They admitted it!!

I was amazed when I recently read an article about the U.N. announcing that they have drastically overestimated the number of AIDS cases in the world. They cut the number by 40%!!!

Anyway that's not what amazed me. What did amaze me was two statements that were made in the article with very little emphasis.

1. "Having millions fewer people with a lethal contagious disease is good news. Some researchers, however, contend that persistent overestimates in the widely quoted U.N. reports have long skewed funding decisions and obscured potential lessons about how to slow the spread of HIV. Critics have also said that U.N. officials overstated the extent of the epidemic to help gather political and financial support for combating AIDS."

2. "There was a tendency toward alarmism, and that fit perhaps a certain fundraising agenda," said Helen Epstein

Both statements amazed me because they are so true. The U.N. has really only been concerned about fundraising not about actually solving the problem. This is the very nature of government.

There are so many "crisises" in the world that follow this same approach. First, the "scientists" yell that the sky is falling. They ask for funding to research the problem. They ask for funding to find the solution. When the funding and interest dwindle, they either yell that it is much worse than orignally thought or they find something else to yell about (i.e. get money for) .

Global Warming, AIDS crisis, world hunger, endangered species, avian flu, SARS, etc. Not that any of these items don't have a seed of truth but everyone is blown out of proportion in order to gain funding without doing the necessary research.

To best understand the issue... Follow the money!

Does the UN have a backbone?

I just reading an article about Iran's nuclear centrifuge capabilities being confirmed by the IAEA. They are very obviously pushing the envelope of what should be allowed. A nuclear Iran is unacceptable.

Decision time for US over Iran threat

To me the real question is: Does the UN have a backbone at all? Will they finally stand up and say enough is enough or will they again condemn the behavior and say knock it off PLEASE.

So many people around the world condemn the U.S. for acting unilaterally. If the UN had any spine or any place where they would actually draw a line and not back down, the US might not have to do that. Unfortunately, again it is beginning to look like the UN will shirk it's responsibilities.

Who will again deal with the problem, pay the cost, pay the price, and make the world safer for all? The same people who have been doing it for decades... the U.S. and it's real allies (UK, Australia, etc.). France, Germany, and Russia will wring their hands and then complain about our unilateral nature.

When will the UN or the hand wringers finally show some spine??