1

UNITEDNATIONS
TheRoleofTheUnitedNations

By

TyWhalin

ENC1101FreshmanCompositionI

JohnSimpson
26May2003
OUTLINE

ThesisStatement:

ThroughouttheformationoftheU.N.sinceitsexistence,theU.S.andother
countrieshavebeenlockedindebatewiththeUnitedNations(U.N.)concerningpeacekeeping,
effectiveness,andthetruesuccesssinceitsformationandfounding.

I. TheU.N.andpeacekeeping
A.
U.N.formation
1.
Globaltreaties
2.
Leadpeacekeepingmissions
B.
TheU.N.today
1.
FoundedinSanFrancisco,CA.
2.
185nationsaremembersoftheU.N.
II. Valueofmissionsdebated
A.
Peacekeepingmissions
1.
Humanitarianoperations
2. Patrollingvolatilebordersandmakingsureaceasefireisobeyed

B.
U.N.criticism
1.
ThewaytheU.N.conductspeacekeepingmissions
2.
Failedpeacekeepingmethods
III. HastheU.N.beeneffective
A.
HoweffectivehastheU.N.been?(Negative)
1.
AbbaEban
2.
SirAnthonyParsons
B.
HoweffectivehastheU.N.been?(Positive)
1.
(HighCommissionerforRefugees[UNHCR])
2.
(WorldHealthOrganization[WHO])

IV.
U.N.promiseremainsstrong
A.
SupportersoftheU.N.
1.JamesSpeth
2.DanielSpiegel
B.
U.S.troopsandpublic
1.MichaelNew,a22yearoldarmymedic

2.
Publicopinion(statistics)

TyWhalin
JohnSimpson
ENC1101FreshmanCompositionI
26May2003
UnitedNations
TheRoleofTheUnitedNations

ThispapergoesintogreathistoryabouttheconstraintsontheeffectivenessoftheUnitedNations
sincetheformationoftheUnitedNations(U.N.).Eversinceitsexistence,theUnitedStates(U.S.)andother
countrieshavebeenlockedindebatewiththeUnitedNationsconcerningpeacekeeping,effectiveness,and
thetruesuccessoftheUnitedNationssinceitsformation.Atthesametime,thepaperdiscussesthe
achievementsoftheUnitedNationsandsomeoftheissuesthatwerenotanticipatedsinceitsinception.
SomeoftheinformationcontainedinthispaperdiscussesthehistoryoftheUnitedNationssinceits
inceptionandavastcoverageofsomeoftheprogramsthattheUnitedNationshascreatedwhiletryingto
maketheUnitedNationsmoreeffectiveinmeetingthemainworldorderchallengesofthetwentyfirst
century.
AlthoughtheUnitedNationscontinuestohaveamajorimpactinthepursuitofpeaceand
tranquility,thelimitationofarms,andtheprotectionofhumanrights,theUnitedNationshaschangedin
manywayssinceitsfoundingin1945.(Kay).TheoriginalmembershipoftheUnitedNationswascomposed
ofthefiftyonenations,whichweresignatorieseithertotheCharterortotheDeclarationbyUnited
Nations,promulgatedonJanuary1,1942(Kay).TheCharterprovidesthatmembershipisopentoall
peacekeepingnationswhichacceptedorwillaccepttheobligationscontainedwithintheCharterand
which,inthejudgmentoftheorganization,areableandwillingtoupholdandcarryouttheseobligations
(Kay).
Thesegovernmentsaretheoriginalfiftyonenations,whichweresignatorieseithertotheCharter
ortotheDeclarationbyUnitedNations.
OriginalMembers:Argentina,Australia,Belgium,Bolivia,Brazil,ByelorussianS.S.R.,Canada,
Chile,China,Columbia,CostaRica,Cuba,Czechoslovakia,Denmark,DominicanRepublic,
Ecuador,Egypt(in1958becamepartofUnitedArabRepublic),ElSalvador,Ethiopia,France,
Greece,Guatemala,Haiti,Honduras,India,Iran,Iraq,Lebanon,Liberia,Luxembourg,Mexico,the
Netherlands,NewZealand,Nicaragua,Norway,Panama,Paraguay,Peru,PhilippineRepublic,
Poland,SaudiArabia,Syria(in1958becamepartofUnitedArabRepublic),Turkey,Ukrainian
S.S.R.,SouthAfrica,U.S.S.R.,UnitedKingdom,UnitedStates,Uruguay,Venezuela,Yugoslavia.
(Morse).

