Report: Clinton Diverted Billions From Pentagon to UN Peacekeeping

CNSNews.com ^ | 2/12/02 | Lawrence Morahan

[kattracks]

(CNSNews.com) - A draft report by the General Accounting Office reveals that former President Clinton contributed over $24 billion for U.N. peacekeeping missions around the world between 1995 and 2001, money that wasn't officially credited to the U.S. account by the United Nations.

The report shows that America's "debt" to the United Nations was more than compensated for by extra peacekeeping assistance that the world organization never gave the United States credit for, U.N. critics said.

"This new GAO report makes it absolutely clear that the U.S. debt to the U.N. was a complete fraud," said Cliff Kincaid, a journalist and president of America's Survival, who released a copy of the draft report.

"And remember that this report only covers the fiscal years 1996 - 2001," Kincaid added. "If the complete years of the Clinton administration were taken into account, the figure could rise by several more billions."

The Clinton era saw an explosion in the number of U.N-sponsored peacekeeping missions carried out by U.S. forces that were not necessarily supported by Congress.

Those peacekeeping operations were the cause of heated disagreements over dues, including debates on whether the United States had accumulated sufficient back dues to be voted out of the U.N. General Assembly.

Between fiscal years 1996 and 2001, the United States directly contributed an estimated $3.45 billion to support U.N. peacekeeping, the report states.

During the same period, however, U.S. indirect contributions to U.N. peacekeeping amounted to $24.2 billion.

Of the $24.2 billion figure, the GAO found that the largest indirect contribution - about $21.8 billion - was for U.S. military operations and services. This meant military personnel and equipment had to be diverted from Pentagon operations to the United Nations.

The GAO defined indirect contributions as "U.S. programs and activities that are located in the same area as an ongoing U.N. peacekeeping operation, have objectives that help the peacekeeping operation achieve its mandated objectives, and are not an official part of the U.N. operation."

For example, estimated U.S. indirect contributions to U.N. operations in Kosovo and East Timor, which involved nation building and the training of local government agencies, "amounted to over $5.1 billion and included military operations to help provide a secure environment and programs to provide food and shelter for refugees and train police and court officials."

Congress Limits U.S. Contribution

The United Nations assesses member states a percentage share of the total cost of peacekeeping operations. The U.S. assessed share has historically been over 30 percent of total peacekeeping costs.

In November 1994, Congress limited the amount the United States could pay to 25 percent of peacekeeping costs, beginning in fiscal year 1996, the report noted. However, the United Nations continued to bill the United States at its historically 30 percent of total costs, leading to U.S. arrears.

In 2000, U.N. member states agreed to change the assessment formula and to drop the U.S. share of the peacekeeping budget over a three-year period to 27 percent, the report said.

Between fiscal years 1996, which began October 1995, and June 30, 2001, the United Nations conducted 33 peacekeeping operations in 28 countries, according to the report. As of January 2002, 15 of these operations were still ongoing in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia, involving over 47,000 military personnel, civilian police, and observers.

"When you're spending American taxpayer dollars you need accountability for American taxpayer dollars, and the procedure that the U.N. has of requesting donations and the practice of the Clinton administration to categorize expenditures as donations removes that accountability," said a senior official familiar with the GAO report.

Speaking at Heritage Foundation in Washington, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations John Negroponte said of U.S. involvement in peacekeeping operations: "If there is a threat to international peace and security out there, and it needs to be dealt with, it is better that we do it where possible with other partners who are picking up part of the cost."

He added: "So I would say that while we always want to be careful about the costs and we always want to be careful about where it is that we decide to undertake U.N. peacekeeping operations, there are demonstrable benefits for the United States."

E-mail a news tip to Lawrence Morahan.

Send a Letter to the Editor about this article.

[MeekOneGOP]

Klinton's library in that pic should be named Master-Bait and Tackle.

LOL! Ok, how about this one then????. . . . . .(see note below).

The Grand Slammer?????????
:o)

[B4Ranch]

What The UN Doesn't Want You To Know

UNFPA Supports Coercion in Vietnam

Illinois U.N. Official Predicts New World Order (World Govt Possible Ten Years?)

U.N. Wake-up Call? United Nations Division for Sustainable Development

U.N. Funding battle rages

Does America Have A Future?

[davidosborne]

BTTT

[Alabama_Wild_Man]

"...The Clinton era saw an explosion in the number of U.N-sponsored peacekeeping missions carried out by U.S. forces that were not necessarily supported by Congress..."

- and those that were supported by both sides of Congress, were just exactly which ones ?? ?? ??

[MinuteGal]

There are so many conservative organizations operating in this country doing great research and PR on a variety of issues such as gun control, abortion, family, the liberal media, drugs, support of the military, on and on, infinitum.

I don't recall any group specifically dedicated to researching and exposing the UN. Yet the UN is one of the MOST dangerous forces working against this country and its citizens.

Why do we have to depend on the UN-loving media for all the scant pieces of information regarding the slimy and corrupt UN (usually doled out after-the-fact)?

I hope someday, somewhere, a group will form and we have a reputable place to contact to learn up-to-date facts about the terrorist UN behemoth.

Leni

[VOA]

"This new GAO report makes it absolutely clear that the U.S. debt to the U.N. was a
complete fraud," said Cliff Kincaid, a journalist and president of America's Survival,
who released a copy of the draft report..

Now I have good reason to listen even less when the UN b-tches about the USA
being a deadbeat for it's UN dues.
Surely this will get the news embargo by the mainstream media.

[buffyt]

61 - Even I would donate to THAT Clinton library!!!! ROTFLMAO!!!!

[buffyt]

Keep Ron Paul in office. He is a US Congresscritter from Texas. He is about the only one I know who wants to get rid of the very dangerous UN!!!!

[lavaroise]

UN to Israel? Say no.

Freepmail'em http://home.netscape.com/ex/shak/international/packages/mideast/

[TwoStep]

**Ping**

[backhoe]

I'll use those links- thanks!

[Aquamarine]

Here's where the money for the VA went.

[backhoe]

Thank you- I will use those links!

[Mahone]

So where is the self-righteous outcry by the news media? Isn't this a much bigger story than trying to tar the administration with Enron? Of course not, who cares that such actions directly undermined our military and intelligence agencies and resulted in 9/11?

Why isnt' the investigation into 9/11 getting more media attention? Yes, that is a rehtorical question.

[MeekOneGOP]

. . . . . . .Is there any end to what he has done to our country??

Uh. . .no.

[Bigg Red]

Amen!

The Clinton Legacy = September 11 attacks

NEVER FORGET!

[Brett66]

His cage needs a "Please don't feed the animal" sign. ;)

[b4its2late]

"When you're spending American taxpayer dollars you need accountability for American taxpayer dollars, and the procedure that the U.N. has of requesting donations and the practice of the Clinton administration to categorize expenditures as donations removes that accountability," said a senior official familiar with the GAO report.

Holy crap! Take from our Pentagon budget, give to UN. How clintonesque. We might as well get used to seeing this stuff bubble to the top. Will anything be done about all of them? Probably not, everyone does it.

[Pete53]

The UN is a complete fraud.

[Faithfull]

Great article Bump! let's all remember though that the GAO is still operated by Clinton loyalists- i.e. the reason evidence of illegal alien information was burned. Unless some great fair minded reporters follow this story, it will never get the coverage it should.