U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon publicly acknowledged Thursday that he removed the Saudi-led coalition currently bombing Yemen from a blacklist of child killers — 72 hours after it was published — due to a financial threat to defund United Nations programs.
The secretary-general didn’t name the source of the threat, but news reports have indicated it came directly from the Saudi government.
The U.N.’s 2015 “Children and Armed Conflict” report originally listed the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen under “parties that kill or maim children” and “parties that engage in attacks on schools and/or hospitals.” The report, which was based on the work of U.N. researchers in Yemen, attributed 60 percent of the 785 children killed and 1,168 injured to the bombing coalition.
After loud public objections from the Saudi government, Ban said on Monday that he was revising the report to “review jointly the cases and numbers cited in the text,” in order to “reflect the highest standards of accuracy possible.”
But on Thursday, he described his real motivation. “The report describes horrors no child should have to face,” Ban said at a press conference. “At the same time, I also had to consider the very real prospect that millions of other children would suffer grievously if, as was suggested to me, countries would defund many U.N. programs. Children already at risk in Palestine, South Sudan, Syria, Yemen, and so many other places would fall further into despair.”
Saudi Arabia is one of the U.N.’s largest donors in the Middle East, giving hundreds of millions of dollars a year to U.N. food programs in Syria and Iraq. In 2014, Saudi Arabia gave $500 million — the largest single humanitarian donation to the U.N. — to help Iraqis displaced by ISIS. Over the past three years, Saudi Arabia has also been become the third-largest donor to the U.N.’s relief agency in Palestine, giving tens of millions of dollars to help rebuild Gaza and assist Palestinian refugees.
“It is unacceptable for member states to exert undue pressure,” the secretary-general said. “Scrutiny is a natural and necessary part of the work of the United Nations.”
Ban called the decision “one of the most painful and difficult decisions I have had to make.”
Saudi Ambassador to the U.N. Abdallah al-Mouallimi, who held his own press conference afterward, offered his own back-handed confirmation of what happened. “We didn’t use threats,” he said, “but such listing will obviously have an impact on our relations with the U.N.”
“It is not in our style, it is not in our genes, it is not in our culture to use threats and intimidation,” he concluded.
Ban has invited a team from the Saudi-led coalition to New York to conduct a “joint review” ahead of scheduled U.N. discussions on the report, scheduled for August.
On Monday, however, after the changes were announced, the Saudi ambassador to the U.N. declared that the changes were “final and unconditional” and that Saudi Arabia had been “vindicated.”
Related:
Now know one konw when the war willing in
The United Nations. Otherwise known as the United Nothing by Israel. The building is taking up prime real estate on the Upper East Side and can be better used as a community center, a senior center, a childcare center for single parents… anything but the sham of what it is.
The United Nations remains an organization that is more potential than anything else ~ the idea being wonderful but the actuality reminding us how the rich and powerful control the conversation. This is yet another example of not doing what is right/honorable ~ and the payoff was actually less than many of the uber wealthy spend on a yacht. The children continue to suffer ~
Well done Saudi Arabia for their generous contributions to the UN! Still does not excuse wilful killing of children. Well done Ban Ki Moon for being as honest as he can be in his role as International Diplomat. It’s a crazy world. We all should try to protect the children.
Maybe the dreadful thing Ban Ki Moon has done could’ve been the Almighty’s way of making sure that in the next few months—when the UNSC’s 5 permanent members give approval by CONCENSUS to the appointment of new Sec.Gen to replace this misfit South Korean Ban—that the new Sec.Gen must show ENOUGH proof that he’s NEUTRAL in 2 very aspects of world conflicts. Namely, they are (1) the sectarian-divide between Shite and Sunni now plaquing Middle East (2) ideological Cold War between the West and China and Russia. As far as the Cold War is concerned, I feel the present EU Foreign Affairs chief Federika Moghereni makes a perfect choice as Secretary-General of UN. But then she just took over few months ago (for the next 5 years) from Lady Ashton, Uncle Sam’s favourite baroness. But never mind, who knows by 2021, she can be the UN Secretary-General.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is an Unprincipled man, and worthless leader. He has no social conscience, when he can be bought by corrupt governments.
Agreed. It is about time that the world stood up to Saudi Arabia. The UN is a complete farce.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is an Unprincipled man , and worthless leader.
Did you even read the article?
To have any real power, the UN has to have ‘Real Power’. Won’t happen. Sovereign nations won’t relinquish power. Especially ‘powerful’ sovereign nations. Might be for the best, might be for the worst. A global Hercules in concert with a global Socrates might knock enough heads together to get something started. But, that wouldn’t be democratic. And there is the ‘rub’.