Thefirstpublicinternationaldocumentsettingsforthingeneraltermstheaimsandprinciples
embodiedintheCharteroftheUnitedNationswastheAtlanticCharter,astatementissuedjointlyinAugust
1941,byPresidentFranklinD.RooseveltandPrimeMinisterWinstonChurchill.(Morse).OnJanuary1,
1942,lessthanonemonthaftertheentryoftheUnitedStatesintoWorldWarII,therepresentativesof
twentysixnationsthenwarringagainsttheAxisPowersmetinWashingtonD.C.(Morse).These
representativesformallysubscribedtothepurposesandprinciplesenunciatedintheAtlanticCharter
(Morse).TheagreementsignedwasentitledtheDeclarationbyUnitedNations,andcontainedthefirst
formalusageofthetermUnitedNations(Morse).
ThenextstepintheestablishmentoftheUnitedNationswastheconvocation,underthesponsorship
oftheUnitedStates,SovietUnion,China,andtheUnitedKingdom(Morse).Thiswasaninternational
conferenceheldonApril25,1945inSanFrancisco,California(Morse).Thisconferencewasheldtodrafta
charterfortheinternationalorganization.TheCharterofficiallytookeffect,andtheU.N.becameareality,on
October24,1945(Morse).TheCharterwasratifiedbythegovernmentsoffivepermanentmembersofthe
SecurityCouncil,theUnitedStates,SovietUnion,UnitedKingdom,France,andChinaandbyamajority
votebytheotheroriginalsignatories(Morse).AtthepresentdayThe57thregularsessionofUnited
NationsGeneralAssemblyopenedSeptember10,2002,attendedbyworldleadersandotherdelegatesfrom
189nations.(Nations).Onthatday,Switzerlandwasadmittedasthe190thmembernation.OnSept.27,the
newlyformedcountryofEastTimor(DemocraticRepublicofTimorLeste)joinedasthe191stmember.
(Nations).

Subsequently,aftercertainworldeventsarose,somechangeshadtobemadewithintheUnited
Nations.InDecember1946,theGeneralAssemblyunanimouslydeclaredthatthegeneralregulationand
reductionofarmamentswasanimperativenecessity,andcalledupontheSecurityCounciltoformulate
practicalmeasurestoachievethisobjective(Morse).TwomonthslatertheSecurityCouncil,underthe
jurisdictionoftheCommissionwassubsequentlydefinedasextendingoverallarmamentsandarmed
forces,exceptatomicweaponsandweaponsofmassdestruction(Morse).Duringthefollowingyear,the
deliberationsoftheCommissionwerehamperedbythepresentationoftheopposingviewsondisarmament
bytheEasternandWesternblocs(Morse).TheSovietdelegateinsistedthattheregulationandreductionof
nonatomicarmamentswasimpossiblewithoutthesimultaneousestablishmentofasystemforthecontrolof
atomicweapons,whiletheU.S.andotherWesterndelegatesfavoredasystemofcontrolandinspectionof
conventionalarmaments,leavingthequestionofatomicweaponscontroltotheAtomicEnergyCommission
(Morse).
ThroughouttheexistenceoftheUnitedNations,theUnitedNationshashelpedcraftglobaltreaties
aimedatnucleardisarmament,banningthestockpilingofchemicalweaponsandlimitingtheuseofland
mines.(U.S.).TheU.N.alsosetsstandardsforhumanrights,includingtherighttofreespeechand
expression,andcoordinatesreliefeffortsforcountriesafflictedbywarornaturaldisasters.(U.S).The
essentialfunctionofU.N.peacekeepingisfarmorepoliticalthanmilitary,fromwhichfollowsanumberof
consequences(Kay).First,themandateofapeacekeepingforcemustbecompatiblewiththenational
securityinterestofthecountriesconcerned,includingthosecontributingtroops(Kay).Inaddition,the
consentofthehostgovernmentorgovernments,onwhosesoiltheforceistobestationed,isnecessaryto
defenditselfandtocarryprincipalpartiesintheforce(Kay).Iftheyareabsolutelydeterminedtofight,
peacekeepingoperationscantstopthem,butwhentheyarewillingtoobserveceasefireUnitedNations
forcesorobserverscanreassureeachsidethattheotherisalsounderobservationforhonestperformance
(Kay).Thenumberofpeacekeepingmissionshasincreasedsincethe1970s(U.S.).Between1985and1995,
theUnitedNationsmountedtwentyfivepeacekeepingoperations,comparedwithonlyonelaunchedduring
theyearsbetween1975and1985(U.S).Sincethen,however,therehasbeenadropinpeacekeepingcosts
andpersonneloverall,asofJanuary2000,some15,000militaryandcivilianpersonnel

