What is the purpose of the United Nations?

[Neue Regel]

Don't misunderstand me, I know what its stated purposes are:

http://www.un.org/en/documents/charter/chapter1.shtml

The Purposes of the United Nations are:

1. To maintain international peace and security, and to that end: to take effective collective measures for the prevention and removal of threats to the peace, and for the suppression of acts of aggression or other breaches of the peace, and to bring about by peaceful means, and in conformity with the principles of justice and international law, adjustment or settlement of international disputes or situations which might lead to a breach of the peace;
2. To develop friendly relations among nations based on respect for the principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples, and to take other appropriate measures to strengthen universal peace;
3. To achieve international co-operation in solving international problems of an economic, social, cultural, or humanitarian character, and in promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion; and
4. To be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations in the attainment of these common ends.


Let me preface my comments by stating that I do not support US intervention in Syria in any manner. I believe it is a civil war, and nothing good has ever come from the US putting its nose in the middle of another country's internal strife.

That said, it seems that the situation in Syria over the past year would fall squarely within the auspices of item #1 above. If the UN won't act in Syria, Lybia, Somalia, Sudan, Tibet, North Korea, etc. (beyond the occasional strongly-worded statement of condemnation), then what good does the world body ultimately do? How relevant is it going forward, and what should we (as people, not nations) expect from it?

[Cleita]

1. If memory serves me correctly, wasn't the UN formed after WWII

to make sure that the likes of Hitler would never rise again? I don't know how the Syria situation is similar. Also, if they were effective in issues of hegemony, they would have stopped us from invading Iraq.

[Neue Regel]

2. That's the way I understand it as well

The origins of the UN, that is. If we're incorrect perhaps a more knowledgeable DUer can help us out.

Certainly Syria and Nazi Germany are very different, but I suppose the question becomes, how much death and suffering is required before the UN will act?

And yes, the US invasion of Iraq is certainly another matter where the UN, under the terms of its charter, theoretically could have stepped in and forced the US out of Iraq for the good of the Iraqi people. But it didn't do anything there, either.

[LiberalEsto]

3. Russia and China BLOCKED the U.S. effort

to get the UN involved in the Syrian conflict.

[Neue Regel]

5. Yes, I know

That's the gist of my OP. Clearly the UN shouldn't simply be an extension of the US government (or that of Russia or China, or any other nation). However, if the UN member nations can't agree on seemingly no-brainer items like the conflict in Syria, the genocide in Darfur during the last decade, the repression in Tibet, to name just a few, then what is it good for, how much should we expect of it, and how seriously should we take it?

[Honeycombe8]

4. Syria isn't an international threat, as ref. in #1.

#1, the way I read it, is talking about aggression and war between and among countries, rather than a revolution or violence within a country.

That's why there was a vote to sanction the Iraq War.

[Neue Regel]

7. I had the same thought upon re-reading the first item of purpose

It could be interpreted as to apply only to conflicts between nations, rather than a conflict within a single nation. If that's the case then it would make sense. However, statements by UN officials imply that they see the UN's role to be more broad.

Consider this:

http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=40046&Cr=Syria&Cr1=

14 October 2011 – The United Nations human rights chief today urged the international community to act immediately to protect lives in Syria, where the number of people killed since the violence started in March has now exceeded 3,000, including over 180 children.

“Since the start of the uprising in Syria, the Government has consistently used excessive force to crush peaceful protests,” High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said in a news release.

Stating that the Syrian Government has “manifestly failed to protect its population,” Ms. Pillay urged the international community to act before more lives are lost.

“The onus is on all members of the international community to take protective action in a collective and decisive manner, before the continual ruthless repression and killings drive the country into a full-blown civil war,” she stated.

“The international community must speak with one voice and act to protect the Syrian people.”

[Honeycombe8]

8. I see. Well, there is that "human rights" part of the UN, but I don't think that's part of #1.

To prevent genocide, things like that. The UN tried too late to help in Rwanda...wasn't that where thousands or millions of people were killed by a leader just because of the tribe they belonged to? Since then, I think the UN has tried to step up its interventions in a more timely manner.

I'm not keeping track of the situation in Syria, although I can't help but hear about it. I've just got too many concerns right now to take on another one....jobs, economy, Iran, election, Supreme Court Justices, new laws, health care, my personal concerns, etc.

[Old Union Guy]

6. Various original purposes of the UN and how it worked out.

1) Preventing conflicts between major powers ==> The Korean War.

2) Mediating regional conflicts ==> Dag Hammarskjöld's plane goes down over Katanga in 1961.
Situation since then: If what's been going on in Africa were going on in Europe, it would be called a "World War".

I don't say the UN is responsible for the bad situation, only useless against it.

OK some of their agencies (such as WHO) do good work. But when it comes to promoting peace, not so good.