Failure Of U.N. Security Council

Photo: UN Photo/Kim Haughton

From Girish Modi, Decatur, GA

The United Nations Security Council is a 16-member body within the U.N. Charter, whose mission is to resolve conflicts in the world peacefully. It meets whenever a member nation requests. The Security Council has five permanent members who have veto power, which they often abuse as a means of superiority complex. China, USA & Russia being the powerful members have vetoed 300 times over the course years and prevented passing of major resolutions.

As a recent example, after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Security Council tried to pass several resolutions calling for a ceasefire and withdrawal from occupied territory and abiding international rule of law, which Russia vetoed each time. Therefore, war in Ukraine cannot be ended and peace cannot be restored.

Similarly, Security Council tried to pass resolutions unsuccessfully week after week calling for a cessation of Israel’s invasion of Gaza that turned half Gaza into graveyard and killed more than 18,000 civilians as revenge on Hamas militants who had killed 1200 Israelis and took 200 hostages. However, United States used its veto power every time. Therefore, war cannot be ended, and peace cannot be restored if America supplies arms to Israel and Ukraine which is like throwing fuel into the fire.

Thus, The United Nations is powerless in restoring world order and peace since powerful countries abuse their veto power. What the UN needs to do is to change their charter to remove veto power or allow override of veto of one nation by remaining four permanent member-nations. Otherwise, it is hypocrisy to call for world peace during Christmas and New Year celebrations each year. Even Pope is frustrated and said message of peace drowned out by futile logic of war.

(This submission is not edited.)