The title is a jest, of course. But when I originally book-marked this article, the United Nations were in the process of “debating” whether they should suspend Libya’s membership in the Human Rights Council. That article has since been updated to show that the U.N. has done the least useful thing possible, which in the case of the U.N. isn’t very much:

The General Assembly voted by consensus on the council’s recommendation to suspend Libya’s rights of council membership for committing “gross and systematic violations of human rights.” It also expressed “deep concern” about the human rights situation in Libya.

The vote does not permanently remove Libya from the council, but prevents it from participation until the General Assembly determines whether to restore the country to full status. The resolution was sponsored by Arab and African states.

First of all, what was Libya doing in any Human Rights Council anyway? The very idea is ridiculous. The country has been a totalitarian dictatorship for 41 years and the leader of that dictatorship is a man who pioneered state-sponsored terrorism. That the United Nations only “suspended” their membership is like holding the door open for Osama bin Laden.

The membership of the Human Rights Council reads like a who’s who of tyrants and autocrats. Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Qatar, Uganda, Zambia and everybody’s personal favourite, Saudi Arabia. The last country is especially noteworthy, ranking 12th worst in the world in a freedom index compiled by Freedom House.

Of those on the index considered “not free”, 11 countries are members of the United Nations Human Rights Council. One has to ask what the purpose of such a council is if it has the kind of members who commit crimes against humanity with impunity. If ever there was a more compelling reason to disband the disastrous international organization, this would have to rank at least second place.

I mean, if it literally takes exterminating members of your population indiscriminately — as opposed to behind the scenes as such honourable members as Russia and China do — how accountable can this organization really be to “human rights?” And can membership for Iran be far behind?

In other news, war is peace, freedom is slavery and ignorance is strength. I read it in a book somewhere.