Last week, the United Nations landed plenty of ink as a result of their declaration opposing foreign fighters in Iraq.
Time wrote it up, Deutsche Welle did as well, PRI and so many more.
We're also opposed to foreign fighters in Iraq.
But when we say that, we mean the US, Australia, Canada, et al.
Last week, the United Nations yet again demonstrated how useless they are and how empty Ban Ki-moon's reign as Secretary-General has been.
Unlike Kofi Annan, to cite only one example, Ban Ki-moon has been more than happy to be seen as a powerless pawn to US' interests.
Much is being made (rightly) of the White House doing little for months and months to address the violence in Iraq but what of the United Nations?
What of Ban Ki-moon's failures.
The European Union has shown greater interest in and leadership on Iraq than any other body including the United Nations.
Ban Ki-moon's tenure has been marked by Nouri al-Maliki mocking him at a press conference (with Ban standing right beside Nouri when it happened) and rumors of corruption on the part of his former envoy Martin Kobler.
What it has not been marked by is any progress in Iraq.