To a Saudi, all that matters is how they are perceived in the world. They picture themselves as holy people and they want to be thought of as such. After working with them for 5 years, I find them to be one of the most disgusting life forms on earth. They could not care less for others (let alone children of another nation). There only concern is themselves. They are use to throwing money around to buy their “righteousness”. Nothing surprising in their action here.
If its that easy to control Moon, then why was he put in charge? Admitting this proves one thing: the UN is a complete failure.
OK, Tiger…apply for the job.
What job? Being extorted isnt a job. And you do understand he could be lying right? Or after everything, you actually trust people in power?
Can you people read?
Ban said,
“COUNTRIES” would defund many UN programs” (emphasis added).
Everyone seems to want to assume Saudi Arabia is the main
source of this arm-twisting. The main problem is reflected in the fact
that Ban will not say which “counties” are making this threat.
There is no reason to not suspect the faking USA (or any of its allies)
is one of the “countries” making this threat.
The most important question is
Who is making this threat?.
One problem with your point: its whichever country AND the US. Its not a question, or at least shouldnt be. The us has told the UN that it wont observe any international crimes, hence Cheney and friends not being prosecuted for war crimes.
I want facts
while you and so many others seem willing to accept assumptions
and the acceptance of assumptions is what has lead to numerous
corruptions, including horrific bloodbaths.
If you know more, please inform us all of the facts in this case.
The fact that we are not told which countries have made these
threats is indicative of the corruption Ban and his ilk are willing
to protect from scrutiny.
Now you want facts. Must be nice to demand facts from citizens, but not politicians. LOL. Great double standards you have there. As for facts, you really havent been paying attention.
If you do not have the facts about who made these threats
why are you acting as if you do?
I was being mildly sarcastic about your stupid assumptions.
I didn’t really believe that you had any facts.
Ban has the facts and he isn’t going to reveal them –
while you can prefer to ASSUME all you want until Hell freezes
over and there will be no one held responsible in either case.
Never said I knew who they where, nor implied it. Good one. Maybe next time dont project your assumptions. Makes for better conversation instead of a bunch of allegations.
to call this “extortion” is illiterate. to call it “blackmail” is sub-illiterate
So…what would you call it, counsellor
Consciously uncoupling?
“It is not in our style, it is not in our genes, it is not in our culture to use threats and intimidation,” he concluded.
No, we’ll just bomb children to smithereens. Gotta love them “allies in the war-on-terror”, though!
Ban KiMoon. Stuck between a rock and a hard place. We all have to know when to bow and when to rise. The money is feeding so many needing children. But the offending Saudi’s are not the owners of the world. Their Karma will follow them straight to hell.
the immorality is neither that Ban is accepting the Saudi’s condition nor that the Saudi’s are imposing a condition. it’s that the Saudis are killing children
Yes…….. they, and all of their coalition buddys, are child killers.
“It is not in our style, it is not in our genes, it is not in our culture to use threats and intimidation,” he concluded.
Strangely, dropping cluster bombs on children is genetic, but it’s not meant as a threat, but rather a collective, one time, birthday present.
No government with a state religion should be allowed in the U.N
Amen to that Ash!
…..ditto….
Ban Ki-moon = spineless
Spineless…for revealing that he was blackmailed???
Spineless for allowing himself to be blackmailed.
Uhhh, no. He WAS blackmailed…and member countries (many with a veto) turned their backs.
It states that UN Secretary is influenced by USA to bend forward.
Please feel free to provide evidence to support your claim.
Why bother? You aren’t interested in any facts whatsoever.
I’m interested in facts. Could you please provide evidence?
Saudi Arabia is highly valued as an ally and weapons customer. The USA, during the Bush ears, displayed open contempt for the UN(John Bolton). It’s the “duck” metaphor…an the USA swims, quacks, and displays shiny feahers…
Saudi-Arabia and UK helped each other get on the human-rights board in UN. Probably they also extorted Ban together.
Even Iran is probably better than the Saudis at this point
Nobody ever explained competently to me why Iran was so bad. They just don’t like the USA.
The NYT deigns this worthy of some ink …
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/10/world/middleeast/saudi-arabia-yemen-children-ban-ki-moon.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=first-column-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news
Those threats are in reaction to rampant corruption in an effort to pressure the UN to clean up their act.
…of which you have no proof whatsoever.
Who else has SA blackmailed?