wereparticipatinginatotalofseventeendifferentU.N.peacekeepingmissions.(U.S).Poland
contributedthelargestnumberofpersonnel1,068.TheU.S.rankedeighthoverall,with658personnel
deployed.(U.S).
ThereisamultitudeofprogramscurrentlybeingoperatedthroughouttheworldbytheUnited
Nationstoday.Alloftheseprogramsaredesignedtostopconflictamongstnationsthroughsometypeof
treatythatisdrawnupandsignedbythecouncilmembers.ThereareavarietyofongoingUnitedNations
treatiescurrentlyinaffect.Thisislistingofsomeofthetreatiescurrentlyinaffecttodaythatarehelping
resolveconflicts.Thelistinglistthelocation,thenameofthetreaties,andthedateoftheprograms
inception.Alloftheseprogramsarecurrentlyinaffecttothepresentdate.
Africa:DemocraticRepublicoftheCongoMONUC,December1999,EthiopiaandEritreaUNMEEJuly
2000,SierraLeoneUNAMSILOctober1999,WesternSaharaMINURSOApril1991,Asia:East
TimorUNMISETMay2002,IndiaPakistanUNMOGIPJanuary1949,Europe:Bosnia&
HerzegovinaUNMIBHDecember1995,CyprusUNFICYPMarch1964,GeorgiaUNOMIGAugust
1993,KosovaUNMIKJune1999,PrevlakaPenninsulaUNMOPFebruary1996,MiddleEast:Golan
HeightsUNDOFJune1974,Iraq\KuwaitUNIKOMApril1991,LebanonUNIFILMarch1978,Middle
EastUNTSOJune1948(Prepared).
Therearealsocurrentlyotherprogramsinaffectthathavehelpedinamagnitudeofplaces,butsomeof
theseprogramsarecurrentlynotinaffectatthispresentdayandtime.ThisisalistingoftheUnitedNations
peacekeepingteamsandforces:
UNobserversinIndonesia19471950,UNSubCommissionontheBalkans(UNSCOB)19471954,UN
TruceSupervisionOrganizationinPalestine(UNTSO)1949Present,UNMilitaryObserverGroupin
IndiaandPakistan(UNMOGIP)1949Present,UNObserverGroupinLebanon(UNOGIL)1958,UN
ObserversandSecurityforceinWestIran(UNSF)19621963,UNYemenObservationMission
(UNYOM)19631964,UNIndiaPakistanObservationMission(UNIPOM)19651966,UNGoodOffices
MissioninAfghanistan(UNGOMAP)19881990,UNIranIraqMilitaryObserverGroup(UNIMOG)
19881992,UNAngolaVerificationMissions(UNAVEMIandII)1989Present,UNObserverGroupin
CentralAmerica(ONUCA)19891992,UNMissionfortheReferendumin

WesternSahara(MINURSO)1991Present,UNObserverMissioninElSalvador(ONUSAL)
1991Present,UNIraqKuwaitObservationMission(UNIKOM)1991Present,FirstUNEmergency
ForceintheMiddleEast(UNEFI)19561967,UNOperationintheCongo(ONUC)19601964,UN
PeacekeepingForceinCyprus(UNFICYP)1964Present,SecondUNEmergencyForceintheMiddle
East(UNEFII)19731979,UNDisengagementObserverForce(UNDOF)1974Present,UNInterim
ForceinLebanon(UNIFIL)1978Present,UNTransitionAssistanceGroupinNamibia(UNTAG)
19891990,UNTransitionAssistanceAuthorityinCambodia(UNTAC)1991Present,UNProtection
ForceinYugoslavia(UNPROFOR)1992Present,UNOperationinSomalia(UNOSOM)1992Present
(White).
ThisisabriefsummaryoftheUnitedNationsPeacekeepingOperationsandsomeofthebudget
expenditures:UNITEDNATIONSPEACEKEEPINGOPERATIONS

PEACEKEEPINGOPERATIONSsince1948...............................................................56
Currentoperations........................................................................................................14

