UNESCO'S Bizarre Hero

I can't/won't lay off the United Nations these days; I become increasingly convinced it is more a cause of so many of the world's problems rather than a solution. Peter Brookes writes in today's New York Post about another UN abomination:

Early this month, in front of 200,000 screaming sup porters in Havana's Revolutionary Square, Cuban dictator Fidel Castro bestowed Venezuelan strongman Hugo Chavez with UNESCO's 2005 International José Marti Prize for promoting Latin American heritage, liberty and values.
Huh? Chavez? Liberty?
I'm not sure what the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization folks are "partaking" of, in their cushy Paris headquarters, but the notion that Venezuela's caudillo is deserving of an award espousing these ideals (not to mention presented by Castro in Havana) simply boggles the mind.
It might be time for Washington to reconsider its membership in — and its $80 million-plus contribution to — this misguided U.N. agency.

That's $80 million in American taxpayer dollars, part of which is going to reward one of the shining new despots adored by the Left. Makes you feel good, seeing how well-spent our dollars are, huh?

The aged Castro, who by some accounts slurred his way through his speech, praised his island-prison Cuba, his protégé Chavez and Jose Marti and spewed predictable volumes of anti-American bile, calling the U.S. a world menace.
As Papa Castro presented the certificate (and $5,000 in loot) to Venezuela's Fidelito, the crowd cheered wildly, and waved Cuban and Venezuelan flags....In a mind-numbing 21/2 hour speech that only a despot (or, maybe, Bill Clinton) could give, Chavez called the U.S. a "brutal, cynical, murderous empire," promising that "we will do everything to shred it."

Said Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.): "It is astonishing and beyond the pale that a man such as Chavez, who poses a very real threat to democracy, not only in Venezuela, but in the entire region, and has engaged in virulent anti-American attacks, was honored by UNESCO."
That's only the half of it. Chavez has seized private property, closed radio and TV stations for anti-government content and jailed critics. He has consolidated single-party rule, stacked the courts with Chavistas and won a 2005 election by stuffing ballot boxes, according to Steve Johnson, a Latin America expert.

Only an amazingly corrupt and amoral institution like the United Nations could see fit to reward leaders whom vow to "shred" member states (where's the UNESCO award for the Iranian president?) while limiting freedom and discourse in their own country.

No offense to the Florida Congresswoman, but she should not be astonished...the United Nations is in the business of supporting leaders like Chavez, groups like Hamas, and fascist states like Iran in their bid to obtain nuclear weapons. All while joining in on that time-honored fascist salon game of Jew-baiting, of course, held weekly in the General Assembly. And doing it all on the U.S. dime, of course.

If there is to be any hope of world peace, the UN must be moved out of the way; and none too delicately...


Update: Fausta reports that Chavez is joining forces with the Iranians in an economic war against the United States, starting with a combined attempt to undermine the strength of the US dollar. Someone ought to let the Democrats know that America's enemies at least believe in Bush's preemptive warfare doctrine enough to adopt it as their own...