Using NewsHour Extra Feature Stories

Overview: NewsHour Extra features stories can help students identify and interpret key issues in current events. This activity anticipates one class period, but the follow-up essay might be assigned as homework, or in another period.

Warm Up: Use initiating questions to introduce the topic and find out how much your students know.

Main Activity: Have students read NewsHour Extra's feature story and answer the questions on the reading comprehension handout.

Discussion: Use discussion questions to encourage students to think about how the issues outlined in the story affect their lives and express and debate different opinions.

Follow-up: Students can write an 500-word editorial on the topic expressing their views and send it to NewsHour Extra [extra@newshour.org] for possible publication.

Evaluation: Students are graded on their answers to reading comprehension questions and/or their editorial.

Story: Bush Nomination Challenges United Nations: 03/30/05
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/features/jan-june05/bolton_3-30.html

Initiating Questions:

1. What is the United Nations? What is its purpose?

2. What role does the United States play in the United Nations?

Reading Comprehension Questions: (click here for printout)

1. Who has President Bush nominated to be the next U.S. ambassador to the United Nations? Why is his nomination controversial?

President Bush nominated John Bolton to be the next U.S. ambassador for the United Nations. Bolton, whose confirmation hearings are set to begin in the U.S. Senate next week, is an outspoken critic of the United Nations and many say his selection highlights the Bush administration's tough-minded policy in pushing for reform at the international organization.

2. What does Bolton's nomination say about the current administration's opinions of the United Nations?

Bolton's nomination is the latest measure taken by the United States to change what it perceives is the United Nation's overly bureaucratic nature.

Backed by Vice President Dick Cheney, Bolton has long emphasized the unique role the United States plays as the world's only superpower. He also has said America does not need the U.N. approval to make its own decisions.

Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice said in a press conference announcing Bolton's nomination that he was chosen, "because he knows how to get things done."

3. Who has criticized the Bolton nomination? Why?

But the nomination of the outspoken Bolton has drawn fire. Sixty-two former American diplomats voiced their opposition in a letter to the Senate, which must approve the choice.
The former American diplomats said the candidate has an "exceptional record", but stressed he is wrong the man for the job.

"John Bolton's insistence that the U.N. is valuable only when it directly serves the United States, and that the most effective Security Council would be one where the U.S. is the only permanent member, will not help him to negotiate with representatives of the remaining 96 percent of humanity," the letter read.

4. The United Nations is in the midst of two scandals at the moment. What are they?

Bolton's nomination comes at a time when the United Nations itself is embroiled with controversial charges of irrelevancy and corruption.

Two of the top officials were suspended in connection to accusations of corruption in the Iraqi oil-for-food program, which let Saddam Hussein's government sell oil to buy aid goods it could not get because of international sanctions.

A separate report also accused U.N. peacekeepers of sexual misconduct, most notably in Congo where more than 150 allegations of abuse have been made on 50 peacekeeping soldiers.

5. How has U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan suggested changing the international organization?

U.N. Secretary-general Kofi Annan, who is stepping down next year, says the United Nations is transforming itself by changing its top staff, increasing accountability and taking on the challenges of global terrorism.

Annan recently announced plans to reform the U.N.'s international security system. He has also suggested shoring up money to create a new world body to coordinate peacekeeping efforts. He plans to seek approval of these reforms with world leaders in a summit at the U.N. headquarters in September.

Discussion Questions (more research might be needed):

1. Do you think that John Bolton is a good choice for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations? Why or why not? If yes, how would you address his critics?

2. Research the goals and mission of the United Nations. What is the international institution doing well? What should it improve? What changes would you recommend making? Why? Explain your answer with clear examples.

3. What role should the United States play in the United Nations? How does being the only superpower impact this role?

Send your answers, in essay form, to extra@newshour.org for possible publication!