You funny.The blackmailers are Zion,as not one iota of anti saudi comment is issued by the MSM,and since 9-11,they’ve been ironclad in their obfuscation of saudi involvement in the day that changed everything,because the zionists were co conspirators.
One day you will wake up,hopefully.
Well, if I cannot call killing all those kids “collateral damage” as the Americans do. I am just going to take my ball and go home. Playing ball with the Saudis is like playing with a snake in a briar patch.
Are the US/UK also on this list? If not, did they also threaten to defund the UN? They are clearly guilty of these crimes.
Can I just say that letting that Ban Ki Moon’s strategy of making the Saudi’s threat public is amazing? The Saudi’s got pissed when the UN wanted to name and shame them in the armed conflict report. But Ki Moon is now just naming and shaming them on this. This will make it harder for the Saudis to pull out their UN funding – they have to atleast TRY and not ruin their image further
“It is not in our style, it is not in our genes, it is not in our culture to use threats and intimidation,” he concluded.
I haven’t laughed out loud at something I’ve read in such a long time. The above statement made me laugh for a full minute. I might have laughed longer if the lie weren’t so disgusting.
At first read I was furious. After many deep breaths I can only say that I do not envy Ban Ki Moon’s position, to have to make the decision of saving some lives at the expense of many more. It’s not an easy decision. This is a classic example of Phillipa Foot’s thought experiment in ethics, The Trolly Problem. So before everyone goes ape shit, know that philosophers and even mathematicians the world over, since 1967 haven’t come up with a clear answer to this…. A sad state of affairs.
there is a very clear answer, it’s outside the box
1. admit what the problem is
2. determine that you want to solve the problem
3. solve the problem. the solution is a replacement currency system and a set of enforceable rules that govern rulers whereby the people can declare a crime and hold court. POWER MUST BE RECIPRICOL.
“enforceable rules” and the UN … that’s a bad joke. Dream on.
Philosophers get bad press for not giving clear answers, but they unanimously agree that when accused of applying double standards, the proper response is: “the Saudis made me do it”.
They are a very scabby outfit.
I wonder: would it not be better to state the truth and have Saudi Arabia defund the UN? In the process they would have to make a very visible spectacle of themselves as a belligerent rogue state; and this would make it harder for Western nations to back them. Would the net effect perhaps be better?
Perhaps the problem, though, is that it’s not just Saudi Arabia that’s pressuring the UN, but the USA as well. That could present a bigger stumbling block.
“Perhaps the problem, though, is that it’s not just Saudi Arabia that’s pressuring the UN, but the USA as well. That could present a bigger stumbling block.”
That is exactly what I thought as I read Ban’s rationale. The US has used its Security Council veto power to block enforcement of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicaragua_v._United_States among other woulda-been-good-decisions-but-they-made-the-US-angry, so it’d be far from unprecedented. Also, arms sales yaaaaay. :(
How many UN resolutions has the Saudis thumbed their nose at,and how many has Israel?Why no Israeli condemnation?
A giant scam,its obvious USzion and the Saudis are on the same corrupt page.
Perhaps a one off event but spectacular none the less.
http://russia-insider.com/en/politics/owned-victoria-nuland-totally-shut-down-matt-lee-one-question-video/ri14634
Priceless. Too bad the majority of presstitutes are sycophants soaking up the constant Orwellian dribble that spews out of the mouth of these prompter-reading drones. a sickening twist as she make sure her patriotic lapel reminds us of her righteousness as she lies once again.
“The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society,”
Bernays
Classic BS:
“It is not in our style, it is not in our genes, it is not in our culture to use threats and intimidation,” he concluded.”
But it is within their style and genes as shown by “researchers in Yemen, attributing 60 percent of the 785 children killed and 1,168 injured to the bombing coalition.” of which they are a part.
“The USA and the Saudi’s are allies strolling along holding hands.”
So the Saudi’s use the threat of withdrawing their funding to sweep under the rug what they do to innocent children. How is this different than what the corrupt funders of our bought and paid for US politicians and judges are responsible for when they make our children suffer as they place their fathers in prisons for profits? We have less than 5% of the world’s population, but incarcerate 25% of the worlds imprisoned mostly men of color.
All the things the USA and world business plutocracy does that hurt working people hurts children. It just kills them more slowly, and takes them through the realm of hopelessness, poverty and bitterness before they finish them off.
Some people help others as an expression of a sense of humanity that wealth is useless if those without wealth are suffering due to the unequal distribution of wealth.
