The Darkness of Night, the Dawn of Morning

Egypt be free!

Tonight, Ambassador to the UN for the United States, Ms. Susan Rice, was in Portland.

The "welcoming committee" outside, about 3 or 4 protesters - saying no to the UN, to the IMF, to the World Bank. After listening to her talk, I wonder why they do not want world cooperation?

She framed our contribution to the UN as good payoff: for 1/10 of 1 percent of our federal budget we participate in the UN through country dues. If not for this, would we be shouldering the whole burden of UN missions on our own?

She quoted former UN Secretary General Dag Hammarskjold on the purpose of the UN - "not to bring humanity to heaven, but to save it from hell". Many things the UN has done - polio vaccines, bedneds for malaria, Millenium Development Goals to reduce poverty.

In credit to the open spirit of Portland, all you needed to do on entry to the church, which was packed to listen to her, was have them check your name off a list and head on in. No metal detectors or anything. And to her credit in response to questions both positive and confrontational, her tone was one of "The Obama administration believes...", or "I've answered your question". Somewhere inside of her is a Jersey girl, I sense.

Some questions - what about those Israli settlements in Palestine? There is a limit to what the UN can do. They can't force any countries to take action.

Influence is what its about. Consensus. If not for the UN where would we have a forum for world cooperation? Whatever its problems or dated structure, and she will admit its not perfect, we need the UN more than ever.

. Not a Jersey girl after all - she is a child of DC. Whose mentor was Madelaine Albright, one of the women I most respect on the planet.

21 years ago on February 11 was the day Nelson Mandela walked out of prison. And today of course will long be remembered..

Go Egypt - let us all hope and pray that they can pull it off.