The UN Security Council should be dismantled

[fujiyama]

The "Big Five" nations determining how the rest of the world goes about business is undemocratic and stupid. It should be dismantled. It is weak and ineffective and is ultimately a tool of the US corporate elite. The US, Britain, France, China and Russia have no right dictating to any country regarding human rights or anything else for that matter.

I have felt that many of us on the left are a little naive when thinkin of the UN in general. Ted Kennedy was right when he called those nations that joined the "coalition of the willing" the coalition of the coerced and bribed.

I think what set me off on this rant now, was that I was just reading about Rwanda and that really makes me think the UN is hardly even serving a purpose, with the exception of maybe UNICEF.

For example, did you know that on April 21 of '94, over a 100 thousand had been murdered, and the the U.S. and the ENTIRE U.N. Security Council vote to withdraw 90% of the peacekeepers in Rwanda?

[arcos]

1. kick... I agree... nt

[applegrove]

2. The UN has only just begun to represent the needs of new democracies

in the last 20 years and that is why the US Neocons want it done away with. Because the UN actually addresses issues not on the USA (super power agenda). And though they have the veto - there is power in getting the big boys to even consider or discuss your issues. The UN works better now as a leveler of power than ever before. As soon as the UN stopped doing exactly the USA bidding (20 years) the USA stopped supporting it.

We need the UN. We need all of its wonderful arms. We need the structure that keeps many countries in line. The UN almost managed to scuttle the Bush Neocon plans to invade Iraq by threatening to expose the fact the Saddam had no weapons. The USA panicked and got those arms inspectors out of there before they could make their final reports and completely deny WMD - ending the US rational for going to war.

The UN actually does work and does have 'capacities'. Giving the big power the Veto - ensures that they have absolutely no reason to not participate - since they have a veto in the end. What would neocons do to ensure that no sober second thought could take place when the next war starts? Destroying the UN is priceless to them and it will result in millions & millions of deaths that would otherwise be avoided because the world democratic body would no longer have the reputation to 'shine a light' on certain issues.