The next Abbott and Costello?

Last week, a new era was ushered in at the United Nations.\nNo, I am not talking about an era in which the organization effectively promotes world peace and no longer tolerates scandal in its ranks.\nRather, this era is one that reveals the United Nations for what it truly is: a mouthpiece for anti-American bias and hate speech.\nTwo leaders -- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez -- gave addresses to the U.N. General Assembly.\nAnd rather than focus on serious issues and rally support for the citizens that put them in power, these men used their visit to attack President Bush, spew anti-American rhetoric and drum up support for programs that threaten world security. \nAhmadinejad, the more serious of the two, stated that his country desired nuclear power for peaceful purposes only and called U.S. criticism hypocritical given the size of its nuclear arsenal. This is certainly nothing new. \nAhmadinejad then attempted to deny reality and say things that were blatantly untrue.\nWhen questioned by an Israeli reporter at a Thursday news conference, he said he is not anti-Jew and has a great deal of respect for the Jewish people. \nGive me a break, Mahmoud.\nNot since 1945 has the world seen such an anti-Semitic figure. He talks about Jews the same way Hitler did and would likely start another Holocaust if he could.\nThis is clearly not the best man to address a body supposedly dedicated to peace.\nNot wanting the event to be viewed as too serious, Chavez stepped in to provide comic relief.\nAfter taking to the podium, he said "the devil" had been there and the room still "(smelled) of sulfur." He then crossed himself and put his hands together as though he were about to perform an exorcism. \nIf it weren't for the Fox News icon at the bottom of the screen, I would have thought I was watching Comedy Central.\nUnfortunately, a dictatorship that uses oil as a weapon and a terrorist state that barely hides its nuclear ambitions are only the tip of the iceberg. It may be easy to dismiss these men as lunatics or say they have peaceful motivations, but reality tells a different story.\nFalse statements of respect and self-serving oil programs for the poor aside, the bottom line is that these men represent part of an unholy alliance conspiring to threaten humanity. They intend nothing more than to propagate their own ambitions and will use whomever they have to.\nThe fact that these men were so warmly received in New York shows there are many who support them -- including the United Nations -- and the duo will use whatever weapons they can to fight the United States and world peace. The organization, having been hijacked by people like Chavez and Ahmadinejad, is a threat now more than ever.\nOnly once we recognize this growing threat can we work to stop it.\nI just hope that happens before it's too late.