Leading by Leaving — US Announces Departure from UN Human Rights Council

By: - June 21, 2018

The U.S. has announced their decision to pull out of the United Nations Human Rights Council. This is a much needed move by the United States, and ironically shows they are being leaders in the world on this issue.

The country leaving sounds very bad until you realize that some of the worst human rights abusers are on that council, and it’s a thinly-veiled anti-American and anti-Israel body. The council for foreign relations cites bloc voting, loose membership standards and bias against Israel as the leading issues that make the council ineffective. The blocs are often based on regions and view economic and regional concerns as more important than punishing human rights abusers.

Most of the single country resolutions and four out of the six special sessions were aimed at condemning Israel. This creates a moral blind spot where incidents around the world receive far less attention and scrutiny, or as Victor David Hanson once quipped, Israeli and American misdemeanors are highlighted while Arab felonies are ignored.

An example of this trend can be easily found in the Syria reports from similar agencies. UN war crimes investigators concluded that al-Assad used sarin nerve gas over 20 times in the past four years, killing at least 83 civilians. The investigators also attacked the US for its supposedly reckless attacks on civilians, particularly an airstrike in Mosul that killed dozens. This toothless investigation doesn’t do anything about actual war crimes but condemns American efforts to stop genocidal terrorists.

The war crimes commission also failed to properly interpret the rules of war. These explicitly prohibit the use of human shields. Even before ISIS and al-Qaeda, Saddam Hussein excelled in placing civilians in and around military targets. They also hid weapons in hospitals, schools, churches, and civilian neighborhoods. The US still has an obligation to use proportionality to try and minimize civilian casualties, but any civilian casualties are counted as a war crime against those using human shields or abusing neutral sites, not against the striking power.

But the rules of war have changed from common sense application of moral codes that apply in the heat of battle to excessively legalistic notions that nitpick to such a degree that basically any use of military force is condemned. America makes mistakes, but those are often concentrated on and exaggerated to the point that many people can’t tell the difference between legal and justified military action, and the mass killings of opponents. In some ways this is intentional, as radical peace advocates want to prevent the use of any force.

Using the UN as a tool for nationalist interest undermines the mission of the United Nations for whom these people work. Emmanuel Kant explained the philosophy basis for having a world body or even a world government. Modern theories that expound on this generally do not advocate a wholesale dismantling of the sovereign states system but incremental innovations in global institutional design to move humanity toward world federalism or cosmopolitan democracy. In plain language, the UN should be a force for good by helping to override what can be selfish and self-destructive tendencies of nation states.

But the UN Human Rights Council and many of its other bodies are often used as tools of nation states to further their anti-American and anti-Israel bias. This undermines the strength of the body and gives America cause to leave.

In conclusion, it seems counterintuitive and even destructive to the UN for the US to leave the Human Rights council. But given the corruption of its mission by member states the leading super power, despite its mistakes and exaggerated political narratives against it, can be the leader of human rights for the world by leaving the UN.

  • RSS WND

    • For WND, it's 'Judea and Samaria' – not 'West Bank'
      Under the leadership of its founders Joseph and Elizabeth Farah, WND has committed to adhering to the "Biblical Heartland Resolution" passed recently by the National Religious Broadcasters convention, whereby participants pledge to use the terms "Judea and Samaria" when referring to the region in eastern central Israel, rather than the ubiquitous but misleading term "West… […]
    • Anti-Zionists occupy condemned university building, vandalize it with antisemitic graffiti
      (JERUSALEM WEEKLY) – Two blocks south of U.C. Berkeley’s campus, anti-Zionist protesters took over a vacant building owned by the university on Wednesday morning, vandalizing it with swastikas and antisemitic language. “Zionism is Nazism” was spray-painted in black letters on several walls inside the condemned building, which was destroyed in a 2022 fire. Several dozen… […]
    • Hotel abruptly cancels pro-Israel event over 'credible threats'
      (THE BLAZE) – A Nashville hotel is being accused of religious discrimination after abruptly canceling a pro-Israel event. The Israel Summit — a "gathering of pro-Israel supporters who unconditionally support Israel’s right to be sovereign in the entirety of the land of Israel, including Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and the Gaza Strip," according to the… […]
    • Aid flows into Gaza over massive U.S. pier
      (NBC NEWS) – Trucks carrying humanitarian aid began moving ashore into Gaza Friday using a temporary pier built by the United States, delivering desperately needed supplies to the besieged Palestinian enclave. The floating dock is part of a makeshift effort to stave off a possible famine in Gaza, where Israel’s military assault has shut off… […]
    • Former Trump attorney, ex-fed prosecutor duke it out over whether Michael Cohen is 'worst witness ever'
      Jason Cohen Daily Caller News Foundation Criminal defense attorney Bill Brennan, who previously represented former President Donald Trump, and former federal prosecutor Shan Wu on Thursday sparred over whether Michael Cohen is a bad witness. Cohen faced cross-examination again on Thursday, with even CNN pundits questioning whether the jury will buy the admitted liar’s testimony… […]
    • Biden policy is reason illegal immigrant accused of murdering teen was out free
      Jason Hopkins Daily Caller News Foundation Federal immigration authorities cited a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) policy directive when explaining their handling of an illegal immigrant who is now charged with the murder of a teenager. Antonio Antonio-Rodas, an illegal immigrant from Guatemala, was arrested and charged with murder last week for a fatal car… […]
    • Top Fauci aide allegedly learned to make 'smoking gun' emails 'disappear'
      Jason Cohen Daily Caller News Foundation National Institutes of Health (NIH) Principal Deputy Director Lawrence Tabak testified on Thursday that a former aide to Dr. Anthony Fauci allegedly violated the agency’s public records policy by disposing of certain emails. Fauci’s senior advisor at the NIH Dr. David Morens allegedly intentionally obstructed the House Select Subcommittee… […]
    • Rudy Giuliani's birthday bash ends in chaos when he's served papers for 'fake electors case'
      (NEW YORK POST) – Rudy Giuliani got more than cake and presents for his 80th birthday bash – he was also served justice. The former New York City mayor was tripping the light fantastic with pals in Palm Springs Friday night when he was intercepted outside the party at the home of top GOP consultant… […]
    • Inflation, not a bug but a feature, of government policies
      [Editor's note: This story originally was published by Real Clear Wire.] By J. Kennerly Davis Real Clear Wire May brings more bad economic news for hard-pressed American households. “Transitory” inflation remains firmly entrenched at rates equal to or higher than those reported at the start of 2024. The Labor Department reports this week that the Consumer… […]
    • State sued for embedding racism in its 'social work' board
      The state of Minnesota has been sued for embedding a racist demand in the qualifications for members of its "Board of Social Work." That group issues licenses to qualified social workers and then takes disciplinary action against those who violate its standards. It has 15 members appointed by the governor, including five who are vetted… […]
  • Enter My WorldView