June 27, 2003

Crumbling U.N. Seeks $1 Billion for Renovation

[...]
The U.N.'s two 50-year-old buildings in New York City are basically falling apart — decaying pipes and crumbling ceilings are now commonplace — and the U.N. is seeking an interest-free loan [From guess which country???--Jen] worth more than $1 billion to renovate its headquarters.

Who will pay to fix the 1952 original plumbing, get rid of asbestos and raise security fences? Repairs would cost U.S. taxpayers about $600 million over 30 years.
[...]
Toshiyuki Niwa, who is leading the renovation project, said the U.N. wants to borrow $1.2 billion for the repairs. And he wants the United States to put up the cash.

The U.N. would repay the principal on the loan over 30 years, leaving Americans to pay the interest — some half a billion dollars' worth.

"It is an established norm set by the host countries following the example set by the U.S. government after World War II to provide an interest-free loan," Niwa said. [Sadly, there's never been another host country. This isn't a good reason, but it works for these *sshats at the U.N.--Jen]

The United States already writes a much heftier check to fund the U.N. than any other country.
[...]
President Bush now has to decide whether to request the interest-free loan in the fiscal budget for 2005. And then Congress has to decide for the American people whether to fortify the U.N. or to let it whither on the vine.

I hope that President Bush knows how we feel about this, but if not, I plan to let him know in a big way!
I don't want a thin dime of my tax money going to this horrible institution!
Move it to Paris, where there's a big smoking hole where the Israeli Embassy used to be...or Berlin, where I think there's still a vacant lot where the Reichstag stood!