The United Nations approves a cease-fire resolution despite U.S. opposition
https://www.npr.org/2023/12/12/1218927939/un-general-assembly-gaza-israel-resolution-cease-fire-us
The core issue with the UN is that it’s an artifact of the Kisinger-esque “great powers” geopolitical mentality - specifically, that a handful of fuck-off powerful formerly (sometimes barely) colonial/imperialist nations “know best”. And sure - sometimes that collection of countries does push concepts that are genuinely constructive and helpful. But very often, it also devolves into simply preserving the vestiges of imperial-powers-of-old.
Until and unless the UN is able to reform itself in a way that the General Assembly has some sort of mechanism to actually override the UNSC (or, more specifically, whatever country on the UNSC decides to cast a veto - particularly permanent members), the UN will remain essentially impotent.
I do think it would be a fantastic idea if UNSC vetos required another SC member to second said veto for it to actually go into effect, and even then allowing some sort of override mechanism in the UNGA provided there’s an overwhelming majority… but I don’t see that happening, because the parties that would have to sign off on that sort of procedural amendment are the same parties that would lose unilateral power under that arrangement, and that’s simply not going to happen.
Preventing war by allowing powerful assholes do as they please sounds like preventing bullying by punching yourself.
They aren't allowing them to, they already can do as they please.
This is just the more peaceful way for them to do it.
It's like giving a bully your lunch money without getting hit at all, rather than losing your lunch money and getting a black eye too.
Semantics. The truth is, couple countries have the UN "hijacked" by threatening violence.
I like you analogy better, tho.
No, semantics is when your argue over the definition of a word.
So technically only this comment now is semantics.
They aren't allowing them to, they already can do as they please.
This is just the more peaceful way for them to do it.
I completely agree and would love reforms but one reason they have veto power is to stop great power wars. And I think that one is still valid. The countries who have veto power aren’t the good countries. They’re the ones who can cause civilizational collapse.
I think one thing we forget about WWII is that it was worse than what’s happening in Gaza, Ukraine, and the Horn of Africa right now but basically global. A lot of the systems setup after were not so much “How do we make something ideal?” as “How do we never get to this point again?”
I do think it would be a fantastic idea if UNSC vetos required another SC member to second said veto for it to actually go into effect
Until the UK backed every US veto and China backed every Russian veto.
That would still be an improvement. France is more European aligned than American - so they're not a reliable yesman... and even the UK is better now than the days of Blair.
Russia and China both want to avoid political isolation but they disagree on a lot of stuff.
Allowing a two member veto would probably be much more stable.
This is the best summary I could come up with:
This latest resolution is non-binding, but it carries significant political weight and reflects evolving views on the war around the world.
The U.S.'s position on this pledge comes after American representatives blocked an earlier resolution at the United Nations Security Council.
Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said the U.S. acknowledges that the humanitarian situation in Gaza is dire, but that it was Hamas that broke an earlier deal that allowed for a pause in fighting.
"Look, there is no shortage of rhetoric here in New York, but it's the diplomacy the United States is engaging in on the ground that made that week-long pause possible," she said.
Thomas-Greenfield tried, and failed, to get the General Assembly to alter the resolution to denounce Hamas and their actions on Oct. 7.
In response to that attack, Israel launched a military campaign that has killed nearly 18,000 Palestinians in Gaza, according to the territory's health officials.
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