Please tell me, do you love or hate the UN, and why. I

[babylonsister]

love the concept because the UN used to be valuable and honorable.
We're lacking a commander in chief who believes in diplomacy and has
cheapened the whole idea of the UN.

And if you want to get into personnel problems with the UN, okay.
Don't forget the cabal in control, the sychophants and nepotism
going on. Personnel problems indeed. Ugh.

[elliswyatt]

1. yeah but

it needs to be restructured. it represents an old world of power. good luck getting any change though

[napi21]

2. I don't love it or hate it, but I think it should exist!

Look at what Country has the most power, and maybe you can figure out what's a big part of the problem!

[babylonsister]

3. Thanks, napi21. I think it should exist and thrive. nt

[izzie]

10. I am with you on this

--

[Kagemusha]

4. When some expect the UN to fight against guerillas in the 3rd world

then we have a serious conceptual problem. As long as people think the UN ought to exist only as an international organization to end war through the conducting of it against non-state entities, we can't get past the unwillingness of nations to perform this role stopping countries like Israel from feeling the UN has any worth whatsoever. So I don't know how you solve this problem.

Loving or hating the UN seems irrelevant compared.

[Posteritatis]

5. Lately I love *and* hate the damn thing

It was meant for a world different than the one of the post-Cold War (hell, post-colonialism) years, and is having a hell of a time trying to adjust. It's screwed up really big in some places, and done really well in others. I consider its books to have balanced out on the good side so far; I prefer it to most of its feasible alternatives at this point in time.

Part of the problem with it is that it needs Security Council approval to amend the Charter, which ain't gonna happen until something weird happens in the heads of each of the P-5 leaders. (Did you know the UN still defines Germany, Japan and their allies as "enemy states?" Seriously! Art. 53(2).)

I just finished reading Paul Kennedy's book, "The Parliament of Man," that being a history and evaluation of the UN and a discussion of where it might be headed in future years and decades. It's a bit dry to those who aren't into geopolitics, but it's worth a look if you're willing to deal with the jargon, or have a significant interest in the state of the UN.

[Ken Burch]

6. I love what it COULD be, if it were ever given the chance...

The UN should be allowed to have some real power to intervene diplomatically in global situations, and to actually bring badly behaving regimes
to book. Also, I think its peacekeeping forces should be allowed to actually stop wars by whatever means are necessary.

Also, I still think there is a place for the UN as a balancing force in life, as an institution in which ordinary peoples and the world's poor could have a real say in the governance of their lives and the future of the world.

But it won't be worth saving if Bolton gets his way and makes it completely subservient to U.S. interests.

[babylonsister]

7. That is the response I was hoping for. This bunch of morons have

denigrated the UN. It used to be respected, by many countries, and everyone wanted 'in'.
Another addition to my disgust with the current bunch of idiots in power.

[cigsandcoffee]

8. Their (non)response to Darfur is shameful

They were losing me before that, but Sudan has sealed it.

[Stockholm]

9. Love or hate of UN has no bearing on the need for the UN

consider the alternative...

Helen Clark for Secretary General! :applause:

http://www.primeminister.govt.nz/frame-biography.html

[mogster]

11. Love

It gives small countries a voice in geopolitics.

The UN has also prevented disasters from happening, I'm thinking about the Cuba crisis and the cold war during the 70's/80's.
A place to talk, show off, do politics - that prevents war.

[annabanana]

12. It ain't great,

but it's all we got.

Better to "jaw, jaw than to war, war" (I forget who said that)