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Politics : Formerly About Applied Materials
AMAT 322.34+1.1%3:59 PM EST
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To: runes who wrote (68507)3/11/2003 5:59:37 PM
From: runes  Read Replies (2) of 70976
 
In defense of the UN -

I posted the preamble of the charter to point out that the very first item - the main reason why the UN was formed -
...TO AVOID THE SCOURGE OF WAR.

Now I share some of your frustration that we don't have an established mechanism for going out to right the wrongs of the world. And I sincerely hope that one day this will be so. But sadly, this will not be in our lifetimes. Why?

Because no nation is willing to surrender any part of it's sovereignty to a political entity.

So the UN was set up from the outset to be a debating forum, not a policing authority. It has no police force. It has no legislated power. It's jurisdiction is limited to only what the member states agree to.
...It's main reason for existance is to provide a mechanism for countries to work out their differences through negotiation and consensus. And the consensus requirement means that it will be far more guilty of inaction that of over-reaction. (Contrast that to the US which tends towards over-reaction)

No the UN is not the holy grail that we all wish it could be. But it's the best thing that we've got going at the moment when it comes to trying to keep the peace. And who knows - as time goes on, maybe the UN will grow out of it's subordinate role?

PS - please don't forget the extensive humanitarian efforts over the years. This is an area where the nations do easily form a consensus. And theUN has done good here.
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