In resolving the major problems in international affairs – terrorism, weapons of mass destruction and despotic rulers as a start, it would be useful for free nations to collectively support the remedial actions. This multilateral approach has the benefits of (a) conferring moral legitimacy. (B) diffusing opposition to the policies amongst the group of nations; and (c) spreading the costs.
At the present time the only forum available to assemble international approval is the United Nations. According to Rudolph W. Giuliani, “…the UN, while founded with noble intentions, has drifted dangerously astray and is desperately in need of reform”
There is no doubt that a large percentage of the American population is fed up with the United Nations. The extent of its corruption, anti-American activities, and general incompetence has been spelled out in detail by the Volker Commission, by investigative journalists and many books on the subject. These sources just provide the factual corroboration of what is widely believed by many Americans and its friends overseas.
Those nations and their UN representatives who personally benefit from the UN’s malfeasance are especially aware of this situation and understandably are highly resistant to change. Therefore, despite so-called “reform” efforts, the UN will not be fixed anytime soon. It will be perpetually hampered in its peace keeping activities by provisions set forth in Article 2 of UN Charter:
- Membership is open to all other peace-loving nations which accept the obligations of the Charter. Many of the 192 member nations hardly can be considered “peace-loving”;
- 38 of the member nations are predominantly Muslim;
- The UN is based on the principle of sovereign equality of all its Members. This provides cover for many of the worst autocrats to control their people with impunity from outside intervention in their “internal affairs”:
- The veto power of the Security Council is used by the five Permanent Members to kill any measures which act against their own self interests;
- The UN has no permanent military forces to enforce any action. Therefore, it has become essentially just a debating society.
Finally, it is an incredibly good deal for the UN representatives who live extraordinary life styles in New York City, many from countries of extreme poverty.
Because of these provisions it is highly unlikely that the UN will ever reform itself, or act in the interests of the defense and expansion of the values of Western civilization.
Byron
Byron K. Varme
Executive Director