UN Logo
When the United Nations was founded in 1945, it was not the first attempt at a world organization designed to debate issues and avoid international conflicts. Its predecessor was the League of Nations that arose out of the trauma of WWI. That entity was a total flop.
Hopes were high that this new organization, with the United States as its glue, could avoid the haplessness that befell the League of Nations. At first, it held some measure of promise simply because the U.S. and its allies dominated. But the inclusion of the Soviet Union on the Security Council [with an absolute veto on anything presented to the Council] made it impotent.
This building on the right was erected to house the U.N. Located in New York City, it was supposed to symbolize a meeting place for the nations so we could handle all issues in the diplomatic realm rather than through warfare. How has that worked? Have we avoided many wars via this medium?
Yet no matter how futile the attempt has been, many continue to call this institution the last best hope for peace in the world. They are living, I’m afraid, in fantasyland.
What has the U.N. focused on throughout most of its history? Interestingly, it has achieved a certain unity after all: united against the United States and Israel. A steady stream of resolutions emanating from this body continues to condemn nearly all Israeli policies. The General Assembly is now dominated by enemies of both Israel and the U.S.
President Obama, speaking before the U.N. last week, wants the world to believe that the reason for this has been America’s arrogance, which he claims to have reversed in his first 8 months in office. He seems to think that America’s history is replete with shameful actions. Well, any nation has things for which to seek forgiveness, but in light of the nations that currently dominate the U.N., we are a stellar example of a nation trying to spread liberty and defeat totalitarianism. Somehow, the president doesn’t recognize that.
The U.N. has a Human Rights Commission that is filled with human rights violators. We always declined to serve on this particular travesty. Obama has now changed that policy. I think one cartoonist recently captured the essence of the U.N.
What are we to think of an organization that allows the so-called leader of Iran, the demogogue from Venezuela, and the ranting clown from Libya to have prime speaking time? Would we have allowed Hitler the same privilege had the U.N. existed at that time? Well, we have another Hitler right now.
The United Nations is a joke. Yet I’d rather it continue as the joke that it is than to see it gain any real authority. That would be even worse.