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U.S. to U.N. Ambassadors: Please Stop Getting So Drunk During Budget Meetings

Mar. 5, 2013 10:22am
U.S. Joseph Torsella to U.N. Ambassadors: Stop Getting So Drunk During Budget Meetings

President Barack Obama addresses the U.S. General Assembly. (AP File Photo)

The U.S. ambassador for management and reform at the United Nations on Monday kindly requested that his esteemed colleagues stop conducting world affairs completely inebriated.

Speaking during a General Assembly budget committee meeting, Joseph Torsella said: “There has always been a good and responsible tradition of a bit of alcohol improving a negotiation, but we’re not talking about a delegate having a nip at the bar…We make the modest proposal that the negotiating rooms should in future be an inebriation-free zone.”

Budget committee meetings, in particular, seem to be tackled with a fair amount of booze.

U.S. Joseph Torsella to U.N. Ambassadors: Stop Getting So Drunk During Budget Meetings

Joseph Torsella (Photo: U.S. Mission to the U.N.) 

The Atlantic relates:

Some diplomats spoke up after Torsella’s very public shaming and said it’s not uncommon for delegates to show up visibly drunk to negotiations. “On one occasion the note-taker who was meant to be recording the talks was so intoxicated he had to be replaced,” one unnamed diplomat told the press. We’re not talking about cheerful, oops-I-had-a-glass-of-chardonnay-at-dinner drunk either. Another unnamed diplomat said that delegates were showing up “falling down drunk.” Torsella himself mentioned one incident where a delegate got so hammered that he barfed, though it’s unclear where.  [Emphasis added]

One Security Council diplomat seemed fine with the policy as is, though: “It’s all about the last one standing is the winner…After three weeks together and 20 hours a day, people start to get really comfortable enough. But if you are dumb enough to get so drunk you can’t negotiate, then you deserve [to get out played].”

According to Foreign Policy, one diplomat said the representatives of developing countries have a habit of showing up late and intoxicated.  Developed countries, who foot the majority of the bill being discussed, tend to be more level-headed.

But the aforementioned Security Council diplomat countered: “…it’s not just Africans. The Russians do it…There’s nothing new or surprising about this. Canada used to bring whiskey. The French used to bring bottles of wine…”

Reports note that, like nearly everything else done by the costly international body, Torsella’s request is non-binding and there is little he can do to enforce it

Regardless, Torsella seems to be tackling waste and inefficiency within the U.N. at every turn.  A quick search of what appears to be his Twitter feed shows the diplomat to be targeting the bloated travel budget, in particular.

If negotiators can’t fulfill their assigned duties, Torsella concluded: “we must conclude that they do not share a commitment to negotiating in good faith, and we will respond accordingly.”

Who knew?

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Comments (39)

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  • Larry E
    Posted on March 5, 2013 at 6:27pm

    It’s obscene that UN representatives would be half stewed during budget meetings! Who do they think they are anyway, the US Congress for crying out loud.

    Report this comment

    Larry E  
  • KingArthur
    Posted on March 5, 2013 at 5:02pm

    America needs to get out of the UN and focus more on NATO relations. The UN is nothing more than a cabal of socialist dictators that hate US. They use the UN as a platform to spew their anti American and anti capitalist hatred, and create international legislation that erodes our sovereignty and picks our pocket. Then appoints individuals from countries like Saudi Arabia, china, and Iran to boards like the Human Rights Council who actually have the audacity to lecture US on human rights. End the charade and get out now…

    Report this comment

    KingArthur  
  • heidihoneighbor
    Posted on March 5, 2013 at 1:43pm

    Taxpayers cant be more relieved to know they are having fun.

    Now we know how agenda 21 came about.

    Report this comment

    heidihoneighbor  
  • heidihoneighbor
    Posted on March 5, 2013 at 1:35pm

    AAwesome. Our hard earned tax dollars at work. Most of us cant afford to drink but these jackasses are in drunk while budgeting our money.

    Id be willing to bet that isnt all they have in their system either. I know a few people in elite places that talk about all the things they ” do” in these meetings.

    Funny that its illegal for the people they work for to do …. ahem …. that would be us.

    Report this comment

    heidihoneighbor  
  • sbs21078
    Posted on March 5, 2013 at 1:17pm

    Is this the excuse that we have from the UN that a bunch of Goodtime Charlies get falling down drunk that they are giving and taking Property and Rights from Countries that isn’t theirs to Give-Away?

    Report this comment

    sbs21078  
  • shorelineliz
    Posted on March 5, 2013 at 12:24pm

    On another note:

    Boozy Uncle Joe said: “Drunk? Whose drunk? I only drink socially. Now, driver, please drive me to the UN Budget Meeting so I can drink socially.

    Report this comment

    shorelineliz  
  • Ghandi was a Republican
    Posted on March 5, 2013 at 11:57am

    Call this thing what it is and kick it out of the free World. “United Nations” has some connotation that it could act for the common good of free peoples. It does not. It is a rogue organization that has never contributed to the betterment of the World. IN FACT: the U.N. stands on the very ground where something useful and purposeful COULD stand.

    Report this comment

    Ghandi was a Republican  
  • Brasil2520
    Posted on March 5, 2013 at 11:55am

    By getting drunk the budget committee simply acknowledge the fact that the word “budget” in their name is a joke in it self, kind of like someone looking over their bills getting drunk to avoid seeing the obvious financial disaster that’s coming.

    Report this comment

    Brasil2520  
  • woodyee
    Posted on March 5, 2013 at 11:38am

    Okay…

    Are they getting drunk DURING the meetings, as the title to the story implies, or are they showing up to the meetings in a drunken state…erahhh, which would have many moving to that State…?

