Photo Attributions: Tom Page / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)
No single organization in the history of the world has been more over-hyped than the United Nations. Despite extravagant pushes for reform, it is severely limited in its goals. While the U.N. may purport to promote peace building, this does not change the fact that while it was in existence we have had multiple international conflicts including the Vietnam war, Korean War, Iraq War, and the war in Afghanistan. Additionally it did nothing to save the 100 million people who died from communism or prevent the nuclear standoff between the United States and Russia. The U.N. is merely a nice facade which serves the purpose of making power rivals seem more civilized. In reality, the U.N. is ineffectual, subverts the interests of its greatest members, and gives power to dictators. Despite the organization’s nice title, the nations of the world could not be more disunited and private alliances between countries will always take precedence over the U.N. Its inability to counter Iran and its de facto disregard for human rights make it a neutered and weak organization.
The U.N. has shown its incompetence in regards to checking hostile foreign powers in its conduct towards Iran which has been a designated state sponsor of terrorism since 1984. A 2019 Report conducted by the U.S. Department of State reported that Iran has continued to instigate violence throughout the Middle East by supporting “Hizballah, Palestinian terrorist groups in Gaza, and various terrorist groups in Syria, Iraq, and throughout the Middle East.” Additionally, “Iran used the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF) to provide support to terrorist organizations, provide cover for associated covert operations, and create instability in the region.” Despite this, four days ago the U.N. rejected an extension of an arms embargo which has been in place in the country since 2007. This move would allow weapons to be shipped directly to the Tehran regime by October 18 of this year. Unsurprisingly, the two countries that voted no were Russia and China. However, 11 countries abstained because the Europeans were worried that it would destroy the shoddy Iran nuclear deal. The fact that the U.N. cannot pass resolutions to stop state sponsored terrorism is absurd and points to its ineffectuality.
The U.N. also spouts high-handed rhetoric about the need to preserve human rights. In 1948 the organization passed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which outlined basic human rights. However, despite this supposed desire to uplift humanity, the U.N. has virtually no power to actually enforce the recognition of human rights. It can’t even condemn member states who don’t live up to its standards. Take China’s treatment of the Uighur Muslims. If someone were to bring forth a resolution condemning the Chinese Communists Party’s evil behavior, they could automatically veto the resolution. Another country that has veto power on all resolutions is Russia, whose power hungry president has been maneuvering for years to continually stay in power. Last month these two countries vetoed a resolution to extend humanitarian aid for millions of Syrians suffering from violence. Due to the veto power of these two dictatorships, the resolution was defeated despite the fact that every single other country on the security council voted to approve the measure. An organization that relies on Russia and China for support can do little to uphold human rights or bring about a substantial change in geopolitical relations.
The United Nations -as implied in the name- can only work if nations are united. It does not magically heal a divided world or silence the repression of brutal dictators. It is a weak and hamstrung organization that cannot effectually bring about substantial change. Because the U.N. relies on tyrannical regimes to cooperate in its quest for noble goals it can do little more than spout moralistic rhetoric and provide aid to countries that Russia and China deem as non-threatening. This organization is nothing more than a nice facade which covers the bitter power rivalries which plague our world.
Your humble servant,
Silence Dogood
