Even a blind squirrel...

I suppose I could have used 'Even a broken clock...' as the title but I don't know that it would be more respectful than the one I chose. You be the judge...

I have been fairly unimpressed by our new president's first few months but Obama has gotten it right by refusing to attend the second round of the Durban anti-racism conference (this time held in Geneva) this month. The objections stem from a general anti-Semitic bias at the previous meeting in South Africa in 2001 which appear to have been codified for this year's event. Despite the left's insistence during the Bush administration that unilateral actions like this unnecessarily alienate our allies (or perspective allies), I must say I'm encouraged by this news.

Durban I and the UN Human Rights Council in general are absolute disgraces. We sent an envoy to Durban I, only to have them walk out over its show trial judgment of Israel. Obama will be joined in skipping this years event by Israel (obviously) and Australia, among others.

The United States is not actually a member of the HRC - of our own choosing. The body itself has a current or past membership which includes China, Cuba and Saudi Arabia so it's only logical that the US refuses to involve itself - regardless of political party. The council was conceived in 2006 to replace the similarly-named Human Rights Commission which had the distinction of being chaired by human rights stalwart Libya. Upon its inception, the US delegation had the audacity to suggest that member nations should have a satisfactory record in human rights themselves.... an idea that was voted down 170-4.

Sadly, the United Nations as a whole has become a senate of thuggery, dominated by voting blocs of repressive regimes. Isn't it obvious at this point that the UN has decided that despite our funding roughly 1/4 of its budget and housing it in New York, it is a decidedly anti-democratic, anti-American assembly.

The world has the right to have their ol' boys club but isn't it time we stopped paying for their party?

Update: I just learned that you can add Italy and Canada to the list of right-thinking nations who will forego Durban II.

Update 2: ...add Holland and Sweden to that list.

Update 3: ...and Germany and New Zealand.