Why Should The United Nations Be Able To Promote Collective Security

The United Nations is a worldwide organization created after WWII whose main purposes are stated in the UN Charter. It is commonly perceived that the UN was created after WWII with one purpose, to prevent a future world war, and although this is somewhat true the purposes of the UN are most appropriately stated in Chapter I, Article I of the UN Charter. First, “to maintain international peace and security, and to that end: to take effective collective measures for the prevention and removal of threats to the peace, and for the suppression of acts of aggression or other breaches of the peace, and to bring about by peaceful means, and in conformity with the principles of justice and international law, adjustment or settlement of international
It is my opinion that the UN has ineffectively promoted collective security since 1945. This is based off several events that the UN has not acted for peace and security but instead created conflict invading countries over national self interest (The US invasion of Vietnam and Panama). A main issue that continues to expose flaws in the UN’s ability to promote collective security is the civil war that has raged on in Syria and still is being fought today. Syria is in the middle of a civil war and has been since 2011. This conflict has escalated and prolonged itself due to the backing of powerful nations on each side. The United States has sided with the rebels aiding them in their attempt to overthrow the regime in Syria. Russia has sided with the regime and by doing so has chose the opposite side as the US and has created a problem inside the UN’s security council as they are two of the five permanent member nations. The conflict and ineffectiveness resides in the five permanent member nations power to veto and their ability to act in self interest not collectively. As it also paralyses the security council from mediating the conflict as two permanent member nations are involved on either side. In this case both the US and Russia veto anything that does not promote their self interest making it impossible to come to a resolution in Syria. These flaws can also be exposed by
It is in my opinion that both have been effective. There is no denying that aid and efforts given to the most poverty, famine, and disease stricken nations by the UN hasn’t bettered our world. However, I still believe that the biased distribution of power in the UN security council effects legislation and efforts even in environmental and health purposes. I don’t believe this flaw has taken as big of an impact on environmental, health though as it has in collective security, peacekeeping, and human rights however. This is because of the efforts being made including: food aid, aid to refugees, protecting children, reproductive health and population management, fighting AIDS, and bringing invisible issues to the forefront. As well as the accomplishments and achievements. In health the WHO (World Health Organization) has accomplished many achievements since 1945 including the eradication of smallpox, modern day antibiotics, and most recently the unprecedented response to Africa where ebola had broke out. In environmental issues the UN continues to push for sustainable development. The UN has most recently launched a program called 2015 Time for Global Action for People and Planet which has set forth goals and brought issues to the forefront. The Un is also making an effort through their Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change on trying to tackle the growing and highly publicized issue of climate