I just finished reading a transcript of the address President Trump gave to the UN General Assembly yesterday. If you are so inclined you can find it here.
I’m glad I read it rather than listening to it—it was nearly an hour long. I thought it was pretty much what I would have expected. A lot of blowing his own horn and exaggerations. A lot that was contentious, some of which I believe to have been false, some true.
Rather than fisking it, I’ll just ask some questions. First, what do you think of what he said?
Second, what do you think of the United Nations? I think that Jeanne Kirkpatrick’s characterization is even truer now than when she said it 40 years ago. The General Assembly is a “Third World debating society”. The Security Council is obsolete. At the very least four new permanent members should be added: China, India, Brazil, and Nigeria. That would make accomplishing anything through the Security Council even less likely than it is now.
Third, do you think the multiple SNAFUs were deliberate?
He is so self-obsessed it’s really hard to read. I couldn’t read the whole thing and I extend my condolences to those who were present. I agree some of what he said is factually correct, but then he also said stuff that is so obviously false I dont know why he would say them. If his goals were to either bore the hell out of people there or to insult those attending it was a success.
Steve
A debating society is better than war mongering. However, it would be better if the General Assembly could pass binding resolutions.
As to the SC, the permanent, veto-wielding members should include Brazil, India, Indonesia, Japan, Nigeria, and Pakistan. Consideration should be given to Egypt, Mexico, and Turkey.
China is already a member, having gotten the old Kuomintang seat.