Tonight I watched FRONTLINE: On Our Watch, on PBS. It didn’t teach me anything new, but it did something just as good: it focused my thoughts in a new way. It raised a question in my mind, one also not new to me, but made newly relevant: Just what is the point of the United Nations, exactly, if not this?
The UN describes itself as being dedicated to global peace and human rights, and is recognized by the overwhelming majority of the world’s governments as being the preeminent organization of its kind and the go-to authority on such issues. The “war” in Darfur appears perfectly suited to UN intervention. If the UN were both willing and able to intervene in Darfur, then it would have done so by now (and by “intervene” I mean “end the genocide” — a seemingly trivial task for a global authority dedicated to doing just that sort of thing). Therefore, the UN is either unwilling, unable, or both. Which presents us with what I’ll call the “Problem of Darfur,” an adaptation of Epicurus’ “Problem of Evil”:
- If the United Nations is willing but not able to intervene in Darfur, then we must question its relevance.
- If it is able but not willing, then we must question its purpose.
- If it is neither willing nor able, then we must question its future.
In case #1, we should be discussing ways to strengthen the UN. In case #2, we should be discussing ways to refocus the UN. In case #3, we should be discussing ways to replace the UN.
I tend to think that the UN is strong enough already — too strong, even. It is allowed great influence over the governments of the world and is given monies by them, making it quite powerful indeed; it just doesn’t appear to be giving a very good return for those allowances. Given the will, the UN could presumably do just about anything. For me, that is the real question: Does the UN have the will to live up to its own charter? The evidence suggests that it does not. Therefore, I think it is time for the member nations to reexamine the UN, decide what its purpose is to be, and refocus on that purpose. Everything else is superfluous cruft and must be chipped away, discarded and forgotten.
Let’s get back to the world peace thing, shall we? Darfur is waiting, still….
Posted by DD 