Is Chirac to be believed?

Agreed 100%. The UN is only "irrelevant" when the most powerful nation on the earth treats it that way. There is a simple solution to making the UN "relevant": treat it like it is.

You can't fault the UN for being hampered while using that as the justification for hampering it.

This thread has certainly drifted far afield from the original post first to the UN and than to the Iraqi invasion. I guess that is my fault since I called the UN a paper tiger. To begin with I believe the Invasion of Iraq was premature and based on, being kind, erroneous information. However, as for my calling the UN a paper tiger. All they seem to be able to do is talk and pass worthless resolutions while the world burns. Is that is all we are to expect this world body to do? Kofe Annon is calling for changes and I would hope redirection. Something must change if it is expected to live up to it's purpose and not to be just a high priced debating society.

Au,

I would love to discuss ways the UN could be improved. Maybe a new thread? I gotta go but if someone starts it I'll be there.

Yeh au, what would you like this world body to be able to do? That would perhaps be a more effective place to start, I'd be interested as much as Craven.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- It had to happen. Scientists have finally cloned a rat.
A team of researchers at the Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique in Jouy en Josas, France, and a company called GenOway said on Thursday they had cloned the favored laboratory animal for many researchers, and hope the technology will provide better animals for future research.

Appropriate, the French clone a rat

Exceptionally appropriate, since one of the pioneers of microbiology, Louis Pasteur, was French. In fact, wasn't the person who isolated the HIV also french? And cloning a mammal is a major accomplishment. Of course,this doesn't do much for your propensity to French-bash, does it?
P.S. : I don't think this could have been done in the US, with the Bush admin's rather stupid prohibitions on cloning research, inspired by the same people who have said things like: "If English was good enough for Jesus, it is good enough for me. "

Man are you easy.

Yes, but I am far from cheap!