G-20, What was the Point?

[gd]

So, the G-20 summit was in Pittsburgh on September 24 and 25 last week and after it was over, I was questioning what the point of the whole things was.

Sure leaders from powerful countries in the world meeting together sounds like a good idea, but what did they really accomplish? Obama used terms like "turning the global economy around", but I don't buy it. By simply meeting for 2 days are you going to turn around the whole economy? I seriously doubt it. With so many countries and different viewpoints there, there is no way anything significant is going to get done.

It seemed like the protests were the biggest story. I heard 10 times more about crazy protestors than I did about the actual summit. It is admirable to stand up for something you believe in, but a lot of these prostestors were just stupid and looking to get arrested. I thought the whole things was just awful.

So, what to you think of the G-20 Summit? Did anything significant happen there in year mind? If not, why do we even have such meetings?

 

[klunderbunker]

It's the same thing that it always is: a big show with no results. These summits do get a few things accomplished, but most of the time it's more or less just saying "hey, we need to take care of this. Here's the bare bones plan for it. Rock on dudes, get a free duffel bag for coming!" I guess the idea of them is fine and it does do something for the idea of global unity, but these things tend to be a farce for the most part. They don't do any real harm I don't think, but they're far from the saving grace of the world.

 

[FromTheSouth]

The point of the G-20 is to narrow the course of events at the yearly UN summit. The UN summit is a worthless exercise, as is all UN activity. The G-20 condenses the asinine requests of the leaders of unimportant nations, and moves towards resolving international military and trade conflicts.

Nothing happens, or is signed at these summits. What they do is allow leaders and high level staff to agree on what the most important problems are, and set the groundwork for dealing with those problems. Using the G-20 as a setting to call out the Iranians for a new nuclear development site is a perfect example. The visual of the three leaders standing together, indignant towards Iran has more effect than a press conference from the Pentagon.

I know that it's cool to say that government doesn't do anything, but a meeting that allows for intelligence sharing and discussion is a vital yearly appointment that frames the problems of the world and begins work on the solutions.

 

[Goberz2K8]

Well yes, all you hear is about protestors. The last one in london, a man was killed, as he was walking home, not by protestors, but by a Police man who pushed him. These Summits need to have a point, focus, and not all this contreversy....World Leaders...Ha