Originally published on the CGS blog on May 3, 2007.
The Better World Campaign, along with a number of other organizations including Citizens for Global Solutions, just launched a new web-based campaign at www.PriceOfPeace.org to engage Americans and encourage the U.S. government to pay its full and fair share of its U.N. peacekeeping dues. This effort is way over due. The U.S. already owes the U.N. around $500 million for peacekeeping. Unfortuantely, this year’s budget request from the White House under-funds peacekeeping by approximately $500 million. So unless Congress act the U.S. will owe the U.N. a billion dollars again.
Deb Derrick, BWC’s executive director, said that “Great nations pay their bills. At a time when the United States is calling on the UN to increase its peacekeeping operations, it is crucial that Congress address this major shortfall and begin formulating a plan to pay back our debt and keep our promise to the international community.” She’s right!
PriceOfPeace.org hosts an online petition asking Congress to fully fund UN peacekeeping efforts. This petition will be delivered to Members of Congress in the coming weeks. It also has a lot of great information about peacekeeping, a flash video, and some well designed e-cards to “tell-a-friend.”
There’s much more to say regarding how we can work together to make peacekeeping more effective, but this is a great way to start. More to come later.
