U.S. LOSES SEAT ON U.N. NARCOTICS BOARD

Second Expulsion Shows Other Countries Are Punishing Bush

WASHINGTON - The United States has suffered another blow to its pride with
its ejection from the UN's International Narcotics Board. The move follows
its ouster last week from another UN body, the Geneva-based Commission for
Human Rights.

In addition to being embarrassing, the latest setback throws a wrench into
U.S. efforts to involve the United Nations in its South American
drug-fighting efforts, on which it is spending billions of dollars.

The U.S. State Department would only say it was "regrettable" the U.S. role
in the narcotics council has been sharply diminished and could offer no
explanation.

"There's something happening out there," said spokesman Richard Boucher.
"Clearly, I think it's fair to speculate there may be issues related to how
we handled ourselves, to how we position [ourselves internationally]."

What is not in doubt is the reaction of Republicans in Congress.

"It's going to provoke a response in Congress, with some members feeling
they have to respond to the snubs," said Ted Carpenter, vice-president for
foreign policy and defence studies with the Cato Institute in Washington.

Many Republicans -- including Jesse Helms, the influential chairman of the
Senate Foreign Relations committee -- have a deep-seated suspicion of the
United Nations and have balked at paying the billions of dollars the United
States owes in dues.

Already there is a campaign on Capitol Hill to withhold US$582-million in
back dues for the world body and US$67-million to rejoin UNESCO.

Barry McCaffrey, the former U.S. drug policy director, said the attempts to
reduce the U.S. role in the United Nations "add to the sentiment in
Congress that would say, 'Why should we support regional or multi-national
UN operations?' "

Mr. Carpenter said he expects the Bush administration to respond as it had
with the spy plane incident in China.

"I suspect he will be speaking out fairly forcefully," he said.

Although the two votes were secret, there is little doubt other countries
were trying to punish George W. Bush for several unilateral moves since he
became U.S. President.

"It was payback to Mr. Bush for Kyoto," said Mr. Carpenter, pointing to the
decision by the administration to abandon a controversial proposal to
globally reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Pushing ahead with the missile shield was another contentious issue.

Mr. Bush has also refused to ratify the treaty creating an international
criminal court and the U.S. Senate has withheld its approval of the nuclear
test ban treaty.

"[UN] member states, particularly those who have been very strongly
supportive of the international criminal court, have been disappointed by
the U.S. not coming on board," said Kofi Annan, the world body's
Secretary-General.

UN diplomats also point out Mr. Bush has yet to appoint an ambassador and
the United States did not lobby hard enough to hang on to both seats.

Mr. McCaffrey said the loss of the U.S. seat on the narcotics commission
would hurt other countries more than the United States.

"It's a great loss to the international community to not have us in a
leadership position," he said. "We play a dominant role in the research and
development of drug treatment programs in the world."

But Mr. Carpenter said he doubted the loss of seats would seriously affect
human rights work or fighting drug trafficking.

"People on both sides tend to take the UN too seriously," he said.

It is constant public attention, and not just the UN, that forces a country
to change its human rights abuses, he said. "And in the international war
on drugs, the UN is a bit player."