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Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group
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To: Karen Lawrence who wrote (57702)11/18/2002 2:35:24 PM
From: Nadine Carroll  Read Replies (3) of 281500
 
US accountability to multilateralism and the UN

Let's think about that phrase. I always thought that the US government derived its legitimacy from the American people, who voted for it. Suddenly, a great many people, generally on the Left, seem to feel that's not enough, the US government must be accountable to the UN and "multilateralism", whatever that means. I could see this argued as a matter of practical necessity, but this author specifically dismisses "utilitarian" uses of the UN as insufficient. She means that the UN and "multilateralism" confer legitimacy on the US government in principle

Now this sounds vaguely reasonable -- we ought to extend the franchise to the rest of the world, not just US voters, right? But it is completely at odds with the reality of the UN, which is a dictators' club. Tell me, who voted for the UN Security Council? How is our foreign policy made more legitimate by having Syria vote for it? Can someone explain that to me? Then can somebody tell me why this enthusiastic endorsement of dictators' votes has become a "liberal" position?

Politics makes odd bedfellows indeed. Nothing is more odd than this liberal embrace of the UN. Is there any real philosphy here, or just a visceral reaction - "No Bush War!"?
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