"Venezuela gets security council seat; Turkey fails" by Somini Sengupta | New York Times October 17, 2014
UNITED NATIONS — Despite objections by the United States, Venezuela secured a seat Thursday at the global table of high power, the United Nations Security Council, while Turkey, a vital but complicated American ally, was resoundingly defeated.
The results came midday, after two rounds of voting by the 193 member states of the UN General Assembly. Turkey was in the running with Spain and New Zealand for two of three rotating two-year seats on the council.
New Zealand secured the necessary two-thirds majority of votes in the first round. Spain won in the second round.
By lunchtime, the General Assembly Hall was awash in embraces and handshakes.
Turkey, which has sought to project itself as a regional power in the Middle East, campaigned intensely for the council seat, highlighting in particular its role in the war against the Islamic State extremist group.
But Turkey has also come under scrutiny, particularly by European countries, for what critics call its insufficient crackdown on foreign fighters who have traveled through Turkey to join extremist groups in Syria.
The Turks are playing both sides on this, and have been for a long time. They have been and are actively supplying weapons and manpower for ISIS and Al Nusra, while using the fight against such to push their plans against the Kurds and Assad.
Beyond that, this is an incredible rebuke of the U.S. The world is sick of our criminal government, Americans.
Analysts said Turkey’s defeat — it won 109 of 193 votes in the first round, but just 60 votes in the second round — also reflects the divisions in the Middle East, as Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and others jostle for power.
The Saudis turned down a seat on the council in protest of U.S. policy last year.
There were also three uncontested seats. Angola was chosen by the nations of Africa to represent the continent, starting in January 2015. Malaysia was selected as Asia’s candidate, and Venezuela chosen to represent Latin America. It secured 181 votes, and may well use its perch on the council for making anti-American diatribes.
Waa, waa!
The United States swiftly condemned its selection. “Unfortunately, Venezuela’s conduct at the UN has run counter to the spirit of the UN Charter and its violations of human rights at home are at odds with the Charter’s letter,” the US Mission to the United Nations said in a statement. “The United States will continue to call upon the government of Venezuela to respect the fundamental freedoms and universal human rights of its people.”
So when is the U.S. government going to respect those things?
In any case, the powers of the rotating, nonpermanent members of the council are limited. The United States, along with Britain, China, France, and Russia, are its permanent members. They have veto power.
Amazingly, the permanent members charged with keeping peace and security in this world are also the five largest arms dealers on the planet -- with the U.S. far in the lead.
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