Posted on: Thursday, March 24, 2005

EDITORIAL
Sweeping reforms for a better U.N.

Reforms proposed for the United Nations by its secretary-general, Kofi Annan, would be the most sweeping since its founding in 1945. They also would begin to answer many of the strongest complaints against the United Nations and rebuild its damaged credibility.

The reforms include enlarging the Security Council, setting rules on when it can authorize military force, an agreed definition of terrorism, and clearer principles on when military force is justified.

Annan knows dramatic changes are needed to restore confidence in his organization following the bitter divisions that preceded the war in Iraq, the mismanagement and corruption within the oil-for-food program, revelations of sexual misconduct by peacekeeping troops in Africa, and instances of paralysis such as the prolonged inaction in the face of mass slaughter in the Sudan's Darfur region.

Few would disagree that the Security Council is an unwieldy relic, with five of its 15 seats occupied by permanent, veto-empowered members (the United States, Russia, China, Britain and France) while the remaining 186 members rotate in the remaining seats.

Annan suggests that the council grow to 24 members, perhaps with permanent, but not veto-wielding, seats going to Germany, Japan, India, Brazil and two of three African nations (Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa). Or a middle tier of four-year seats might be created.

Many American politicians have disparaged the United Nations as a body that exists to suck away U.S. sovereignty and to wield inaction in the face of pressing need. But the fact is that 16 highly desirable peacekeeping operations are currently in operation around the world — operations that certainly the U.S. military is stretched too thin to contribute to.

The biggest problem facing the United Nations is the huge disparity in muscle and influence between the United States and everyone else in the United Nations.

While Annan's reforms will go a long way to restoring confidence in the United Nations, it will never have full credibility as long as the United States feels itself free to choose which U.N. rules it will honor.