"What this article attempts is to develop a peaceful world, a world without war". Very ambitious indeed to think that an article by an old lefty academic can 'develop a peaceful world' when the UN, set up for that purpose, cannot.

Peter's list of UN failures is far from exhaustive. The circus is a total failure, a total waste of money, with some totally awful countries as members.

Given that this rotten organisation continually nags Australia about everything it deems to be wrong, while foul countries like China do as they please, Australia should show some self-respect and withdraw from it.

I see a glaring error in that list: it's West Papua, rather than Papua New Guinea, where local indigenous people clamour for independence from Indonesia.

____________________________________________________________________________

ttbn,
Do you really want Australia to be a nation of such pathetic snowflakes that we go off in a permanent huff just because others dare to criticise us?

We wouldn't expect a boxer to engage an opponent with both hands tied behind his or her back! Yet we expect more or less the same of UN peacekeepers. Then criticize them when they fail to prevent genocide or worse.

Those on the ground have no mandate to use initiative but need to go through so much red tape and official BS, before they can use their weapons to defend the helpless and the innocent.

As for the UN broadly, they are hampered by division and a security council where a minority can veto righteous actions or reprisals.

Our international policeman is so hamstrung by red tape, BS and maniacal vetoes that all righteous action even the most defendable, is verboten. That's why.
Alan B.

What Aiden says.
Alan B.

Problem will always remain, who polices the police?

Not just ineffective, but an outright menace, for world peace. A whole generation has been sucked into UN net zero emissions. Which means we are further than ever, from dealing with over-population.

Labor front bench is stacked with ministers, working for UN interests, and against Australian interests. Hi, Clare, Andrew, and Andrew.

Why is the United Nations so ineffective?

Because it's basically just a nest of self-serving !

We lack universal teamwork.
Teamwork means we all follow the same plan.
Doing so requires a reasoned approach to life.
Normally, we use reason to control and direct instinctive behaviour.
But far too many in this world let instinct overtake reason.
They use any reason they do have to enhance their self-serving instinctive desires.
Their view of life is narrow and limited.
Such a mindset is not likely to be bred out of the human race any time soon.
So brute force is needed to prevent too big a difference in the way the game of life is played.
However, when other 'players' have nuclear teeth, and don't respond to reason, keeping them in line can be a problem.
A major natural disaster, which seriously threatens all life on this earth, might be the only way to get people on to the same page.
World wars achieve this to a limited degree.
I think those who do try to keep the peace, are doing the best they can by a show of organised strength.

Their view of life is narrow and limited.
Ipso Fats,
Would this be courtesy of the UN ?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqI0uIvRRpQ

Hi Peter,
I blame the US and it's 'do whatever we say' rules based order and their fight to retain global hegemony.
http://youtu.be/veiapN9c7aA
With their policy of threats, blackmail, sanctions (including using denial of access to global trade and deprivation of food and medicine as weapons), regime change and military interventions;
As well as until they stop suppurating and arming everyone's enemies, be that everyone from Pol Pot, Contras, Mujahideen, ISIS, Ukrainian Nazi Banderites etc.
- Then all you can ever expect is more conflict.
'Authoritarian' states will only act more authoritarian, when the West uses Pro-democracy movements for overthrows
Neoconservatives providing for more wars and kickbacks into the pockets of supportive US politicians.

The system IS broken, but not the way most of you all think it is.
Don't whinge to me about making the world a better place when the people all our governments dance to the tune of are the ones engineering the conflicts, and remain in a permanent state of war for profit against others.

One of the main reasons some people think the United
Nations is useless is because they misunderstand the
organization and what it does.

They think the United Nations has control of member
states. This is not correct. In fact the organization
is controlled by member states which limits its power.
Also people see the major failings the UN has had.
The UN has not been able to prevent many conflicts and
crises. This makes people question its usefulness.

However the UN has also played a major role in preventing
wars. Unfortunately it gets less credit for that.

People also question the UN because of its deadlocks -
especially on the Security Council which is the main body
of the UN tasked with ensuring global peace and security.
The problem is that the 5 permanent members of the
Security Council - UK, USA, France, China, and Russia
each have veto powers that can prevent the Council from
passing regulations they don't agree with. No country is
willing to give up its sovereignty.

This can block progress in solving crises and is a big reason
for people thinking the UN is useless. Also lets snot forget
that people also may see the UN as an outdated organization.
It was founded in 1945.

My personal perception of the UN is that of a self-serving outfit. What is the UN doing about Ukarine or Somalia or Germany & Syria or against all those refugee producing countries ?
How much does the UN cost the rest of the World ?
Hundreds of Millions of Dollars to keep saying "we're deeply concerned" ?

Hi indyvidual,

Here's a few things you may not know about the
United Nations:

http://unfoundation.org/blog/post/10-things-may-not-know-un/

Foxy,
I'm fully aware that this is what they're supposed to be doing !

indyvidual,

Well, your posts on this forum don't reflect your
awareness. On the contrary - they show your lack of awareness.

I agree with Peter Bowden. The UN is absolutely useless and furthermore it costs trillions of some currency. It also interferes in nation's internal governances, thereby causing much grief and cost and losing evermore respect. Shut it down and start again with a new system with cast iron rules and membership.