For my final post of the week I just wanted to put forward an opinion on the UN Security Council. Currently four nations, Brazil, Germany, Japan and India, are planning to petition the UN to expand the security council from 5 permanent members to 11. This would include these countries plus two from Africa. If you want to make the UN Security Council truly representative then this should go ahead.
Both China and the US are blocking this plan, for different reasons. The US wants only 1 or 2 new members and is backing the Japanese bid, while China is against Japan and wants more 'developing nations'. It is easy to see why this would be as Japan is obviously an ally of the US and would vote with them, while China is doing very well with developing nations, especially in Africa, and would not want a strong American ally on the council. It is ironic that the US even cares considering the unilateral invasion of Iraq. It is obvious that Bush and his cronies have little regard for the UN and even if a security council vote went against them, what does it matter to them? China, on the other hand, seems happy with the Council. This is probably because votes have been going their way. I am sure they would be equally contemptious of the UN, should there be a vote condemning something that involved their interests.
I know it is not cool to say such things these days, but I like the UN. I like the goals that it has set, I know it doesn't always acheive these goals, but it is really good to know that there is a forum for countries of the world to have their say. There is no reason why the Security Council should be an exclusive club for 5 nations (US, China, UK, Russia, France) and should be expanded. It would seem that the makeup is based on nations with the Bomb. If they want to continue in this vein, maybe they would like India, Pakistan, Israel, South Africa, North Korea and the like to join?
The one major change I would like is for permanent members to lose the veto power. How many major decisions have been sabotaged by the 'Big Five' using their power to disrupt. Put in an uneven number of countries, representative of the world, and let them vote it out...
For those of you whose eyes are glazing over after this rant, check out UNESCO, it is an example of where the UN has got it right...
San Nakji for President!
3 comments:
Hmmm, I've seen this before...hmmm. In the series "Left Behind" (one of my favorite book series), this sorta thing takes place. Hmmmmm...
Naw really, it would be good to have a few more on the council. I'll admit, I'm not good with politics and stuff like that. So, I am pretty ignorant when it comes to this stuff.
As an Indian, I obviously would want us to get a seat in the UN. but I am not sure UN is serving its purpose though. it is supposed to be resolving issues but then what of Kashmir and Israel and North Korea and Darfur.....its a long list. to me, the UN just seems like an antiquated idea of how things could work in Utopia. dont think it has any say in world issues and this is not in ref to its development, health and other issues.
Thanks Nick, I will read more about them, as they say....
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