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Conclusion: The World We Want

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The United Nations

Contributor: webfluid

Date: 2003-01-22 16:39:14

Processes of globalization have been happening all around the world since the fall of the Soviet Union when the wall came down in 1989. The Cold War two party system of checks and balances has slowly faded away revealing the hegemony of a single very powerful (militarily) hyperpower, the United States. Thankfully we have an international institution to restrain the whims of this single remaining superpower. I think that Canada should work very closely along with other states (especial those on the permanent security council) through the United Nations to balance the potential aggression of the United States. It is quite obvious that the United States has an economic agenda for every foreign policy decision it makes. It should be well known by now that the Bush regime was put in place to protect the interests of centers of domestic wealth and power in the United States (oil, gas, and defense industries). Those industries can only benefit from a war in Iraq. This blood for oil policy must end.

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The United Nations

Contributor: joecanadian

Date: 2003-01-23 02:59:02

Hmm. Not so sure the UN can restrain the USA. I haven't witnessed this previously. The UN is an undemocratic body run by a few superstates. Veto's are anti-democratic if I'm not mistaken.

Joe

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The United Nations

Contributor: dsteve3

Date: 2003-01-23 10:36:25

The United Nations showed its Achilles' heel in the '91 Gulf War, specifically with the Kurds. They are not represented, period. None, Zip, Nada. Why? They aren't a "nation".

Of all the social structures that humans around the world enjoy, the nation-state is the youngest concept. It's very precarious, in that we assume that a conglomerate of regions can be validated by their proximity. Language is occassionally used as a commonality, but we in Canada know better. {Quebec can't separate from "Canada" - they ARE "Canada" the origionals - though someday they may realize this and simply kick the rest of us out!}

The United Nations has failed to represent the people, as nations often are abstacted zones that represent the interests of specialized groups. We need to reform this institution to represent regions, and stand as a balance to nation-states that have so overpowered the individuals collectively.

We got a lot of work to do. A century of political negligence and backroom manipulation has left the word "democracy" in shambles. Its time to wake up.

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The United Nations

Contributor: FedUpCanadian

Date: 2003-01-23 18:38:42

Libya is the presiding nation in the UN's Human Rights Comission.

Yeah, the UN is a shining beacon of humanity and democracy.

The UN is an executive club for Third World dictators to try and bog down the West from clearing up the messes those same dictators are causing. The sooner Canada gets out of the Dictator's Platinum Club, the better.

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The United Nations

Contributor: Justsomeguy

Date: 2003-01-28 13:10:56

The best way to change a nation's poor behaviour is to engage them in a dialogue, much like we are doing on this website. Shunning governments who have done wrong may achieve the short-term goal of sweeping them under the carpet, but it is no way to build a long-lasting, stable peace.

The United Nations must continue to be an inclusive body, where ideas are shared and those who may have questionable human rights records can learn from those nations who have had more success in that area. And don't disregard the fact that we in the 'civilized' West may have something to learn from nations with different histories from our own.

I stand behind the idea of a United Nations that is open to those who want to change their ways, and I hope that Libya learns from their experience at the head of the UN Human Rights Commission. Maybe we too will learn something from their leadership.

Dialogue leads to education, and education is the only hope this world has to be free of suffering, violence and ignorance.

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