The irrelevance of the United Nations

Even I feel that United Nations today has become nothing more than an organization that boasts to be the monitor of all the activities around the world, but when it comes to doing things, it fails miserably!! You already have mentioned some points where UN has done nothing. I would like to add one more. It was America's invasion on Afganistan. The entire world was against this unethical and hooliganistic act. Even the UN warned America, but the Bush led country continued with what it was doing. This incident made me lose my faith in UN. The only thing about UN that makes sense to me is the other works by UNICEF and UNESCO.

Amen and hallelujah! What a great discussion and thank you for putting into words what so many already believe. The UN has been nothing but a tool of corruption and pointlessness for a long time. They bully those who don't deserve it and ignore the worst crimes against humanity that are being committed under their noses. What's worse is that a democratic nation such as Israel has become its whipping boy. Did you know that the 4th Geneva Convention has only ever been called upon with regards to Israel? Think of all the countries that have mistreated civilians during times of war, some of them in more unspeakable ways that you can imagine, and yet the UN has ONLY picked on Israel, and that was because Arab terrorist groups told them to do it! They turn a blind eye to terrorism and let Ahmadinejad go on his tirade...ugh. It makes me sick. I think it's about time for the US to cut all ties with the UN. We have turned a blind eye to their corruption and uselessness for too long.

I disagree with you on one account. The praising of the walkout. I wish the heads of nations who walked out had stayed back to debate what the president of Iran said. When on th one hand the Iranian president has some misconceptions about Isreal and the holocaust, the west isn't particularly forthcoming of Isreal either. There needs to be a veritable debate on Isreal. A debate which nobody wants to have, because it would entail addressing some hard realities. Realities, which the west, particularly the U.S does not want to address. The U.N has become irrelevant precisely because of vehement demonstrations, such as walking out. What was acheived by the walkout? Nobody was present to take on the Iranian president, and the members who were present gave him a big applause! The U.N. can be used as a platform for meaningful debate. Something the 'civilised' world needs to take an initiative in.

I go a couple steps further and say we simply have nothing to do with the U.N. No laws on our soil superceded the constitution, no treties supercede opur state and federal laws, and no person has more authority in the united states than the people of the united states. No U.S. soldier should ever fight under any flag but that of the u.s. No more funding them, no more hosting them on our soil, no more anything to do with them.