Others who lack that humanity use giving as a tool that they can use to try to control others when they want to hide their lack of humanity.
Good for Ki-Moon! Anybody with an IQ past a houseplant could see that he was coerced by The West’s favourite ally…so to come out and state it is great.
Now Western political idiots have to rev up their spin machines.
The Wests fall guys maybe,the favorite ally is Israel,isn’t it obvious?
WTF?
Ban Ki-moon should have resigned instead.
Ban Ki-moon is on his way out … more likely he’s just waiting for the Saudi checks to clear.
UN is 100% Muslimes
“It is not in our style, it is not in our genes, it is not in our culture to use threats and intimidation”
Wow, that just oozes sincerity, doesn’t it?
No one wants to be like the zionists,who actually do use threats and intimidation on US citizens through their sh*thole politicians like Andy Cuomo.
That is such a brazen lie one doesn’t know whether to laugh, cry, or strangle someone.
Let me get this straight, the organization that is supposed to be a check and balance for crimes against humanity bent over and parted their arses for the Saudi Wahhabi alliance due to a monetary threat?
Time to disband the useless UN, stop sending them money, and refuse to return their calls, until they actually grow a pair and stand up to terrorists and extremists that slaughter women and children…
I don’t know which is worse, the Wahhabis that are waging war from Africa to Europe, or the established governments that allow it to happen.
When they start using phrases such as: “the highest standards … possible” …
… RUN, Mothergrabber, run …
Moon. Once again exhibiting all the spine and morality for which he is renowned.
The UN exists to provide “cover” to the five permanent members of the security council. If everybody else would figure that out and walk away the world would be a safer place.
We wouldn’t even need to tear up the charter. Just vacate the chair. (and leave it empty) You wouldn’t even need to return the bribes or kickbacks, just don’t show up.
I think we could consider just dumping the Security Council, which, after all, exists almost solely to ensure that the victorious Allies of WWII continue to run the planet.
The victorious Allies, together with Germany and Japan, and minus Russia…
I’m sympathetic to the Saudi claim they issued no financial threats against the U.N. All they had to do was say: “Are you sure you want to be seen as doing something? That would be undermining your brand”.
Of course, with the U.N. you can never rule out misunderstandings due to cultural differences. Perhaps the Saudis simply invited him to witness a child being beheaded, which he might have misinterpreted as a threat, rather than the honor which was intended.
But perhaps my overly generous personality is looking for ways to give people the benefit of the doubt.
sympathy for the devil … https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdR7yieQdoo
you make a good point BM.
… perhaps the unreleased 28 pages of the 9/11 report that we are not privy to will test your overly generous personality in it’s endeavour to find ways to give people the benefit of the doubt.
then again, it may simply be a misunderstandings due to cultural differences.
…..could Ban’s silence to this extortion be considered aiding and abetting?….
I do not understand Ban’s silence? What would he have to lose by speaking out about the Saudi’s threat, waiting for responses, then releasing his report.
It could have one wondering what other similar “extortions” have taken place under Ban’s UN leadership….
Someone needs to ask Ban Ki-Moon the for the names
of all of the “counties” which threatened the UN. Everyone is focusing
on Saudi Arabia while history shows that the faking USA
is proud to kill 500,000 children when they “think it is worth it.”
I doubt that Ban has the ability to tell who the predators are
because all ass-kissing power games must be protected from
revelation and he might lose his role as Madame of the UN if he
dared reveal the truth.
Yet the great UN is on “mute” mode on the human massacres committed by Houthis with the blessings of Iran Mullahs. complete silence on Iran’s other terrorist militia Hezbullah starving the LIFE out of Syrians keeping their puppet Assad in power. The UN is silent on the massacres committed by Iraq’s Shia militias in Fallajouh starving its people and “FORCING” them to join ISIS or die! And here I thought The Intercept is actually fair in their “fair non-mainstream media” reporting.. .
“But they do it, too!”
Yeah, pretty sure that excuse got tossed when you turned 10.
It’s not a matter of “excuse ” darling!! it’s a matter of UN ( and the complicit western media) covering up for Iran’s “actions” and losing their minds for Saudis “reaction”. The UN AND the western media (with the blessings of Russia of course) is brewing a new Middle East where two non-Arab blood thirsty states ( Israel and Iran) control the region. I don’t think Arabs WILL take that deal anymore..
I see.
Perhaps the Saudis should collaborate with Israel, bomb their neighbors, and provide weapons and funding to ISIS and al Qaida to kill Arabs…
… oh, wait… they’re already doing that.
