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❝a renewed commitment to multilateralism, empowering the UN to ensure that the US❞ In 1919 Woodrow Wilson placed far too much confidence in the league of Nati0ns as an enforcer of peace, thus feeling less need to bear down on Germany. We need to avoid that mistake this time.

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I know nothing, but, increasingly, I feel that the UN has become another aspect of our performative politics: all sound and fury, signifying nothing.

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The UN has been a huge disappointment when it comes to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Paralysis, fear, inertia, dysfunction. That's in contrast to how I felt touring the UN a few years ago, which was inspiring and impressive. Walking in, one feels the place's importance and size and we can watch sessions of Big Things being debated. But real results feel elusive or nonexistent.

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Yes, as long as it (quickly) takes. Re music for the day, Ode to Joy flash-mob was excellent. Here are two other suggestions:

1. Shchedryk in both Ukrainian and English: https://youtu.be/GqeJ38DThVc

2. Shchedryk again with artists from around the world singing lyrics in their home languages: https://youtu.be/WcOUggaKKaw with the added bonus for us oldsters of Ian Anderson - the flutist from Jethro Tull - playing (of course!) his flute very well.

Tim Snyder wrote about this song of hope in a recent newsletter: https://snyder.substack.com/p/spring-in-february

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