Bush bids farewell to the U.N. by urging anti-terror stance

President Bush criticized the United Nations Tuesday for failing to take “an unequivocal moral stand” against terrorism. Not surprisingly, he got a cool reception from the world body.

Bush’s criticism was on the mark — as it has been since his first year in office. It’s no secret that the president, who will be leaving office Jan. 20, isn’t a great fan of the U.N. He is still smarting from the organization’s refusal to support the war in Iraq launched by a U.S.-led coalition after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack on American soil.

And while his critics might find fault with Bush using his last appearance before the General Assembly in New York as president to point out the U.N.’s shortcomings, what he had to say has merit.

He is right in his contention that the organization has failed to take a strong stand against suicide bombings, hostage taking and other terror tactics. And, he is also right in denouncing Iran as a sponsor of global terrorism.

So why the reluctance on the part of nations to speak clearly and loudly against terrorism? Because many of them depend on Iran and others of its ilk for oil and financial assistance.

Every member country has an equal vote, which results in those in the under or undeveloped categories to act in their own self interests. Their positions, by and large, reflect their biases against the West.

The reality, however, is that terrorism knows no bounds.

If the United Nations does not speak out and act against the purveyors of hatred, who will? It is the one truly global organization and its mission is clear.

Justified criticism

Bush’s criticism Tuesday of the U.N.’s unwillingness to condemn countries like Iran is justified. His successor, either Republican John McCain or Democrat Barack Obama, would do well to embrace Bush’s position on this issue.

The president’s call on the U.N. to advance democracy and his pointing to the “inefficiency and corruption” and “bloated bureaucracies” of the world body also have merit.

Indeed, Bush’s specific reference Tuesday to the situation in Darfur province of Sudan not only reflects his long-standing concern about the humanitarian crisis in that African country, but centers on the U.N.’s failure to quickly deploy peacekeeping troops to protect the more than 2 million Sudanese who are homeless.

The government of Sudan is responsible for ethnic cleansing of African Arabs by Muslim militants. President Omar al-Bashir has been charged in the international criminal court with crimes against humanity. He has refused to appear in the court to answer to the charges, and the U.N. has chosen not to force the issue.

While in New York for the General Assembly’s meeting, President Bush met with Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari about Saturday’s suicide bombing of the Marriott hotel in Islamabad that claimed more than 60 lives and left hundreds injured.

While Pakistan has been America’s chief ally in the war on global terrorism, tensions are mounting over the incursion of U.S. troops into Pakistan from Afghanistan in search of Taliban militants and members of al-Qaida terrorist organization.

The goals of making sure that Taliban fighters do not gain strength to overthrow the democratically elected government in Afghanistan and of going after Osama bin Laden and his al-Qaida operatives are crucial.

American and Pakistani officials must find a way of easing the tensions.