There has been much conflict between the United Nations and the Bush administration. With United Nations Week just behind us, it is a good time to review the current relationship between the U.N. and the United States.
The organization of the U.N. still remains the best option for discussing global issues and conflicts. Yet, there are many Americans who feel the U.N. no longer successfully fulfills this role. A recent CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll showed 60 percent of Americans feel the U.N. \is doing a poor job of handling the problems it has had to face."" This is the lowest rating in 50 years. The poll also shows that only half of Americans believe we should continue to fund the U.N.
The Bush administration claims it is trying to make America safer. It would seem to then make sense that they would be trying to strengthen alliances to prevent the violence and insecurity that comes from misunderstanding and disagreements. The U.N. would have offered an obvious starting point. As Abraham Lincoln said, ""Am I not destroying my enemies when I make friends of them?""
Bush did not do this. After the attacks on the eastern part of the United States, Bush chose to first use weapons rather than words. He preached of the importance of unity and security in this time of struggle. If unity was what he really what he wanted, then why did he ignore the advice of members of a unified body of nations dedicated to the promotion of security?
Instead of leaving room for discussion, Bush divided the world into those countries that support us and those who do not. He created the axis of evil so it would be clear who the bad guys were. He told the American people how further attacks on the United States were almost imminent. This created the fear Bush needed to prevent Americans from questioning his actions.
When countries on the Security Council denounced his plan to invade Iraq, Bush simply ignored their objections. Perhaps it is this lack of support for the preemptive attack of Iraq that has caused 60 percent of Americans to feel that the U.N. is doing a ""poor job."" And, when half the country does not feel the U.N. is worth funding, it brings up the question of whether those Americans are truly interested in promoting the peace and security the U.N. works for.
The U.N. is not a perfect place where countries always find agreement and peace. However, it is the best available tool for the creation of international understanding that leads to peace and security.
