The U.N. Exposed
By Eric Shawn
Sentinel Books, 2006, 300 pages

Fox News correspondent and anchor Eric Shawn thought he had seen everything. After all, he had been on the police beat in New York City. He'd covered presidential campaigns and major news events around the world.

Then he started to cover the United Nations.

In an excellent new book from publisher Sentinel, a division of Penguin, Shawn reveals his insights from his time covering the U.N. – a time that corresponded with the Oil for Food scandal, the drive for meaningful reform, and some of the worst failures in the world body's history.

Shawn opens exposing how the U.N. embraces terrorists. From there, he weaves the tale of Oil for Food throughout the book, and no compilation we've seen marshalls the facts and implications of the scandal better.

Perhaps the most interesting chapter is the second. It details – from Shawn's personal observations – the cozy relationship that reporters covering the world body maintain with the ambassadors and bureaucrats they cover. "One reason I believe the reporting on U.N. scandals met such initial resistance from the established U.N. correspondents is that they are largely a sympathetic press corps," Shawn writes. "Perhaps the level of affinity could be judged by the fact that several reporters have been said to have applied for U.N. jobs at the very same time they were covering the institution."

Shawn then methodically covers the ocean of scandal and failure that has swamped the U.N. in the last two years. He discusses the root of the problem – the ardently anti-American positions of too many of the world body's member states.

All in all, Shawn builds an overwhelming case demonstrating what most of us already know – the U.N. is a failure in everything that it attempts – even reforming itself. Shawn's reporting is outstanding and comprehensive.

The only thing that Shawn's account lacks is a thoughtful offer of solutions. But Shawn, to his credit, understands that his role as a reporter is to gather and report the facts – not insert his own views and opinions. In that sense, Shawn's effort is all the more exemplary.

Bottom line: if you're interested in getting the full story on the U.N.'s record of failure and scandal, Shawn's book is a much read.

The book is scheduled for release on May 6, 2006. Thanks to the publisher for graciously providing an advance copy.

Editor's Note: We would have still loved the book even if Shawn hadn't mentioned the Center for Individual Freedom Foundation on Page 2.