Comment Of Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.),
Chairman, Senate Subcommittee On State And Foreign Operations
Of The Appropriations Committee,
After His Meeting With UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
June 20, 2007

“The Secretary General made a strong case for sustained U.S. leadership at the United Nations.

“It is time for the Congress to recognize that the UN serves our interests and the interests of our allies, and to give it the support it needs.  In fact our own security interests increasingly intersect with the UN’s capabilities in such crucial tasks as peacekeeping and helping refugees.  We discussed the need for U.S. support for UN peacekeeping missions around the world, including in Darfur, as well as the worsening refugee crisis in the Middle East. 

“For some in Congress, bashing the UN is sport.  But the UN is responsible for maintaining peace and stability in many places that might otherwise require the deployment of U.S. troops.  We would be far better off today if the UN weapons inspectors had stayed in Iraq and we had kept our focus on al Qaeda in Afghanistan and promoting dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians.”

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