New UN Secretary General

[sam i am]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20061004/wl_asia_afp/unannansuccession_061004003825

What do you think? Will this guy be more or less effective than Kofi Annan at making the UN relevant and decisive when necessary?

Does his being South Korean make a difference in the ongoing North Korea deal?

[Echewta]

I dont know enough about the guy. Its a difficult job though. PBS had a really interesting story on Annan and what he had to do. Its pretty hard to make 192 nations happy. Much more respect

[sam i am]

Agreed. As much as I think Annan did a piss-poor job in many areas, the personalities and political/military upheavals that he's been around for have made the job of UN Secretary General MUCH more difficult than in the past.

Hope the new guy has his head on straight...

http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/10/04/opinion/edbenner.php

A quick bio : http://www.korea.net/korea/html/C/01/cabinet_5.html

[Echewta]

But honestly, do you think the U.N. Sec. Gen. will ever do a good job? Doubt it. No matter who it is.

[sam i am]

But honestly, do you think the U.N. Sec. Gen. will ever do a good job? Doubt it. No matter who it is.

I do believe, as much as I'm a pro-American imperialist:rolleyes: , that the UN can be an effective body for taking care of crap like Darfur.

Humanitarian missions are much more their forte. As for geopolitical stuff (intervention in wars, diplomacy, effectiveness with sanctions, etc.) - there's far too much divide in the world to make it effective.

[DroppinScience]

I still say it'd be cool if Clinton got to be Secretary-General.

[sam i am]

I still say it'd be cool if Clinton got to be Secretary-General.

I did not have sex with that country....Kazakhstan :p

[sam i am]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20061009/wl_afp/unsuccessionskoreaban_061009162152

Update on the General Secretary.

Bolton's take, about the "juxtaposition" of N. Korea testing a nuke and a South Korean leading the UN is interesting. Wonder if sanctions are nigh?