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PERSONNEL
Militarypersonnelandcivilianpoliceservinginmissionson30April2003..............36,987
Countriescontributingmilitarypersonnelandcivilianpoliceon30April2003................89
Internationalcivilianpersonnelon30April2003..........................................................3,303
Localcivilianpersonnelon30April2003.....................................................................6,787
Totalnumberoffatalitiesinpeacekeepingoperationssince1948asof30April2003..1,798

FINANCIALASPECTS
Approvedbudgetsfortheperiodfrom1July2002to30June2003............................About
$2.63billion
Proposedbudgetarylevelsfortheperiodfrom1July2003to30June2004*...............About$2.3
billion
Estimatedtotalcostofoperationsfrom1948to30June2003..................................About
$28.73billion
BACKGROUNDNOTE:1
NOTE:Thetermmilitarypersonnelreferstomilitaryobserversandtroops,as
applicable.Fatalityfiguresinclude
military,civilianpolice,andcivilianinternationalandlocalpersonnelinUnited
Nationspeacekeepingoperations.

UNTSOSinceMay1948

UnitedNationsTruceSupervisionOrganization
Strength:military153internationalcivilian103
localcivilian112Fatalities:38
Appropriationforyear2003:$25.9million

UNMOGIPSinceJanuary1949
UnitedNationsMilitaryObserverGroup
inIndiaandPakistan
Strength:military45internationalcivilian24
localcivilian47Fatalities:9
Appropriationforyear2003:$9.2million

UNFICYPSinceMarch1964
UnitedNationsPeacekeepingForceinCyprus
Strength:military1,229civilianpolice35intlcivilian43
localcivilian105Fatalities:170
Approvedbudget07/0206/03:$45.6million(gross)
includingvoluntarycontributionsof$15.2millionfrom
Cyprusand$6.5millionfromGreece
Proposedbudget07/0306/04:$44.4million(gross)

UNDOFSinceJune1974
UnitedNationsDisengagementObserverForce
Strength:military1,043internationalcivilian38
localcivilian95Fatalities:40
Approvedbudget07/0206/03:$40.8million(gross)

11

Proposedbudget07/0306/04:$40.2million(gross)

UNIFILSinceMarch1978
UnitedNationsInterimForceinLebanon
Strength:military1,990internationalcivilian111
localcivilian301Fatalities:246
Approvedbudget07/0206/03:$117.1million(gross)
Proposedbudget07/0306/04:$91.8million(gross)

UNIKOMSinceApril1991
UnitedNationsIraqKuwaitObservationMission
Strength:military13internationalcivilian65
localcivilian162Fatalities:17
Approvedbudget07/0206/03:$52.9million(gross)
includingKuwaitsvoluntarycontributionsof$35.2million
Proposedbudget07/0306/04:$53.98million(gross)

MINURSOSinceApril1991
UnitedNationsMissionfortheReferendumin
WesternSahara
Strength:military230civilianpolice25intlcivilian166
localcivilian113Fatalities:10
Approvedbudget07/0206/03:$43.4million(gross)
Proposedbudget07/0306/04:$42.5million(gross)

UnitedNationsObserverMissioninGeorgia
UNOMIGSinceAugust1993
UnitedNationsObserverMissioninGeorgia
Strength:military116internationalcivilian102
localcivilian176Fatalities:7
Approvedbudget07/0206/03:$33.1million(gross)
Proposedbudget07/0306/04:30.96million(gross)

UNMIKSinceJune1999
UnitedNationsInterimAdministrationMission
inKosovo
Strength:civilianpolice4,297military38intlcivilian
999localcivilian3,184Fatalities:22
Approvedbudget07/0206/03:$345.0million(gross)
Proposedbudget07/0306/04:$315.5million(gross)

UNAMSILSinceOctober1999
UnitedNationsMissioninSierraLeone
Strength:military14,715civilianpolice112intlcivilian
306localcivilian560Fatalities:108
Approvedbudget07/0206/03:$699.8million(gross)
Proposedbudget07/0306/04:$520.05million(gross)

12

MONUCSinceNovember1999
UnitedNationsOrganizationMissionintheDemocratic
RepublicoftheCongo
Strength:military4,684civilianpolice51international
civilian575localcivilian710Fatalities:13
Approvedbudget07/0206/03:$608.3million(gross)
Proposedbudget07/0306/04:$634.8million(gross)

