Help the U.S. government pick soothing music...

Nadia_H · Jun 7th, 2001, 03:00 AM

An adapted (and somewhat funny) letter by a US-based anti-sanctions organization follows this rather bizarre Reuters article.

Reuters
5 June 2001, 10:27 PM ET
"Tune-in-chill-out music to calm U.N. envoys on Iraq"

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - To soothe frayed nerves, U.N. Security Council diplomats reviewing Iraqi sanctions decided to start each negotiating session with five minutes of recorded music, swaying from country to country.

On Monday, it was Britain's turn and rocker Paul Weller, front man for the punk band The Jam, was chosen. On Tuesday, a boom box played traditional music from China that diplomats described as "quite lovely and relaxing." Bangladesh is next.

French envoy Fabrice Mauries is toying with a Serge Gainsbourg-Brigitte Bardot duet but said: "We are looking forward to Jamaica."

Norway's Laila Stenseng suggested the most appropriate might be "Mamma Mia, Here We Go Again," the title song of a 1999 Abba-inspired musical, her colleagues said.

The United States has not revealed its choice. Ireland's John Deady, who has
given the issue careful thought, said the lament "Danny Boy" was excluded.

The idea came from Britain's Iraqi expert, Carne Ross, and his deputy, Gerard McGurk. The meetings are conducted nearly every day, mainly among first secretaries of the 15 council members who specialize in Iraq.

Council members are racing against a self-imposed July 3 deadline on a U.S.-British draft resolution that seeks to ease sanctions on civilian imports to Baghdad, continue bans on military hardware and review a list of goods that can be used for civilian and military purposes.

*********************
*********************
U.S. Mission to the United Nations
799 United Nations Plaza
New York, N.Y. 10017-3505
Email: usa@un.int

Dear U.S. Mission,

I have just read that each country on the Security Council is supposed to select a song to begin each day's negotiating round on the Iraq sanctions. The U.S. has not yet announced its song selection.

Seeing as you are stuck for ideas, here are some suggestions. They are all by great American artists and, as a bonus, actually reflect U.S. policy towards Iraq:

"Cold, Cold Heart" by Perry Como
"How Insensitive" also by Perry Como

Or how about - and this is my own top pick:

"The Torture Never Stops" by Frank Zappa.

Sincerely yours,
Peninsula Peace & Justice Center, Palo Alto, California http://www.peaceandjustice.org