Morning Jolt: The Difficulty of Changing the Status Quo in the U.N. General Assembly

The annual meeting of world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly is the sort of gathering that should be a big deal, but passes without incident or much consequence most years. Almost every major world leader speaks, and the assembled United Nations delegates might as well be listening to their iPods on those translation headphones. (Ever notice that in comic books, villains are frequently attacking gatherings of world leaders? A good plotline would be the villains taking over and realizing how many countries can operate just fine with their heads of state held hostage.)

The big story of this year's gathering is President Trump meets the world, and he may be able to get some institutional reforms adopted:

The U.S. drafted a 10-point document, "U.N. Reform Declaration," and asked member states to sign it to attend Monday's event with Mr. Trump, diplomats said. More than 100 out of 193 member states did so.

The declaration, seen by the Wall Street Journal, combines the U.S.'s ...

September 18 2017

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The Difficulty of Changing the Status Quo in the U.N. General Assembly Jim Geraghty The annual meeting of world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly is the sort of gathering that should be a big deal, but passes without incident or much consequence most years. Almost every major world leader speaks, and the assembled United Nations delegates might as well be listening to their iPods on those translation headphones. (Ever notice that in comic books, villains are frequently attacking gatherings of world leaders? A good plotline would be the villains taking over and realizing how many countries can operate just fine with their heads of state held hostage.) The big story of this year's gathering is President Trump meets the world, and he may be able to get some institutional reforms adopted: The U.S. drafted a 10-point document, "U.N. Reform Declaration," and asked member states to sign it to attend Monday's event with Mr. Trump, diplomats said. More than 100 out of 193 member states did so. The declaration, seen by the Wall Street Journal, combines the U.S.'s ... READ MORE No Good Options in North Korea? Stephen Meyer As the North Korean government continues its ballistic-missile testing, a chorus of voices insist that the United States has "no good options" for addressing this growing threat. With China... Senate Backs Excess War Power for the President, Snubbing the Constitution Tyler Arnold Senate Backs Excess War Power for the President, Snubbing the Constitution ADVERTISEMENT Father Tom and the Full Christian Witness Kathryn Jean Lopez Three trees were planted on a concrete island in the 1990s, in what seems like the busiest intersection in London. At first, when my Uber driver dropped me off a few blocks down, I thought it... Why Medicare for All Would Damage our Republic Jay Cost Bernie Sanders remains the hot ticket in Democratic politics these days. He is hocking a "Medicare for all" program that presidential aspirants are tripping over themselves to endorse. Given the... Continue to Fund Children's Health Care, but Coordinate the Programs Better Chris Pope Senate leaders recently reached agreement on a five-year extension of funding for the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which was due to expire on September 30. CHIP, which helps... The Man from Alabama, Pa. Theodore Kupfer It's not an invasion, but for some in Hazleton, Pa., it feels like one. The northern Pennsylvania town is the home of Republican congressman Lou Barletta, whose 2018 campaign for Senate against... ADVERTISEMENT Valley of Death: The Tragedy at Dien Bien Phu That Led America into the Vietnam War Ted Morgan 'Brings to life the climactic battle of Dien Bien Phu in a way no English reader has seen in four decades...This is a gem of a book. ' - John Prados, author of Vietnam: The History of an Unwinnable War, 1945-1975 LEARN MORE Emmy Awards Red Carpet London Train Bombing ADVERTISEMENT Follow Us & Share 215 Lexington Ave., New York, NY, 10016, USA Your Preferences | Unsubscribe | Privacy View this e-mail in your browser.