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the executive and legislative branches of the U.S. government. As Bolton points out,

"The decision on whether and what amounts the U.S. should pay" to the United Nations is

ultimately a political decision for Congress. He adds, "It does not follow inevitably that

because the U.S. is not legally obligated to pay, it should not pay. Instead, the correct

conclusion is that the U.S. should meet its commitments when it is in its interests to do

so."18

For example, does payment of the alleged debt to the United Nations take

precedence over a balanced federal budget? Should a "debt" to the United Nations be

paid before our own national debt is retired? Those are some of the political questions

that Congress should consider when deciding whether funds should be appropriated to

erase so-called UN arrearages.

PDD 25 and Administration Secrecy

Another complicating factor is the administration's issuance in May 1994 of

Presidential Decision Directive 25, which apparently provides a framework for U.S.

participation in UN peacekeeping activities. One must say "apparently" because the

available information comes from leaks to the press and a public, or sanitized, version of

the document. The document itself has never been provided to Congress, the branch of

government constitutionally responsible for declaring war and regulating the armed forces.

Consider the following exchange between Gilman and then-U.S. ambassador to the United

Nations Madeleine Albright:

Rep. Gilman: Madam Ambassador, on a number of occasions we've

requested to see the actual document containing PDD 25. We've gotten

some summaries, but thus far we haven't received any full documentation.

Can you tell me when we can expect to see the full language of PDD 25?

Albright: Congressman Gilman, PDD 25 is an executive branch document

that is never released to the Congressional side of the government.19

Albright's imperial assertion flies in the face of the constitutional obligations of the

legislative branch to authorize spending, declare war, and make the rules and regulations

for the armed forces. Congress has still not obtained a copy of PDD 25. It is entirely

possible that this "executive branch document" authorizes a number of different military

arrangements with the United Nations that bypass congressional authority.

Mounting Anger at the UN's Record

According to all parties concerned, Congress has deliberately withheld some

monies from the UN. The United States has held back money for two reasons--a belief

that the United States is being overcharged, especially in the peacekeeping area, and a