The United Nations Prime Directive

Strategypage ^ | 2/9/07

[Valin]

Criticizing the United Nations for not being more "effective" or "forceful" in places like Darfur misses a very important point. The main objective of UN peacekeeping is to keep conflicts from disturbing the major powers, not necessarily the same thing as making peace. Thus we have the spectacle of the UN standing aside as Arab death squads keep killing African Moslems in Darfur. Why? Because the Arab world does not want another Arab government criticized for condoning mass murder. Pretend it isn't happening, and we'll keep the oil flowing.

No one is immune to this sort of thing. When the United States led an invasion of Iraq in 2003, and removed widely reviled tyrant Saddam Hussein from power, it was roundly criticized by the UN, and most countries in the world. What no one wants to admit is the real reason behind this distaste for tyrant removal is the fear that it might start a trend. While the UN does many things, it's main function is to keep its member states intact. The UN charter is pretty emphatic about not attacking other members. This angle was important, from the beginning, to get bad boy rulers to join. In effect, the UN is saying to the tyrants that, join us and talk a bit, and we'll give you some security from foreign invasion.

Thus the United States taking down a tyrant was striking a blow at one of the major pillars holding up the UN. Remember that the UN was founded in the wake of the two World Wars, and the failed "League of Nations." Making all nations safe from invasion is a big thing, but because it protects a lot of bad actors, the UN does not like to dwell on this angle publicly.

While the concept of peacekeeping is popular, the UN community will not allow this to interfere with the sovereignty of member nations. So don't be fooled by UN efforts to introduce peacekeepers into Darfur. That's just a sop to those good people appalled by the evil being done in Darfur. As far as the UN is concerned, the greatest evil is to threaten the government of any member state. That's because so many members look at Sudan government and think, "that could be me."

[Diogenesis]

The real reason is that the UN supports: genocide, slavery, and terrorism.

[EagleUSA]

Thus the United States taking down a tyrant was striking a blow at one of the major pillars holding up the UN. Remember that the UN was founded in the wake of the two World Wars, and the failed "League of Nations." Making all nations safe from invasion is a big thing, but because it protects a lot of bad actors, the UN does not like to dwell on this angle publicly.
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Close the U.N. down and solve many problems. Or at least send it all to Brussels, where it really belongs.

[fishtank]

If the UN is the grandaddy of globalism, then the NAU is the ugly baby of globalism.

[Valin]

There's a lot to be said for sending them to Brussels...but I'm thinking....
Ashmore and Cartier Islands

https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/at.html

Background:
These uninhabited islands came under Australian authority in 1931; formal administration began two years later. Ashmore Reef supports a rich and diverse avian and marine habitat; in 1983, it became a National Nature Reserve. Cartier Island, a former bombing range, is now a marine reserve.
Ashmore and Cartier Islands
Location:
Southeastern Asia, islands in the Indian Ocean, midway between northwestern Australia and Timor island

Area - comparative:
about eight times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Coastline:
74.1 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Climate: tropical
Terrain: low with sand and coral
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 3 m

[Centurion2000]

The United Nations Prime Directive

Do everything possible to destroy the USA.

[Cicero]

Well, Parkinson could have predicted this long since.

Actually, the primary purpose of the United Nations is to give cushy jobs to as many bureaucrats as possible. That is the primary purpose of any well-developed bureaucracy: to grow, to expand, to increase salaries and benefits of its functionaries, to have more flunkies working under you.

In order to ensure that these primary benefits continue and grow, there are other bureaucratic principles: Don't rock the boat, CYA, and share the wealth with the most corrupt members of your board of directors, who will then return the favor. That's why the Oil for Food Money was kept almost entirely in French bank accounts.