Senator Jesse Helms Threw Down the Gauntlet at the United Nations

"Americans resent your lack of graditude"

``A United Nations that seeks to impose its presumed authority on the American people without their consent begs for confrontation, and - I want to be candid - eventual U.S. withdrawal,''

To sum it up in a few words, Senator Helms told the assembled UN Ambassadors that United States citizens were tired of being called "deadbeats" for not paying "their fair share" of the United Nations budget. Helms said that not only does the United States pay its share of the United Nations bills, but in the last year, the United States had contributed over 10 billion dollars for various "peacekeeping operations"

``The money we spend on the U.N. is not charity,'' Helms declared. ``To the contrary, it is an investment - an investment from which the American people rightly expect a return.''

Congress last year voted to pay $926 million in back U.S. dues over three years.

The United States paid a $100 million installment late last year. But to get the rest, the United Nations must meet about a dozen conditions drafted by Helms, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman, and Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del., the committee's senior minority member.

The conditions includes a reduction the U.S. share of the U.N. peacekeeping budget from the current 31 percent to 25 percent and of the regular budget from 25 percent to 22 percent.

Helms said the United Nations must also trim its spending and not draw the United States into ``entangling alliances.''

The senator accused the General Assembly of an anti-American bias. ``The American people hear all this, they resent it. And they have grown increasingly frustrated with what they feel is a lack of gratitude,'' he said.

``A United Nations that seeks to impose its presumed authority on the American people without their consent begs for confrontation, and - I want to be candid - eventual U.S. withdrawal,'' Helms asserted.

Has Helms crossed the Rubicon?

As soon as I get a copy of the entire speech, I will post it. But for now, here are the articles that were published today.

http://search.news.yahoo.com/search/news?p=%22jesse+helms%22&hc=0&hs=16

Stories from Yahoo regarding Senator Jesse Helm's Speech at the United Nations today.

Senator Helms threw down the gauntlet!!!

Helms Seeks U.N. Reforms (Associated Press) http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/ap/20000121/pl/un_helms_12.html Sen. Jesse Helms, who has made a career of lambasting the United Nations, kept up the attack as he addressed the Security Council on Thursday, saying Americans feel ``a lack of gratitude'' from the world organization. - Jan 21 12:32 AM EST

http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/ap/20000121/pl/un_helms_12.html Helms Extends Hand to UN But Blasts Its Main Ideas (Reuters) Jesse Helms, the chairman of the powerful U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, appealed on Thursday for a new beginning in U.N.-U.S. relations, then set about smashing some of the most cherished icons in the temple of international diplomacy. - Jan 20 8:58 PM EST

http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20000120/pl/un_helms_5.html Helms Calls for New Era in U.N.-U.S. Relations (Reuters) Jesse Helms, the chairman of the powerful U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, appealed on Thursday for a new beginning in U.N.-U.S. relations then set about smashing some of the most cherished icons in the temple of international diplomacy. - Jan 20 7:29 PM EST

http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/ap/20000120/us/helms_united_nations_1.html Helms Rips UN's 'Lack of Gratitude' (Associated Press) Sen. Jesse Helms, who has made a career of lambasting the United Nations, kept up the attack as he addressed the Security Council on Thursday, saying Americans feel ``a lack of gratitude'' from the world organization. - Jan 20 4:28 PM EST

http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20000120/pl/un_helms_4.html Helms Urges New Start in Rocky U.N.-U.S. Relations (Reuters) Jesse Helms, one of the most powerful American senators, appealed on Thursday for a new beginning in U.N.-U.S. relations and then set about smashing some of the most cherished icons in the temple of international diplomacy. - Jan 20 3:58 PM EST

http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20000120/pl/un_helms_3.html Helms Rips UN's 'Lack of Gratitude' (Associated Press) Sen. Jesse Helms, who has made a career of lambasting the United Nations, kept up the attack as he addressed the Security Council on Thursday, saying Americans feel ``a lack of gratitude'' from the world organization. - Jan 20 4:28 PM EST

http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20000120/pl/un_helms_4.html Helms Urges New Start in Rocky U.N.-U.S. Relations (Reuters) Jesse Helms, one of the most powerful American senators, appealed on Thursday for a new beginning in U.N.-U.S. relations and then set about smashing some of the most cherished icons in the temple of international diplomacy. - Jan 20 3:58 PM EST

http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/ap/20000120/pl/un_helms_4.html Helms To Visit U.N., Talk About Dues (Associated Press) Sen. Jesse Helms, one of the harshest congressional critics of the United Nations, is offering the world body a truce. - Jan 20 10:40 AM EST