United Nations, useful or useless?

[phinds]

Is the United Nations worth keeping around? Why or why not?

It seems to have done some good stuff via-a-vie humanitarian aid. It's "Peace Keepers" on the other hand, have had credible reports against them (well, SOME of them) that they have raped and brutalized local populations.

Just the one fact that Russia has a veto makes it, to my mind, a fairly useless organization.

Also, giving every little country in the world the same voting rights as the larger countries is noble in concept and counterproductive in practice. Some of them use UN money to basically just give some of their diplomats free vacations in the US, paid for by the larger countries, very much including the US.

What think you all?

 

[fresh_42]

Just the one fact that Russia has a veto makes it, to my mind, a fairly useless organization.

That holds for every veto nation, including the USA. The second war in Iraq was very questionable, to say the least.

The basic problem with the UN is that it doesn't have executive powers, cp. Srebrenica. However, imagine the UN didn't exist. I think this would be even worse than it is with the UN, even in its current inadequate state.

 

[phinds]

That holds for every veto nation, including the USA.

Well, I disagree but that's 'cause I'm a dyed in the wool 'merican and I think of us as the good guys, although that is REALLY getting hard with our current administration. Clearly, at the moment, we are NOT the good guys but over all of the years since WWII we HAVE been the good guys except for Trump's years. And, yeah, we're idiots sometime (such as the Iraq war and even more the way we (mis)handled the aftermath.

I think of Russians as the bad guys. I grew up in the cold war years, and anyway their recent actions confirm my belief.

 

[Grinkle]

Here is some funding data. The absolute numbers strike me as high, but considering its a planet-wide organization, its not much of the world GDP. The UN really lacks teeth, but in the absence of a stated alternative for where that money goes, with the default alternative being just back to countries and organizations general coffers, I prefer the UN continues to exist.

I can't remember the last time I heard something the UN did or published, though, that I didn't roll my eyes at, or worse.

Revenue by Entity | United Nations - CEB

unsceb.org

 

[fresh_42]

Well, I disagree but that's 'cause I'm a dyed in the wool 'merican and I think of us as the good guys

Your definition includes hegemony on many levels. I wouldn't call that "good".

Just one example: A US court ruled about hippopotami in Colombia. What?

 

[Grinkle]

Here is a list of UN accomplishments for 2023. I am copy / pasting the high level bullets.

For 67B dollars, it leaves me underwhelmed, honestly. I'm quite sure all those people helped are very glad the UN exists, though, and I don't begrudge any of them whatever of my own tax dollars went to support the UN in 2023.


152M people received food assistance to improve their food security
133M children vaccinated against measles, including 32M+ in emergency situations
36M people gained access to safe water that is available when needed
15M refugees, asylum seekers and others of concern in 77 countries received essential health services
178M hectares of protected area created or received improved management in 56 countries
$203M approved in 36 countries and territories for peacebuilding initiatives
56 countries supported, to significantly increase the protection and promotion of human rights in selected human rights areas
92 law-making processes supported during adoptions, revisions or repeals, to advance gender equality in 23 countries
9M people in fragile contexts supported with jobs and livelihoods

United Nations Annual Report 2024 | United Nations

2024 Report of the Secretary-General of the United Nations on the Work of the Organization.

www.un.org