UNMEESinceJuly2000
UnitedNationsMissioninEthiopiaandEritrea
Strength:military4,080internationalcivilian229
localcivilian259Fatalities:3
Approvedbudget07/0206/03:$230.8million(gross)
Proposedbudget07/0306/04:$198.4million(gross)

UNMISETSinceMay2002
UnitedNationsMissionofSupportinEastTimor
Strength:military3,484civilianpolice641international
civilian423localcivilian848Fatalities:10
Approvedbudget07/0206/03:$305.2million(gross)
Proposedbudget07/0306/04:$188.2million(gross)

MINUCISinceMay2003
UnitedNationsMissioninCtedIvoire
Maximumauthorizedstrength:26militaryliaisonofficers
intheinitialperiodandupto50additionalofficersas
needed,andasmallcivilianstaff
Estimatedfinancialimplicationsforaoneyearperiod(see
S/2003/374/Add.1,11April2003):$26.9million(gross)

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CURRENTPEACEKEEPINGOPERATIONS

UNTSOandUNMOGIParefundedfromtheUnitedNationsregularbudget.CoststotheUnitedNationsofthe12other
currentoperationsarefinancedfromtheirownseparateaccountsonthebasisoflegallybindingassessmentsonall
MemberStates.Forthesemissions,budgetfiguresareforoneyearunlessotherwisespecifiedandincludetheprorated
shareofthesupportaccountforpeacekeepingoperationsandtheUnitedNationsLogisticsBaseatBrindisi(Italy).For
detailsonproposedbudgetsforJuly2003toJune2004,seedocumentA/C.5/57/34/Rev.1,20March2003.
TheUnitedNationsAssistanceMissioninAfghanistan(UNAMA),oneofanumberofUnitedNationspoliticaland
peacebuildingmissions,isalsodirectedandsupportedbytheDepartmentofPeacekeepingOperations.Formore
information,seeDPI/2166/Rev.7.TheUNAMAwebsiteislocatedathttp://www.unamaafg.org/(Prepared).

TheUnitedNationshasaccomplishedmanytaskssincetheinceptionoftheUnitedNations,but
thereissomenoneffectiveprogramsandcriticismconcerningsomeoftheUnitedNationsprograms.Many
peopleintheU.S.havecriticizedthewaytheUnitedNationsconductsspecificpeacekeepingmissions
(Nations).TheUnitedNationsmissioninBosnia,forexample,hasbeenlabeledanoutrightfailure(Nations).
In1991,theUnitedNationssentpeacekeepingforcestoBosniainanattempttosubdueanescalatingcivil
conflictintheregion,formerlypartofYugoslavia(Nations).UnitedNationsforceswereunabletostopthe
violencethateruptedbetweenBosnianSerbs,CroatsandMoslems(Nations).TheUnitedNations
peacekeepersalsofailedtopreventthemassacreofabout7,000MoslemsbySerbmilitiaforcesduring1995
(Nations).ByNovemberofthatyear,UnitedNationseffortswereabandonedandtheNorthAtlanticTreaty
Organization(NATO)tookover(Nations).(TheU.N.forceshadbeenorderednottotakesidesinthe
conflict,adecisionthatwaslatercitedasamajorreasonforthemission'sfailure.)(Nations).
Apeacekeepingeffortcanbepreordainedtofailbypredeploymentfactorssuchasthewayits
mandateiswritten.Oncethepeacekeepersaredeployed,however,theoperationentersitsmostcritical
phase(Jett).Whenthemissionisunderway,thecausesofandchancesoffailurearemostnumerous(Jett).
Thepeacekeepingorganizationcanfailatthisstageeitherbecausetheeffortsofthepeacekeepersare
inadequateorbecauseotherfactorspreventthoseeffortsfromsucceeding(Jett).Failurecanariseeither
withintheUnitedNationsasanorganizationoroutsideit(Jett).AbbaEban,aformerIsraeliforeignminister
andveteranUnitedNationsdiplomat,hassaid,"Failurewasbuiltintoit[theU.N.]byanextraordinaryorgy
ofexaggeratedexpectations."(U.S.)Heandotherdiplomatscontendthattheorganizationwassimplya
bystandertothemostimportanteventsofthepast50years,includingthecollapseoftheSovietUnionand
theunificationofGermany(U.S.).

