UN Complicity in a war...unprecedented

[malaise]

Nice column with some interesting responses.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/story/0,,1826433,00.html

<snip>
Kofi Annan finally made the headlines yesterday with his call for an immediate ceasefire in the Middle East crisis. It was too little, too late. That the United Nations secretary general waited nine days before seriously speaking out has dealt a severe blow to the organisation's humanitarian image. That he twinned his criticism of Israel's "excessive use of force" with repeated condemnations of Hizbullah again showed how deeply in thrall to the US the world is.

With Britain now firmly in the US camp even on the Middle East conflict, the G8, the EU and the UN security council are still not calling for a ceasefire. This international decision to sanction such atrocities is the most troubling dimension of the current war. To make this refusal to rein in Israel more palatable, Tony Blair and Annan have proposed instead an international force for southern Lebanon. It fooled no one: the force will take weeks to put in place.

Complicity in a war with such a high civilian toll is unprecedented in this era. It is particularly odious because all these leaders had, at last September's extraordinary UN summit, solemnly hailed as a historic milestone the declaration on the "responsibility to protect" civilians during conflict, labelling this protection as one of the most urgent global priorities.

[Spazito]

1. Excellent article, thanks for posting

"Another victim of this new war is the UN, whose standing in the Arab and Muslim world is already deeply fractured. Annan apart, it was astonishing to see his Middle East envoy, Terje Roed-Larsen, declare, as destruction rained down on the Lebanese and Gazans, that he agreed with Israel that conditions were not yet ripe for a ceasefire. Such a public disavowal of the organization's primary humanitarian and protection mandates represents a new low in its moral standing."

I have always been an unequivocal supporter of the UN, believed it did need reforms to address the current ills of the world but, over the last few years, it has become more and more impotent, more and more subservient to the US and has shown NO courage in facing down the US's bullying.

I have not yet given up completely but, unless the UN begins to act upon the principles on which it was founded, I soon feel I have only to throw the dirt onto the coffin for it will be dead.

[Just Me]

2. The UN is only as complicit as its members.

The UN is a noble, global endeavor having served humanitarian crises at every bend until they are actually attacked by its own members.

The UN is a far better option towards building world stability than ANY single nation,...obviously.

It's unfortunate that the most powerful nations have weakened what could be an organization with POWER towards peace. Those nations will be unnamed.

:rofl:

[Solo_in_MD]

3. What about Korea?

Which was a UN action