So, what are you talking about?
Your generalizations don’t make sense or match the facts on the ground.
Maybe if you provided more details and clarity?
SA suffers from terrorist groups on so many levels. In fact, they inflicted great losses on the country. Another point to made it clear is that SA does not support nor fund any terrorist group. Regarding your comparison between SA , no comment.
The Saudis supported the wars in Iraq and started the war in Syria (with more than a little help from their friends)… and after creating the conditions necessary for the rise of ISIS, they then helped fund them too.
ISIS forcing or “FORCING” Iraqis and Syrians to join them under threat of death began long before effective action against them was mounted.
If you want to apportion blame for the death and destruction in the region, the Saudis would rank second after the US… or maybe third depending on how you factor in lobbying and cheerleading for US action into those numbers.
As for Yemen, Saudi meddling is largely to blame for the conflict they then used to justify their illegal intervention.
As Contisertoli pointed out, “they do it too” doesn’t fly… but particularly when the Saudi’s do it more… or pay for others to do it.
And we should also remember that during the war and occupation in Iraq, the single largest source of foreign fighters killed and captured while attacking US troops were Saudis… so it’s not just the members of their government with the genetic predisposition.
SA did not give the permission to Saudis and even to troops to fight in Iraq. That’s totally wrong. Let me ask you why would the US be part of a horrific crime under the name of ( looking for nuclear weapons in Iraq)? The US has rich long history with crimes in Iraq and other countries. Japan is another good example. Another hint SA had to intervene in Yemen to restore peace. So it is for the general good.
Ah,the Sunni side of the street speaks.
You idiots have been divided and conquered into Zionist boy toys.HAHAHAHAH…
Instead of him saying sorry that the UN has relied on heavily misleading one sided sources for the report, Ban is accusing the Saudis of threats. Ban is more worried for his future career as President for S Korea than for the neglected children of the world.
Do you have citations for those “heavily misleading one sided sources?”
“Ban is more worried for his future career as President for S Korea than for the neglected children of the world.”
Ban is the epitome of the career bureaucrat. He is, perhaps even more than his average predecessor, the creature of the permanent members of the UNSC.
Either his action in reporting the apparent extortion by your government was one of unusual bravery or one or more of the big boys of the Security Council blessed it. Whichever, the result is “not a good look” for KSA.
What you and your rulers are claiming is that the threats did not occur.
So, if the numbers in the still to be finalized report for the deaths of children by Saudi hands are confirmed, we have a promise that the funding will not be cut?
If you’re so confident, why not promise to double or triple the funding if the numbers turn out to be accurate?
The Saudis are after all responsible for creating much of the need for that funding.
Or how about a ceasefire in Yemen so experts can conduct a thorough investigation without you dropping bombs on them?
It is documented by the legitimate government in Yemen that numbers mentioned by UN are far from reality. Another reason contributed to children death is they are hired to plant mines and fight in battle fields. So there is no point in accusing SA. They had to intervene for the sake of peace.
This is ridiculing of human rights!
“It is not in our style, it is not in our genes, it is not in our culture to use threats and intimidation”
He further explained, “We usually just fly planes into skyscrapers and the Pentagon.”
“Did I just say that out loud?”
“Well, shut my mouth!” ;^)
He further explained, “We usually just fly planes into skyscrapers and the Pentagon.”
holy shit Chuck ! … that was a plane that hit the Pentagon???
… you have the dubious honour of being the second person i have ever heard claiming that it was a plane.
… what a fascinating development.
And after that we wave our magic wand at building number 7 and it falls perfectly as well….
Well,I guess the Zionists told them its OK,we’ll warn our citizens to stay away that day,and we’ll watch from Jersey City.
dahoit…a stuck record. Mindless.
i never really thought of money as the root of all evil but it sure is looking that way now.
Nope. It is the LOVE OF MONEY that is the root of all evil. Get the quotation right. it has a completely different meaning than your misquotation.
“It is not in our style, it is not in our genes, it is not in our culture to use threats and intimidation” – lol tell it to the folks on Flight 77, which was flown into the Pentagon by five Saudi Arabians. Oh, you can’t, because they’re dead.
It’s as annoying to hear some other race claim they are genetically more civilized than everybody else as it is my own.
I don’t understand why the United States doesn’t just declare Saudi Arabia a state sponsor of terrorism and immediately freeze every asset they have invested in Wall Street overnight, before they can move it offshore, as was done with the Iranian regime c. 1979.