14

SirAnthonyParsons,Britain'sambassadortotheUnitedNationsbetween1979and1982,saysthatthe
organizationhasfailedmiserablyinthefieldofhumanrights,whichitscharterpledgesittouphold(U.S.).
Heargues,"TheUnitedNationshasbeenadisastrousfailure(U.S.).Itsetthestandardsandadopted
conventionsoneverythingyoucanthinkoftorture,women,children,civilrightsbutdoesnothingto
enforcethem."(U.S.).
InretrospectoftheUnitedNationsbudgetsomeofthebiggestcontributorsarekeysupportersof
theUnitedNations.TheUnitedNationsmembers'shareoftheoperatingandpeacekeepingbudgetsis
determinedbyasystemofassessmentsthatisbasedonamember'spercapitagrossnationalproduct
(GNP),abroadindicatorofeconomicwealth(U.S.).TheU.S.wasbyfartheworld'sdominanteconomic
powerin1945consequently,thecountrypaid40%oftheU.N.'sbudget(U.S.).Today,theU.S.remainsthe
biggestcontributor,providing25%oftheregularoperatingbudget(U.S.).Japanprovidesthenextlargest
amountabout16%(U.S).Tomaintainstability,BillClintonurgedCongressthroughout1995toappropriate
fundstocoveratleastaportionoftheU.S.debt,butthelegislaturehadnotactedasofFebruary1996
(U.S.).TheresistanceinCongressstemsfrommembers'desiretoforcetheorganizationtoreformitself
(U.S.).EvenClinton,aftermentioningthegrowingantiUnitedNationssentimentinCongressduringhis
speechatthe50thanniversaryoftheUnitedNations,said,"TheUnitedNationsmustreformtoremain
relevantandtoplayastillstrongerroleinthemarchoffreedom,peaceandprosperity.Allwhocontributeto
theU.N.'sworkandcareaboutitsfuturemustalsobecommittedtoreform,toendingbureaucratic
inefficienciesandoutdatedpriorities(U.S.).Goodpeacebuildingtendstobeexpensive.Consideringthe
dangersofbluffingwithinadequatemilitaryoperationsandthecostsofeffectivepeacebuildinginthemore
expensiveoperations(andtheUnitedNationscontinuouslyshakyfinances),itisareassuringnotea
favorableemergingtrendandanotherkeystrategicconsideration(Crocker).Thefortunatetrendisthatthe
surgeofcivilwarsthataccompaniedthewaningdaysoftheColdWaranditsimmediateaftermathappears
tobeebbing(Crocker).Ifso,therewillbelessdemandfortheUnitedNationscostlypeaceservices.The
otherconsiderationisthatsuccessfuloperationsneednotbelargeandexpensive(Crocker).Good
leadershipeconomizesonresources.SomeobserversseesignsthattheUnitedStatesrelationshipwiththe
UnitedNationsisimproving.SincetheU.S.agreedtopayitsdues,therehasbeenunprecedented

15

communicationbetweenU.S.lawmakersandtheUnitedNations.TheUnitedNationsiscurrentlyinthe57th.
RegularsessionofUnitedNationsGeneralAssemblyopenedSeptember10,2002,attendedbyatotalof191
members.

