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[[Image:UN1.jpg|thumb|right|Seal of the United Nations]]

[[Image:UN1.jpg|thumb|right|Seal of the United Nations]]

The '''United Nations''' is an organization of countries all over the world, originally created to facilitate cooperation in [[international law]], international security, economic development, and [[human rights]]. It has since devolved into a radical debating society which has blocked most of the goals for which it has been formed. <ref>[http://www.foreignaffairs.org/20030501faessay11217/michael-j-glennon/why-the-security-council-failed.html Why the Security Council Failed], Michael J. Glennon, ''Foreign Affairs'', May/June 2003.</ref>  Critics view the '''United Nations''' as an agent for eroding the sovereignty of the [[United States]] and instead promoting forms of world government. President [[George W. Bush]] rejected and ignored the position of the '''United Nations''' when he authorized military action in [[Iraq]].

The '''United Nations''' is an organization of countries all over the world, originally created to facilitate cooperation in [[international law]], international security, economic development, and [[human rights]]. It has since devolved into a radical debating society which has ironically blocked most of the goals for which it has been formed. <ref>[http://www.foreignaffairs.org/20030501faessay11217/michael-j-glennon/why-the-security-council-failed.html Why the Security Council Failed], Michael J. Glennon, ''Foreign Affairs'', May/June 2003.</ref>  Critics view the UN as an agent for eroding the sovereignty of the [[United States]] and instead promoting forms of world government. President [[Bill Clinton]] rejected and ignored the position of the United Nations when he ordered U.S. military "police actions" in foreign countries. President[[George W. Bush]] rejected the position of the UN when he authorized military action against the regime of [[Saddam Hussein]] in [[Iraq]].

The '''United Nations''' was founded in 1945 at the signing of the United Nations Charter by 51 countries, replacing the League of Nations, founded in 1919. The UN currently has 192 members, including every country in the world except [[Taiwan]] and [[Vatican City]].<ref>Switzerland finally joined in 2002. [http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2002/GA10041.doc.htm]</ref>

The UN was founded in 1945 at the signing of the United Nations Charter by 51 countries, replacing the League of Nations, founded in 1919. The UN currently has 192 members, including every country in the world except [[Taiwan]] and [[Vatican City]].<ref>Switzerland finally joined in 2002. [http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2002/GA10041.doc.htm]</ref>

==Organization==

==Organization==

==Criticism==

==Criticism==

The U.N. has at various times in its history been accused of inefficiency and waste, which some critics have attributed to its cumbersome and excessive bureaucracy. Probably the most controversial issue with the United Nations is the Oil-for-Food scandal.

The U.N. has at various times in its history been accused of inefficiency and waste, which some critics have attributed to its cumbersome and excessive bureaucracy. Probably the most controversial issue with the United Nations is the Oil-for-Food scandal.

Inclusion on the old United Nations Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR) of nations such as Sudan and Libya, whose leaderships have dubious records on human rights, and Libya's chairmanship of this Commission, has been a highly controversial issue.

Inclusion on the old United Nations Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR) of nations such as Sudan and Libya, whose leaderships have dubious records on human rights, and Libya's chairmanship of this Commission, has been a highly controversial issue.

[[Image:un_building.jpg|thumb|left|250px|The UN headquarters, on the east side of Manhattan, opened its doors on January 10th, 1951.]]

[[Image:un_building.jpg|thumb|left|250px|The UN headquarters, on the east side of Manhattan, opened its doors on January 10th, 1951.]]

