Mark Leon Goldberg of the UN Dispatch has issued the following report:

Last summer, UN Dispatch learned that the heavy metal band MEGADETH was recording an album titled United Abominations, which featured cover art depicting a 9-11 style attack on the UN building in New York. Naturally, we thought it distasteful in the least. But without hearing the album, we reserved final judgment. Until now.

The album was released in late May. But not being much of a Megadeth fan, I forgot to pencil the release date into my calendar. Still, we at UN Dispatch refuse to let Megadeth's witless screed go unchallenged. Below the jump is a verse-by-verse response to the album's title track. We listened so you don't have to.

The track begins with a rambling, Limbaugh-esque monologue. The rant hits all the favorite themes of the fanatical right, and is accompanied by a crescendo of heavy guitar riffs that all but drowns out the last few sentences.

[Quoting song lyrics] "Less than five miles from Ground Zero sits an International hotbed, the United 'Abominations,' as it were. Created to prevent wars and promote peace, it failed to address the most dangerous threats facing the world.

"In a mire of hypocrisy, bribes, kickbacks, and corruption, the UN enables terrorism, and ignores sex crimes by its peacekeepers. The UN is where our so-called allies undermine us, and we pay 22% of their tab to host our enemies here at home. Ambassadors from dirt-poor countries enjoy luxurious, tax-free Manhattan lifestyles, turning children into sex-slaves and enjoy Diplomatic immunity. It's a complete and utter disgrace, a blot on the face of humanity, and they get away with it." [End of song lyrics]

Blaming the UN for 9-11 is a new trope, even for conspiracy mongers - and rightly so. It goes without saying that nowhere in the authoritative 9-11 Commission Report is the United Nations cited for enabling the terrorist attacks. Frankly, because of aviation treaties negotiated under UN auspices, procedures to ground all international flights to the United States on September 11 were undoubtedly made easier. Further, the 9-11 Report stresses the need for greater cooperation at the United Nations to strengthen security standards for travel documents. And, as Eric Rosand clearly states in the last UNF Insights, the UN, as the world's platform for international cooperation, is critical to global counterterrorism efforts.

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