accept our responsibility to lead by example.
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Source: Speech to the United Nations on tropical hardwoods
Mike Bloomberg on United Nations:
(Foreign Policy Feb 11, 2008)
Maintains mayoral office for UN relations, run by his sister
The United Nations has been, and always will be important to New York City for the vital work that you do and I think important to this country and to the world. And its importance to New York is shown by the fact that the Mayor’s office maintains a
“Commission for the United Nations, Consular Corps, & Protocol,” whose commissioner is my sister, Marjorie Tiven. Of course, being the Mayor of NYC--the world’s most international city--is a bit like presiding over the UN every single day of the year
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Source: Speech to the United Nations on tropical hardwoods
Hillary Clinton on United Nations:
(War & Peace Jan 13, 2008)
Voted against Levin Amendment: it gave UN veto over US
Q: In 2002, Sen. Levin offered an amendment, the Levin amendment, which called for the UN to pass a new resolution explicitly approving the use of force against Iraq. It also required the president to return to Congress if his UN efforts failed.
You did not participate in that vote.A: Number one, the Levin amendment, in my view, gave the Security Council of the United Nations a veto over American presidential power. I don’t believe that is an appropriate policy for the
United States, no matter who is our president. Number two, I have the greatest respect for Senator Levin. He is my chairman on the Senate Armed Services Committee. And immediately after we did have the vote on the authorization,
went to work with him to try to make sure that every piece of intelligence we had was given to the UN inspectors. Number three, I actually joined with Senator Byrd on an amendment that would limit the president’s authorization to one year.
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Source: Meet the Press: 2008 “Meet the Candidates” series
Joe Biden on United Nations:
(Foreign Policy Dec 4, 2007)
Hold China accountable; it’s capitulation, not competition
Q: Many presidential candidates have talked tough about China and its human rights record in the past but, in the end, favor securing our economic interest rather than risk upsetting China. How would you balance human rights and trade with China? A:
I’ve been pushing, on the Foreign Relations Committee for the last seven years, that we hold China accountable at the United Nations. At the UN, we won’t even designate China as a violator of human rights. Now, what’s the deal there?
We talk about competition in terms of trade. It’s capitulation, not competition. Name me another country in the world that we would allow to conduct themselves the way China has, and not call them on the carpet at the UN
Q: So you would call them on th
carpet?
A: Absolutely.
Q: You would appoint a UN ambassador who would press for this?
A: It’s the one way to get China to reform. You can’t close your eyes. You can’t pretend. It is self-defeating. It’s a Hobson’s choice we’re giving people here.
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Source: 2007 Democratic radio debate on NPR
Hillary Clinton on United Nations:
(Principles & Values Apr 26, 2007)
Biggest mistakes: mishandling healthcare; believing in WMDs
Q What is the most significant political or professional mistake you have made in the past four years? A: Well, I don’t have enough time to tell you all the mistakes I’ve made in the last many years. Certainly, the mistakes I made around
health care were deeply troubling to me and interfered with our ability to get our message out. And, you know, believing the president when he said he would go to the United Nations and put inspectors into Iraq to determine whether they had WMD.
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Source: 2007 South Carolina Democratic primary debate, on MSNBC
Howie Hawkins on United Nations:
(Foreign Policy Nov 1, 2006)
Support the UN; oppose the Cuban embargo
Q: Should the United States maintain its financial support of the United Nations?A: Yes.
Q: Should the United States commit troops to United Nations peacekeeping missions?
A: Yes.
Q: Should the United States lift the travel ban to Cuba?
A: Yes.
Hawkins adds, "Stop exporting and encouraging nuclear power, which leads to nuclear weapons. Push for complete global nuclear disarmament through US unilateral initiatives to set the example. Stop 'Star Wars' militarization of space."
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Source: 2006 Congressional National Political Awareness
Hillary Clinton on United Nations:
(War & Peace Feb 25, 2004)
2002 Iraq speech criticized both Saddam and U.N.
[On the 2002 Iraq war vote], she managed to sound vehemently anti Saddam without sounding pro Bush. In a floor speech on the measure to authorize the use of force in Iraq, Hillary managed quite a juggling act. She criticized the United Nations for puttin
limits on inspection sites. She warned of Saddam Hussein’s ambitions for weapons of mass destruction. she concluded that going to war against Iraq ‘on the present facts is not a good option’ but voted to enable George W. Bush to lead the nation into war.
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Source: Madame Hillary, by R. Emmett Tyrell, p. 48-49
Hillary Clinton on United Nations:
(War & Peace Feb 25, 2004)
2002: Attacking Iraq "not a good option" but authorized it
Hillary ultimately voted for the resolution empowering President Bush to wage war, but she did so with a perfect equipoise. She managed to sound vehemently ant-Saddam without sounding pro-Bush.In a floor speech on the measure to authorize the use of
force against Iraq, Hillary managed quite a juggling act, keeping a whole cupboard of teacups and saucers spinning in the air. She criticized the United Nations for putting limits on inspection sites. She warned of Saddam Hussein's ambitions for weapons
of mass destruction. She worried that an unchecked Saddam could endanger the entire Middle East (read: Israel). She fretted that a "unilateral" attack could prompt Russia to attack Chechen rebels in Georgia, China to attack Taiwan, and India to attack
Pakistan. She concluded that going to war against Iraq "on the present facts is not a good option"--but voted to enable George W. Bush to lead the nation into war.
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Source: Madame Hillary, by R. Emmett Tyrrell, p. 48-49
Hillary Clinton on United Nations:
(Foreign Policy Oct 20, 2000)
Keep Cuban embargo; pay UN bills
Hillary Clinton said she would oppose lifting the embargo against Cuba until democracy took root there. She said she would support paying America’s unpaid bills to the United Nations.
She once again voiced her support for Israel and, while praising the tentative cease-fire agreement between the Israelis and Palestinians reached Monday, she made it clear the burden was on Yasir Arafat to end the violence.
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Source: Dean Murphy, NY Times on 2000 election
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