The United Nations

Persuasive Essay # 112442

International Relations
Political Science

The United Nations

Explores if the United Nations (UN) has become an obsolete organization.

925 words () | 5 sources | MLA | 2009 Canada

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that, while the United Nations (UN) might have been effective in living up to its potential at the outset, that capacity has diminished year after year amid growing mismanagement and corruption within its ranks. The author points out failures of the Security Council and peacekeeping missions and scandals involving criminal schemes, pedophile rings and prostitute trafficking. The paper concludes that just as the League of Nations was disbanded due to loopholes within its structure, the UN also needs to at least face a substantial transfiguration in order to maintain its core goals.

From the Paper:

"The UN also is responsible for providing humanitarian relief to nations and peoples in need. Although embargoes were placed on Iraq, the UN allowed Saddam to sell his oil for food and medicine under the 'Food for Oil Program' created by the UN. "The UN's biggest-ever humanitarian undertaking... (became) it's biggest-ever scandal." Document after document was uncovered in 2003, detailing the corruption and naming UN officials who had taken bribes."

Sample of Sources Used:

Bates, Robert. State Formation in the Modern Era 2001 'from Prosperity and Violence'
The Economist. Volcker's damning report on the oil-for-food scandal. 9 Aug, 2005. http://www.economist.com/agenda/displayStory.cfm?story_id=4267109
Lynch, Colum. U.N. Finds Fraud, Mismanagement in Peacekeeping. 18, Dec 2007. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/17/AR2007121701914.html
http://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htun/articles/20060302.aspx
BBC News. UN troops face child abuse claims. 30 November 2006. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6195830.stm