"As U.S. Dissents, U.N. Approves a New Council on Human Rights Abuse"

Photo: Bebeto Matthews/Associated Press

Bolton sure looks uncomfortable sitting surrounded by all those wogs.

According to the NY Times:

Under [new] terms meant to restrict rights abusers from membership, candidates for the council will be voted on individually rather than as a regional group, their rights records will be subject to mandatory periodic review and countries found guilty of abuses can be suspended.

But the final text had a weakened version of the crucial membership restriction in Mr. Annan's original plan, which required new members to be elected by two-thirds of those voting. Instead, council members will be elected by an absolute majority of member states, meaning 96 votes.

Major rights organizations and a number of American allies in the United Nations — which had all lobbied Washington to reconsider its opposition — argued that the terms were far better than existing ones and would keep major abusers off the council.

Gosh, I wonder if the U.S. still has the votes to get itself voted on. Yesterday's U.N. vote was "170 to 4 with 3 abstentions. Joining the United States were Israel, the Marshall Islands and Palau."