In December 2007, the U.N. General Assembly broke with a 20-year tradition of adopting budgetary decisions only by consensus by approving the 2008-2009 regular budget over a U.S. objection.
The United States remains committed to working with the U.N., buthow long that commitment lasts depends on its willingness to bereformed and its ability to confront the challenges of today.Terrorism, tyranny, and genocide remain the three great evils ofour time, and the U.N. will be judged by how it responds to them.
"The United Nations is only as effective as its members" is one of the arguments you will always find thrown back at you from supporters of the United Nations, whether the subject is the Iraq oil-for-food scandal or the human rights abuses committed by U.N. peacekeepers in Sudan. Faults are never laid at the door of the U.N. leadership, but always at that of the member governments - particularly the United States as the largest donor, of course. As we all know, an offense is the best defense.