U.S. is finally close to meeting U.N. dues

The United States is now just a U.S. House vote away from fulfilling its longstanding obligations to the United Nations and the rest of the world.

The U.S. Senate and its chief U.N. critic — Sen. Jesse Helms — have finally been satisfied that the international organization has done enough to streamline its operations and cut back on a bloated and sometimes corrupt bureaucracy.

In exchange, the Senate has voted unanimously to release some $582 million in back dues to the United Nations. A House vote of approval is expected shortly.

This is long overdue. While some of the criticism of the United Nations was warranted, it was an embarrassment to the United States that it was not bearing its share of the cost of the U.N.’s work.

Once our accounts are up to date, we must keep them there. The United Nations is far from a perfect organization. But in an era where "peacekeeping" and regional conflicts have replaced large-scale war, its work has become increasingly important.

It deserves continued support.

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