So they halt all oil shipments – so what? With renewable energy, efficient technology, and domestic oil & gas production, it wouldn’t be much of a blip – no 1973 energy crisis, that’s for sure.
Our government officials are such toadies, it’s disgusting.
Well the saudis would say,whatever we do,we do it with USzion permission.
Is this not evident to a blind deaf and dumb person?
“Flight 77, which was flown into the Pentagon”
If it helps you sleep at night, go ahead, believe in your government officials …
“Warning, Captain! Troofer at Nine O’clock!”
Debunking the 9/11 Myths: Special Report – The Pentagon
So now we know the reasons for the “humanitarian” donations from Saudi Arabia… documental leverage.
Just like those “humanitarian donations” to the Clinton Foundation. Nothing to see here folks, just Saudi Arabia doing charity stuff. Move along.
Just about every major philanthropic institution financed by global corporations involved in energy, pharmaceuticals, agribusiness, finance, weapons etc. operates on this principle. Throw lots of money at an organization, get them addicted to the cash flow, and then threaten to cut off the cash if they don’t cooperate with your agenda.
It’s like a heroin dealer – first time’s free! Then, once they’re addicted, they come crawling back on their knees.
This is seen in NPR funding, for example, which is what that outfit is best described as “Neoliberal Propaganda Radio” these days; this is also how the Clinton Foundation operates its global philanthropy operations.
Jane Mayer’s excellent Dark Money covers how the more socially right-wing versions of the Clinton Foundation (Heritage, Scaife, Koch) operate in a similar vein.
Now can Ban Ki-moon explain why the USA is not on the list?
same reason. We’d pull the rug out from under the UN building and flip it into the East River
why is this not cnn or nyt news?
Oh, the usual reason: because the American establishment is a large, self-protective club with multinational ties to the elites allied with the West, a club which allows bread and circuses for the people (including ‘political’ circuses)…
…but silences any information proving definitively the shady dealings and actionable corruption of the establishment’s high-ranking members and allies.
Because:
“One of the N’s in CNN stands for News. The other one stands for Not”
– Jimmy Dore, Comedian Extraordinaire
Because child-killing has always been at the forefront of American enterprise.
Long ago, when I lived in South Philly, the less-sophisticated members of certain organized crime groups operated in the same fashion:
“We have your wife and kids. If you want to see them alive again . . .”
I’m not sure exactly how to read the Sec. Gen.’s “admission,” but “brave” is certainly one possibility.
Yeah… I like Ban too.
The analogy is inapt because the Saudis are contributing a lot of money and your organized crime groups are contributing nothing. This can’t be ignored: “Saudi Arabia is one of the U.N.’s largest donors in the Middle East, giving hundreds of millions of dollars a year….” So, it’s more like the mob donating money to the local church. If the church knows who they are dealing with should they accept the money? Or should they refuse it and allow “Children already at risk … [to] fall further into despair”? And should the money be accepted with the condition that the mob is never condemned from the pulpit? What if there is no other source for the funding? It seems that Ban was facing a difficult moral quandary.
“. . . your organized crime groups are contributing nothing.”
You clearly don’t understand how cultures closely intertwined with organized crime operate. Those groups routinely contribute munificently.
“If the church knows who they are dealing with should they accept the money? ”
The Church will only ever “know” that they are dealing with people who want to make contributions to good causes. And the Church believes in forgiveness of sins and redemption. Of course it will accept the money, and do good things with it, usually.
“And should the money be accepted with the condition that the mob is never condemned from the pulpit?”
That would never happen in the Church in the US in modern times. And the mob would never make such a demand. And the Church would be, er, selective in its condemnations of mob activity, but would condemn some of it vigorously.
It’s a complicated old world out there. ;^)
Sanction the Saudis. We need a BDS movement to target the Saudis.
That would be called fracking, more or less. But my you know how people don’t want to come to any reasonable accommodation over it.
No it would be called a large-scale rollout of renewabe energy. Years ago, well before the advent of cheaper and more efficient solar panels and wind turbines, the Saudi oil minister acknowledged that if the U.S. wanted to, it could replace all foreign oil imports with renewables “within seven to ten years”, and that part of the Saudi investment agenda in the United States was to prevent that happening, by dictating that none of the money they invested here would go to renewables.
No, actually.
Oil isn’t used for electricity production, and only a tiny percentage of transportation uses natural gas. The former also explains why the drop in oil prices hasn’t hurt solar and wind.
“We need a BDS movement to target the Saudis.”
Fracking is killing the Saudis.
BDF