Unfortunately, the case of the Iranians is simple - it speaks elequontly and realistically about world issues which is at odds to with the mainly Western elite. And the western elite cannot fathom it. How dare a leader of an Islamic nation challenge us in this way. So what you get is fed lies and more lies about the way Iran operates and how it treats its people. What I admire about Iran since 1979 is its ability to shun America and the UK with impunity by simply not accepting to be bullied by Israel and her allies. It has done this by completely being as self sufficient as possible. It has traded with partners who respects is soveriegnty and by and large, it does not have the strings pulled by the US to what it can and can't do. This is what the poster needs to understand. Largely, what is posted as a pre-amble for this debate is largely propoganda. For in Iran, Western sources rely on exiled women and people who literally go out of their way to attack the authorities. True, there are problems as there are in all parts of the world, and true the government will not be perfect in a small percentage of its population. But by and large, the streets of Tehran are not nearly as conservative and dogmatic as the West commetates. In fact, you would have to just look at the streets, women with free choice, wearing the full burqa or just a scarf. Women are far more educated than men in Iran, they go to work, and they drive. The streets are full of modern equipment, upto date fashion, jewellery and hi-tech gadgets. Its education establishments are flourishing with great talent, largely in favour of women. Marriages are sustainable and by and large most Iranoans are successful at marriage without the supression or misery of any woman. Check out Iran for yourself. Check out Iran from the Russian or Chinese perspective. Check it out from the African perspective, check it out from the Arab perspective. I think this equates to a large part of the international community in support of Iran. But alas, the UN, is respective of only the US, UK, France, Russia and China. They have the veto power but do not represent the world. And in the poster's comments, Russia and China not agreeing with the US, the UN has suddenly become irrelevant. The UN is irrelevant on fairness from day one simply because it does not recognise the power of the General Assembly, an assembly which is closer to representing the world since it is a forum for 192 countries. So the US has the power to dictate and pursuade via the five permanent members. Back to Iran, the poster has alluded to three things against Iran which a common Western stance. He has alluded - 1. Israel to wiped out, says Ahmedinijad; 2. Denial of the Holocaust; 3. Israel founded 'pretext to Jewish suffering' What is convenient is to pull these points and the point about nuclear profilaration into a bowl, mix them up and add in the relatively small percentage of incidents regarding human rights and exiles and present Iran as this backward and mad nation at odds with the rest of the world. I have outline above what alludes the 'rest of the world', and I have also mentioned Iran from another light. But this cocktail of lethal propaganda is an obvious tool for the west to manipulate its population against Iran. Ahmadinijad talked of Israel SHOULD be wiped OFF THE MAP in the wider context of the political establishment and the unnecessary suffering, in its opinion, which has occured by the existence. Metaphorically speaking, he was saying, that the State of ISrael, as its known and is on the map should be changed. He did not and does not imply that the populations living there currently should be affected. This is where the Western media have convieniently taken one line out of context and used it everywhere. Ahmadinijad also has never denied the suffering and the deaths of many Jews in WWII, he just denies the method and numbers which form the so called Holocaust. If people chose to listen, he is just expressing an opinion but is not denying the suffering of the Jews. In fact he explicitly says that the Jews suffered heavily, but he says that since this occurred in Europe and a European problem, the refugees should have had homeland in Europe. It is an opinion and a free thinking viewpoint. Yet the West has labelled him mad for talking about logical answers. This is why I say, read and delve into full context research, relying less on soundbites and cherry picked lines. Americans should be better than what is presented.

Israel IS a major source of racism in the world, and I would even assert that it is the issue of Israel/Palestine that most Arab and South Asians are subjected to racist views and subject themselves to racist views. Ahmadinejad is a perfect example. His racism toward Jews is on the same level as the Israeli government's racism toward Muslims. Israel has denied almost all of their war crimes, just as Ahmadinejad has referred to the holocaust as a myth. I see no difference between the two countries and if Israel has a voice in international politics I don't see why Ahmadinejad shouldn't. And allowing Ahmadinejad to speak doesn't illegitimize the UN because the UN was not making the speech or agreeing with it. They were simply allowing his voice to be heard.

Thank you for speaking to the issue so eloquently! Part of the problem is that it only takes one major country to blackball an issue, so nothing of immportance can get done. The majority of the countries in the UN are antiIsrael, so she will always be attacked in some fashion. I was really surprised when so many folks walked out of the Conference. I was also surprised that Obama did not attend, since he has made if very clear that he is no longer going to back Israel nor support her as past administrations have. He is already backing the Palistinians 100% and making promises to them in the name of Israel, as has Clinton, that they cannot keep without taking away the Sovereignty of the country of Israel. Which of course, she will never give up. She has proven that in the past against greater odds. Shalom~Adoniah

THe UN is worthless. A good idea in theory. But bad in reality. I say we pull out. Kick them out and let htem form another UN without us in other country.

We need to withdraw from the U.N. and kick them out of this country. We could use the building for apartments and make a profit. They passed a law a few months ago making it illegal to criticize religion yet this useless ape can stand up there and say such things about Israel in front of the world with no punishment what so ever. No one in the U.N. even spoke out about what he said as far as I know. They are useless and it's time we stop getting billions to waste doing nothing at all...

I gave up on the UN doing anything useful a long time back. They are good at talking and passing useless resolutions, but that is about it. I just wish my government would stop sending my money to support all their talking and resolutions especially considering that so much of the talking is aimed at bashing my country.

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