Feb 7: Prevent War: Change Comes to the U.N.

Prevent War: Change Comes to the U.N.

Quote of the week: “The United States is determined to act to prevent such violations of international humanitarian law. This means, in practical terms, preventing conflicts in the first place, keeping existing conflicts from escalating to mass atrocities, acting early and decisively when they occur, and ensuring that peacebuilding and post-conflict assistance consolidates peace durably once conflict ends.”

~U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice

Topics in this message:

  1. U.S.-U.N. Relations
  2. Action: Thank Ambassador Rice
  3. Hill Updates
  4. Additional Resources
  5. New Resources at FCNL.org

1. U.S.-U.N. Relations

Susan Rice hit the ground running last week as the new U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. On January 29, she addressed the Security Council for the first time in her new role. The change in tone and policy from the past administration could not have been starker. In her first statement before the Security Council, Rice said the Obama administration is committed to “building strong international partnerships to tackle global challenges,” including international peace and security, terrorism, arms proliferation, climate change, genocide prevention, global poverty, and respect for human rights and democracy.

Rice also highlighted the need to strengthen respect for international humanitarian law, reinvigorate global efforts to prevent deadly conflict, and fulfill the responsibility to protect civilians from mass atrocities. Read her statement.

2. Action: Thank Ambassador Rice

Thank Ambassador Rice for her statement before the Security Council and encourage U.S. leadership to strengthen U.N. capacities for preventing deadly conflict and building peace.

3. Hill Updates

Last week the House Foreign Affairs Committee held a members-only briefing on A Foreign Affairs Budget for the Future, a recent report from the American Academy of Diplomacy and the Stimson Center. Former Ambassadors Thomas Pickering and Thomas Boyatt briefed members on the human capital crisis at U.S. civilian foreign policy agencies and presented recommendations for strengthening U.S. diplomacy and development. Rolling back the militarization of U.S. diplomacy and development was also discussed, according to a key Foreign Affairs Committee aide.

House Democrats are expected to bring an omnibus spending bill to the floor by early March. This bill will contain nine appropriations bills for fiscal year 2009, including the State and Foreign Operations bill, which funds U.S. diplomatic and foreign assistance programs. FCNL has lobbied for funding to increase the diplomatic corps, create a civilian response corps, and increase staffing at the U.S. Agency for International Development. We’ll follow the progress of this legislation and keep you updated.

4. Additional Resources

Bernard Kouchner, "The Savaging of International Humanitarian Law", International Herald Tribune

Donald Steinberg, “First Lehman Brothers, Next Liberia"International Crisis Group

Ban Ki-moon, Implementing the Responsibility to Protect: Report of the Secretary-General

5. New Resources at FCNL.org

FCNL Analysis of Economic Recovery Legislation (pdf)

Letter to Nancy Pelosi: Increase Mass Transit Funding

Coming soon…FCNL statement on U.S. policy in Afghanistan