The United Nations has on many occasions ignored the plight of people across the world, especially in parts of Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Current examples include the UN's inaction toward the Sudanese government in Darfur, the Chinese government's ethnic cleansing in Tibet, and the Israel-Arab conflict.{{fact}}

The United Nations has on many occasions ignored the plight of people across the world, especially in parts of Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Current examples include the UN's inaction toward the Sudanese government in Darfur, the Chinese government's ethnic cleansing in Tibet, and the Israel-Arab conflict.{{fact}}

===Arab-Israel dispute===

===Arab-Israel dispute===

The UN has taken a one-sided approach to issues relating to the [[Israel]]-Arab conflict. Israel has consistently been singled out by the UN for uniquely critical treatment. In 1975 the General Assembly passed a resolution declaring that "[[Zionism is racism]]" <ref>[http://domino.un.org/UNISPAL.NSF/a06f2943c226015c85256c40005d359c/761c1063530766a7052566a2005b74d1!OpenDocument 16/12/1991, A/RES/46/86, Elimination of racism and racial discrimination/Zionism]</ref>, and UN-sponsored meetings supposedly opposing [[racism]] have criticized Israel (which grants equal political and religious rights to Arabs) while suppressing all criticism of those Arab countries (where non-Muslims are second-class citizens and [[anti-Semitism]] enjoys state support).  

The UN has taken a one-sided approach to issues relating to the [[Israel]]-Arab conflict. Israel has consistently been singled out by the UN for uniquely critical treatment. In 1975 the General Assembly passed a resolution declaring that "[[Zionism is racism]]" <ref>[http://domino.un.org/UNISPAL.NSF/a06f2943c226015c85256c40005d359c/761c1063530766a7052566a2005b74d1!OpenDocument 16/12/1991, A/RES/46/86, Elimination of racism and racial discrimination/Zionism]</ref>, and UN-sponsored meetings supposedly opposing [[racism]] have criticized Israel (which grants equal political and religious rights to Arabs) while suppressing all criticism of those Arab countries (where non-Muslims are second-class citizens and [[anti-Semitism]] enjoys state support).  

==UN Peacekeepers Child Sexual Abuse==

==UN Peacekeepers Child Sexual Abuse==

The United Nations since its founding has been enmeshed in various scandals.

The United Nations since its founding has been enmeshed in various scandals.

   

   

=== Incidents ===

=== Incidents ===

*1998 - Bosnia <ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml;jsessionid=YVWZRGS4V2AGJQFIQMGSFGGAVCBQWIV0?xml=/news/2002/04/25/wbos25.xml Teenagers 'used for sex by UN in Bosnia'], By Stewart Payne, London Telegraph, 25/04/2002.</ref>

*1998 - Bosnia <ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml;jsessionid=YVWZRGS4V2AGJQFIQMGSFGGAVCBQWIV0?xml=/news/2002/04/25/wbos25.xml Teenagers 'used for sex by UN in Bosnia'], By Stewart Payne, London Telegraph, 25/04/2002.</ref>

*2003 - Nepalese troops accused of sexual abuse while serving in DR Congo. Six are later jailed

*2003 - Nepalese troops accused of sexual abuse while serving in DR Congo. Six are later jailed

==History==

==History==

The term "United Nations" was widely used during [[World War II]] to denote the allied powers making war against Germany and Japan. As an organization, the UN originated as a bureau within the US State Department during [[World War II]] tasked with planning and organizing a post-War future. President [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] envisaged "four policemen", the British Empire, United States, Soviet Union, and [[Republic of China]] to be the major forces on what later became the UN Security Council to enforce the peace worldwide.  This was deemed a modern approach to replace the old [[spheres of influence]] as they were called during the age of Imperialism. In 1971, following United States recognition of the [[People's Republic of China]], the 'mainland' Chinese government took over the UN membership and seat on the [[Security Council]] hitherto held by the Republic of China, although that entity had only controlled the island province of [[Taiwan]] since the Nationalist collapse after the resumption of the [[Chinese Civil War]] in 1945 to 1949.

