Let U.S. Lead: Burden Sharing in Iraq and Afghanistan
H.R. 2829 would cut U.S. assessed contributions to the UN by 50% unless it moves to a system of voluntary funding. This proposed cut would undermine U.S. national security, severely erode U.S. legitimacy abroad and cause massive new U.S. debt to the UN. The missions in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Haiti are all supported through our assessed dues and consume over 70% of those payments. Missions like these are effective because they carry the international legitimacy of the UN. This provision fails to grasp that the strength of the UN comes from its impartiality. A move to voluntary funding would lead countries to cherry pick which UN activities they want to support, potentially leaving some initiatives — including the vitally important UN missions in Afghanistan and Iraq — devoid of funding.