16

OneofthemainobjectivesthattheUnitedNationsarethehumanitarianoperationsthatthe
UnitedNationshasembarkedonsincetheexistenceoftheUnitedNations.InJanuary1946,theUkrainian
S.S.R.chargedthatBritishandJapanesemilitaryforcesinIndonesiahadembarkedonoperationsdirected
againstthenativepopulation(Morse).TheCouncilrejectedaUkrainianproposalfortheestablishmentofa
UnitedNationsCommissiontoinvestigatethesituation(Morse).Nofurtheractionofanyimportancewas
takenuntilJuly1947.JapanwasnotadmittedtotheUnitedNationsuntilDecember18,1956.Oneofthemost
noteworthysuccessesintheearlyhistoryoftheUnitedNationswastheresolutionofthePalestineproblem
(Morse).ThecoreoftheproblemlayinthedemandoftheJewishAgencyfortheterminationoftheBritish
mandateinPalestine,andtheestablishmentofaJewishstateinitsstead(Morse).Thissubjectwasplaced
beforetheGeneralAssemblybytheUnitedKingdominApril,1947(Morse).ASpecialCommitteeon
Palestine(U.N.S.C.O.P.)wasempoweredtoinquireintothefactswithaviewtomakingsuitable
recommendations(Morse).AnotherexampleofahumanitarianoperationwastheinvasionofEgypton
October29,1956,IsraeliforceslaunchedaninvasionofEgyptianterritory(Morse).Thefollowingday
BritainandFrancedemandedcessationofhostilitieswithintwelvehoursandrequestedEgypttopermitthe
deploymentofBritishandFrenchforcesintheSuezCanalZone(Morse).Uponreceivingarefusal,the
BritishandFrenchlaunchedairandnavalattacksagainstEgyptandafewdayslaterinvadedEgyptian
territorybyland(Morse).ThisbecameanemergencycrisisintheMiddleEastandtheU.N.orderedan
immediateceasefireandwithdrawalofforeigntroopsfromEgypt(Morse).Finally,inSeptember1999,the
U.N.authorizedapeacekeepingforceforEastTimor,abreakawayIndonesianterritory(Nations).TheU.N.
wantedtoquellescalatingviolencethatbrokeoutafterEastTimoresecitizensvotedtobecomean
independentrepublic(Nations).Indonesiaistheforthmostpopulouscountryintheworld(Nations).A
peacekeepingeffortcanbepreordainedtofailbypredeploymentfactorssuchasthewayitsmandateis
written.Oncethepeacekeepersaredeployed,however,theoperationentersitsmostcriticalphase.When
themissionisunderway,thecausesofandchancesoffailurearemostnumerous.Thepeacekeeping
organizationcanfailatthisstageeitherbecausetheeffortsofthepeacekeepersareinadequateorbecause
otherfactorspreventthoseeffortsfromsucceeding.FailurecanariseeitherwithintheUnitedNationsasan
organizationoroutsideit.

17

18

ConsideringalloftheeffectiveandnoneffectiveaccomplishmentsoftheUnitedNations,themain
purposeoftheUnitedNationsistomaintaininternationalpeaceandsecuritytodevelopfriendlyrelations
amongnationstoachieveinternationalcooperationinsolvingeconomic,social,cultural,andhumanitarian
problemsandinpromotingrespectforhumanrightsandbasicfreedomsandalsotobeacenterfor
harmonizingtheactionsofnationsinattainingthesecommonends.
IalsofoundthattheU.S.slargestcitywaschosenastheUnitedNationsheadquarters.Theworld
famousheadquarterswascompletedin1950(U.S.).TheUnitedNationsheadquartersisinNewYork,NY,
betweenFirstAve.andRooseveltDriveandE.42nd.St.andE.48th.St.TheGeneralAssemblyBldg.,
Secretariat,ConferenceandLibrarybldgs.Areinterconnected(U.S.).Therearealsosixmainorgansofthe
UnitedNations:GeneralAssembly,SecurityCouncil,EconomicandSocialCouncil,TrusteeshipCouncil,
InternationalCourtofJustice,andSecretariat.TheUnitedNationsfamilyismuchlarger,encompassing15
agenciesandseveralprogrammesandbodies.Therearetomanyprogrammestolistandwouldrequiremuch
moreresearchandisbeyondthescopeofthispaper.Despitethebitternessandthehostilitiesbywhichits
governmentsaredivided,despitethediversitiesofconditionandbelief,despitethecontrastsof
backgroundandcircumstance,theworldistodayasneverinthepast,asinglecommunity(Keenleyside).
Menhavecircledtheearthinlessthantwohourstheirwordspassinstantlyfromhemisphereto
hemisphere(Keenleyside).Whataffectsonregionaffectsallwhenturmoilarisesinoneareallareasare
concernedtheimpactoflocalcontroversycarriesthethreatofgeneralconflict(Keenleyside).
MyoverallconclusionoftheUnitedNationsisthattheUnitedNationshasdonemoregoodforthe
worldthanbad.ThetruesuccessandeffectivenessoftheUnitedNationsisbyfarbeyondtheinformation
containedwithinthispaperandonlyscratchedthesurfaceofhowbroadtheUnitedNationsrolesare
amongstnationsoftoday.ItrulythinkthatmuchoftheUnitedNationssuccessresideswiththe
governanceofallnationscombined.Therearemoresuccessstoriesandtribulationsthannoneffective
withintheUnitedNations.Justaswithanything,mostoccurrencesarelearnedfromtrialanderror,asare
mostinteractionsthroughoutlife.Plus,weliveinaneverchangingworldofsociety.

19

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