Is the UN doomed, or Can it Be Reformed?

Navid Zahedi an Iranian student activist), Iran va Jahan:

The UN could be defined in three words; it is a corrupt, inefficient and ineffective body. A brief look at the achievement of this institution is enough to prove that every single time the UN has been given an opportunity to solve a problem it has miserably failed to do so. Even worse, in the past few years the UN has turned to a ridiculously anti-American place where all the world dictators can argue their case for preserving "SECURITY" or should we say their security. READ MORE

This institution has lost the respect of every aware human being for failing to protect the rights of millions of people living under dictatorships and poverty and letting itself become a tool of dictatorial regimes such as the mullahs of Iran. In addition, European countries have managed to do what they are best at, obstruction. Europeans have used the UN to legitimize their opposition to almost every positive step that the US has takeen, as usual without providing any alternative solution. The same old flat NO or "NONE" has been the most common answer.

In the face of such a disastrous situation, the Bush administration has had to take matter in its own hands and interpret UN resolutions as they were written. When the security council unanimously approved resolution 1441 which said that if Saddam didn’t comply there would be serious consequences, the coalition of the willing applied theses serious consequences. Today the US has realized that it has to save the UN from itself, this institution has lost all its credibility over the Oil for food scandal and its credibility sinking rapidly.

Fortunately for the sake of the world and especially for the sake of Iran, the US has seen a problem and wants to solve it. The Bush administration has nominated John Bolton to the UN with the objective of quote: "Strengthening institutions that promote democracy and freedom, stemming the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and supporting the war against terrorism". Of course this is going to provoke a clash with the usual objective of the UN which is: preserving the stability of the Middle East (meaning Middle Eastern dictators) and respecting the sovereignty of (rogue) nations.

Reforming the UN is an urging necessity; this body has been deviated from its path and needs deep changes to become useful again. The only real question is can it be reformed or is it already too late. If Bolton gets its way through, there might be some hope, but if there’s one thing recent events have thought us: Never underestimate those who will do anything to stop you from moving forward.


Navid Zahedi is a pseudo name for an Iranian student activist in the U.S. He travels frequently toIran.