The U.N. Is No More Than a PR Firm

If you have ever wondered about what it is that the United Nations does you are not alone. There are plenty of reasons to be, at the very least, disenchanted with this organizations performance. Rather than review their charter, history or reason for being, it may be helpful to let their own news items describe some typical operating characteristics.

Commonly used headline phrases can tell you much about the United Nations. A casual glance at some recent headlines from the UN exposes the main theme of the organization. Do not annoy or anger anyone while you try to find words to express some sort of concern as if any of your members really cared. Here's a great phrase for an example; 'call for universal support.' What is the point, other than public relations and a pathetic attempt to convince anyone foolish enough to believe the UN is anything more than a political smoke screen? Rather than call for universal support, why not prove your worth and have all members discipline offending nations? Can't do that.

'Civil institutions can help' is another UN headline phrase. The UN announces these institutions are the best hope in reducing the disappearances of people all over the world. That is because the UN is helpless to do anything about crimes against citizens anywhere in the world. Representatives of nearly every country on the planet are at the UN. If they are not members, those who are can, if they wanted to, apply international pressure to rein in countries displaying bad behavior. The kind of bad behavior that virtually no one would describe as anything other than criminal. Governments who are responsible for the disappearance of individuals employ that tactic for one reason. The government disapproves of these individuals and has the power to make them disappear. It is not magic, it is simply criminal. And the UN admits they are not able to successfully intervene.

How about an entire UN News headline to examine? 'Human rights problems in Liberia require national, international response.' Well no kidding. Imagine that, the UN produced a report to enlighten the world on the need for intervention where violence toward women and children is not being resolved. At least 3 security council temporary members are from Africa. And all the UN can do is issue a report to tell people what they already know. And still they do nothing. If you think this is unfair, have someone from the UN challenge these statements.

'Citing flawed process' a claimed UN expert suggests the tribunal that ultimately hanged the former Vice President of Iraq had 'violated international standards of due process' in this matter. It is not hard to believe that this man would have died one way or another with a new sheriff in town. And you will notice his appeal was ignored with little or no attention paid. Personally, it does not bother me that the man was executed. But for those who may have, the UN again was impotent. They don't make enough Viagara to cure that for the UN.

I'll play UN here for a moment. If you believe the case presented by Colin Powell at the UN for beginning military operations of coalition forces in Iraq was flawed you make a compelling point. If you believe that the case presented was only verified after the fact and as such is a moot point because Iraq needed military intervention anyhow, you also make a compelling point. Therefore, as the UN we will allow you to vote accordingly and nothing else matters. Funny how the countries voting against the resolution for the United States to intervene in Iraq had their own reasons like money Iraq owed them or business they were conducting that would be interrupted as the premise for their votes. Funny too, that when North Korea poses a big enough nuisance, the all get together and work a deal that does not penalize North Korea for bad behavior. And the current sanctions against Iran were calculated for the expected response from a crazed dictator. You make the call. Is this wrong?

There is really no need to cite more headlines. If you cannot see by this brief examination that the UN is nothing more than a PR firm sponsored by most of the world's governments, you will need more convincing than this writer is willing to provide today. If it at least makes you curious that should be enough to encourage you to take it upon yourself to get informed. Reading posts at this site as well as others plus the near unlimited resources available for such study, you should be able to get up to speed and express your opinions with your government. It falls under the category of civic responsibility. Something of a foreign concept to those at the United Nations.

And I almost forgot, we haven't even touched on all the corruption involved.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

( source: UN News Centre )