?The US and its UN dues?

[underpants]

I read an editorial in my local paper in which the writer stated that 25% of Egeland's (UN tsunami director) salary is paid by the US via its UN dues so I started looking it up.

I just heard Norm Coleman mention what I found on many sites but I can't tell if it is just a talking point or if they are trying to slide the truth in just to keep us off balance.

Okay here is what I have found.

The last time the US actually paid its UN dues was in 1999 and that was negotiated down by the Clinton administration from $1.7 Billion to $1 Billion.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/521686.stm

Now here is where I started running into the "..the US pays 25% of the UN General Budget...
Right Wing site (NCPA)
http://www.ncpa.org/pd/pdint90.html
PBS discussion
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/congress/jan-june98/dues_3-11.html
US plan to pay UN dues in Arrears (1999)
http://www.state.gov/www/issues/fs-un_arrears_991203.html


Okay so are our dues supposed to pay 25% (if we paid them)?
Is the right trying to include military contributions into their figures?
Even with military contributions that wouldn't pay Egeland's salary it appears to me that we simply are not paying our dues. Am I wrong about that?