Slon,

As I said the system is up for debate. Are you happy that Bill Gates/Donald Trump get more votes than you. Do they have the right to impose upon you their system of government because they earn more?

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'They'd rather be alive than free, I guess. Poor dumb bastards.' Private Eightball - Full Metal Jacket

The art of war is of vital importance to the State. It is a matter of life and death, a road either to safety or to ruin. Hence it is a subject of inquiry which can on no account be neglected
- Sun Tzu, the Art of War

I think you're wrong about the more effective bit. If the UN tried to switch to "one member - one vote", I suspect that the five veto-wielding nations (and probably quite a few others from the first world) would immediately withdraw their membership and refuse to acknowledge the UN's authority over them. That would seriously hamper the effectiveness of the UN.

The nations who pulled out would, of course, be acting in the best interests of their own people; that's their job. If they didn't, the little nations could (and likely would) initiate a rapid wealth redistribution initiative; after all, that would be in the best interests of their people.

Quite a few people have argued recently that Iraq is "not ready for democracy". They may be right, I'm not sure. But I'm absolutely CERTAIN that the world, as a whole, is not ready for democracy. Much of it isn't even democratic on the national level.

I assume you mean international discourse. And no that is not my alternative. International discourse is good. What is not good is an international body dictating how individual nations should act. Power should be, as much as is possible, in the hands of individuals. The U.N. is not conducive to this ideal.

Good answer....

I already told you, I am for a tax where everyone pays the same amount (for example, $4,000 per person). So, everyone would get the same number of votes.

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A federal judge ruled today that graphic pictures of detainee abuse at Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison must be released over government claims that they could damage America's image.

Someone should tell them that bad press can be prevented by not abusing prisoners in the first place. Censorship is only needed to preserve the good reputation of those who have tortured and/or murdered already.

Foz I think the Security Council represents the powers of the world and in a sense it seems to me to be based on pragmatism ahead of anything else.

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"There were no D-Day Heroes in 1973" - Cold Chisel Khe Sanh

So if country needs help after a civil war or natural disaster we let them live in unrest or strave...

I laugh at these get rid of the UN guys... The US generally has no clue what the UN does... They have about 75,000 troops and staff on the ground worldwide putting countries back together, providing relief and arraging elections...

The US don't know this because the US histortically have given very few troops to the UN.

There has been critism of these troops at times but nearly all the complaints come from either lack of boots on the ground or there mandate stops them doing what they want to do.

The anti-UN guys don't realise that the UN doesn't drop bombs from aircraft in civillan areas.. They are a lot less gung ho than the US army. This because they a nation building and trying to enforce a usually fragile peace... This takes great bravery and there is alot of natins worldwide which are there death.

The security concil if one of the most frustrating aspects of the UN but none of the SC perment members (including the US) will loose there veto. the US uses the veto sololy more than anyone else. This is usually concerning Israels actions...

By the way if it wasn't for the UN, Iran culd get the bomb tomorrow no problem.. Actually anyone could do anything internally in there country with consquences this would include genocide, building nuclear bombs, building enviromentally unsound facillities(i.e. a nuclear plant with no concern for saftely), all boarder would be solved by the gun, all trade disputes would end in embargoes.. No curbs to arms trade... Elections rigged without remorse.. will I continue

I thought the US didn't even pay it's dues. Don't we owe millions or billions of back dues?

I think when you don't pay, you should lose your vote.

I have a NATO ribbon and Kosovo campaign medal to support the notion that I have a fairly good idea what groups such as the UN do. Furthermore the UN is not the only, or for that matter most efficient, source of humanitarian effort. Please name me the conflicts that the UN has been instrumental in preventing since it's inception. I can mention many that is been unable to prevent and/or stop. The United Nations is an impotent organization at best.

Congo
Lebanon
Yom Kippur War
Cyprus

But it is easy to show there failures rather than there successses because acievements in negociation is not as defineable as a millitary operation...

But Tamper the UN spents a tiny fraction of money of the US millitary and have produced results in the list I gave earlier which you have failed to point out... Without UN there is no international law or agreements...

Cuban Missile Crisis 1962?

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"There were no D-Day Heroes in 1973" - Cold Chisel Khe Sanh

Sam, if it wasn't for the U.S.'s funding the U.N. wouldn't even exist. Not to mention the fact that they are located on our land.

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"Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we."

President George W. Bush, 8-5-2004

Carolina Politics Online

THIS IS REAL HOPE AND CHANGE!

Ummm No. The United States and Russia solved that one on our own.

International law is a farce. Nations do what they are capable of getting away with. The power behind the UN (the power that comes from international alliances) has existed since before the UN and in fact exists apart from the UN. I will say this though. The United Nations does serve to encourage, to some degree, more international discourse.

I think the fact that mankind hasn't been thrown back to the dark ages again is a testiment to effectiveness of the UN.

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We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.