The term "United Nations" was widely used during [[World War II]] to denote the allied powers making war against Germany and Japan. As an organization, the UN originated as a bureau within the US State Department during [[World War II]] tasked with planning and organizing a post-War future. President [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] envisaged "four policemen", the British Empire, United States, Soviet Union, and [[Republic of China]] to be the major forces on what later became the UN Security Council to enforce the peace worldwide.  This was deemed a modern approach to replace the old [[spheres of influence]] as they were called during the age of Imperialism. In 1971, following United States recognition of the [[People's Republic of China]], the 'mainland' Chinese government took over the UN membership and seat on the [[Security Council]] hitherto held by the Republic of China, although that entity had only controlled the island province of [[Taiwan]] since the Nationalist collapse after the resumption of the [[Chinese Civil War]] in 1945 to 1949.

In the original planning stages State Department employee and KGB Agent [[Alger Hiss]] was tasked with much of the organizational work and later became the first Secretary General at the United Nations Charter Conference in San Francisco.  US Secretary of State Cordell Hull said a the time while selling the idea to Congress, "there will no longer be need for spheres of influence, for alliances, for balance of power, or any other of the separate alliances through which in the unhappy past the nations strove to safeguard their security or promote their interest." [[Communist Party of the Soviet Union|Comunist party]] General Secretary [[Josef Stalin]] got the United Nations precisely on his own terms and in a form that has enabled him to intervene into every problem in the world and to completely frustrate the British and Americans in every effort to introduce order, peace and security. <ref>John R. Deane, ''The Strange Alliance: the Story of Our Efforts at Wartime Co-Operation with Russia'', New York: The Viking Press, 1947, p. 43.</ref>  Nonetheless, the separate alliance of [[NATO]] came into existence at the same time and played a much greater role in US foreign policy commitments and decisions during the [[Cold War]] than the UN ever did.{{fact}}

In the original planning stages State Department employee and KGB Agent [[Alger Hiss]] was tasked with much of the organizational work and later became the first Secretary General at the United Nations Charter Conference in San Francisco.  US Secretary of State Cordell Hull said a the time while selling the idea to Congress, "there will no longer be need for spheres of influence, for alliances, for balance of power, or any other of the separate alliances through which in the unhappy past the nations strove to safeguard their security or promote their interest." [[Communist Party of the Soviet Union|Comunist party]] General Secretary [[Josef Stalin]] got the United Nations precisely on his own terms and in a form that has enabled him to intervene into every problem in the world and to completely frustrate the British and Americans in every effort to introduce order, peace and security. <ref>John R. Deane, ''The Strange Alliance: the Story of Our Efforts at Wartime Co-Operation with Russia'', New York: The Viking Press, 1947, p. 43.</ref>  Nonetheless, the separate alliance of [[NATO]] came into existence at the same time and played a much greater role in US foreign policy commitments and decisions during the [[Cold War]] than the UN ever did.{{fact}}

In its earliest years, the United Nations was not dominated by the Asian and African "Third World" nations which ultimately poisoned the organization, but was of only limited use in controlling international conflict.

In its earliest years, the United Nations was not dominated by the Asian and African "Third World" nations which ultimately poisoned the organization, but was of only limited use in controlling international conflict.

*[http://www.nysun.com/article/56061 UNDP Officials Said To Hamper Probe Into Counterfeit Cash], By Benny Avni, ''The New York Sun'', June 7, 2007.

*[http://www.nysun.com/article/56061 UNDP Officials Said To Hamper Probe Into Counterfeit Cash], By Benny Avni, ''The New York Sun'', June 7, 2007.

*[http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:HR00972:@@@D&summ2=m& H.R. 972 Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2005] - Title I: Combatting International Trafficking in Persons - (Sec. 101); Directs the U.S. Secretary of State, prior to voting for a peacekeeping mission, to notify the appropriate Congressional committees respecting measures taken to prevent Peacekeeping personnel from involvement in human trafficking or sexual exploitation.

*[http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:HR00972:@@@D&summ2=m& H.R. 972 Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2005] - Title I: Combatting International Trafficking in Persons - (Sec. 101); Directs the U.S. Secretary of State, prior to voting for a peacekeeping mission, to notify the appropriate Congressional committees respecting measures taken to prevent Peacekeeping personnel from involvement in human trafficking or sexual exploitation.

==External links==

==External links==