    Uh, are you confused, or are you?

    Report this comment

    woodyee  
    • LakeHartwellSailor
      Posted on March 5, 2013 at 12:03pm

      Does it matter if they are drunk before the meeting, or getting drunk as the meeting progresses? I don’t think it makes any difference. The point is, there are idiots who are getting drunk while engaging in negotiations on so-called “important” matters. Just another example of the uselessness of the U.N.

      Report this comment

      LakeHartwellSailor  
  • sheik yermami
    Posted on March 5, 2013 at 11:29am

    How can anyone put up with UN BS without being drunk?

    Report this comment

    sheik yermami  
  • Norsepagan
    Posted on March 5, 2013 at 11:16am

    “Please stop getting so drunk during budget meetings.”

    My wife tells me that all the time.

    Report this comment

    Norsepagan  
  • www.k12math.com
    Posted on March 5, 2013 at 11:12am

    What a bunch of…
    http://youtu.be/lvgN5MjVwyk

    Report this comment

    www.k12math.com  
  • worthless
    Posted on March 5, 2013 at 11:07am

    Good times… good times

    What a life. How do I become a Diplomat? (sarcasm)

    Report this comment

    worthless  
  • Penn
    Posted on March 5, 2013 at 10:49am

    I think it would be a great idea if the United Nations rotated their “world” headquarters. Say every four years, like the Olympics.
    It would be even better if they chose the country based on how bad things were there, like Sudan or Turkmenistan, or Zimbabwe or how about North Korea!
    Just think of the economic benefit the U.N. members and their entourages would have on these impoverished countries. In addition to having a dramatic impact on the standard of living of the people who live in these countries, the U.N. ambassadors would have a front row seat to view what should be their priorities. Stopping real genocidal warfare, providing clean water and soap, agricultural aid, vaccines, education, healthy pregnancies, aids awareness. And comparing their experience living and dining in NYC versus stuffed goat and tin rooms in Ashgabat.
    Hopefully, after the first sixteen years or so, no U.N. member nation would wish to be “it” and they would either clean up their own mess or quit the group.
    Finally, just think of all the tax revenue those Turtle Bay condo’s could bring in.

    Report this comment

    Penn  
  • cdn1979
    Posted on March 5, 2013 at 10:47am

    could you not name at least one delegate that is doing this?

    Report this comment

    cdn1979  
    • tzion
      Posted on March 5, 2013 at 12:49pm

      You’ll have to ask the accuser, a man who sits in those very meetings.

      Report this comment

      tzion  
  • justangry
    Posted on March 5, 2013 at 10:47am

    So glad we’re handing over our sovereignty to these wonderful human beings. I know I never swore allegiance to them. How about you all?

    Report this comment

    justangry  
  • media-bias-steals-elections
    Posted on March 5, 2013 at 10:47am

    That’s easy to solve, withdraw from the UN and top giving them money to support the religion of Islam with American public tax dollars, sell the building to Donald Trump, let him flip it for 3 billion dollars and we get our money back?

    Report this comment

    media-bias-steals-elections  
  • Lloyd Drako
    Posted on March 5, 2013 at 10:41am

    “A good and responsible tradition of a bit of alcohol improving a negotiation?” In that case, I’d like to buy a round or three for Obama, Boehner, Cantor, Reid, McConnell et al.

    Report this comment

    Lloyd Drako  
    • Southerner01
      Posted on March 5, 2013 at 10:53am

      Obama has his own White House microbrewery. I have attributed everything he has done since he was elected to inebriation.

      Report this comment

      Southerner01  
  • Cavallo
    Posted on March 5, 2013 at 10:41am

    These are the people the Dems would have rule us. Drunks and perverts.

    Report this comment

    Cavallo  
    • Zipit
      Posted on March 5, 2013 at 10:46am

      Barney Frank, and Ted Kennedy, (rest his well sauced soul)!

      Report this comment

      Zipit  
  • noslave
    Posted on March 5, 2013 at 10:41am

    if they disband the U.N.and meet at a local bar instead the same amount of NOTHING WILL BE ACCOMPLISHED??although will have less drain on our economy,real estate,parking tickets,rape,etc. hideing behind diplomatic immunity?

    Report this comment

    noslave  
  • Gonzo
    Posted on March 5, 2013 at 10:35am

    Hey Joe, at least they are having budget meetings. Tell Obama he and Harry Reid can both show up drunk if they want, but let’s put a budget together, what do you say?

    Report this comment

    Gonzo  
  • MDECKER
    Posted on March 5, 2013 at 10:33am

    That explains everything, Otis is in charge at the U.N.

    Report this comment

    MDECKER  
  • Sargeking
    Posted on March 5, 2013 at 10:32am

    The U.N. Ambassador’s couldn’t care less. If they can’t be arrested for stateside murder (via diplomatic immunity), they sure don’t worry about getting drunk in chambers. The real skinny is to dispatch the entire U.N. to someplace beyond, such as Iceland or Mali. Thanks!

    Report this comment

    Sargeking  
  • term limits for congress
    Posted on March 5, 2013 at 10:31am

    If the UN disappeared tomorrow, no one would notice. It is money down the sequester drain. Although, I will be submitting my application to become an ambassador today – seems like fun.

    Report this comment

    term limits for congress  
  • redfish52
    Posted on March 5, 2013 at 10:28am

    Never happen…especially with the Arab Delegates…they know when they get back home all drinking stops so they make up for it in a big way. If had a flight out of Kuwait that left there and flu into Bah-ha-rain. As soon as we entered there airspace the bar was opened and I was amazed at how many beers a man can drink in the 15 minutes before we had to prepare for landing.

    Report this comment

    redfish52  
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