lpara
03-14-2003, 10:43 AM
<span style='font-family:comic sans ms'>William F. Buckley, Jr.
March 14, 2003
The new world immediately
The Iraqi question is bringing about a change in perspectives at a screeching speed. Conventions we have lived by and plighted our troths to are simply emptying out, lacking in muscle, or spirit. The first of these, manifestly, is the United Nations as an instrument for guarding the peace.
The U.N. is finally suffering from the imposture of its constitution. When it was formed in 1945 it needed two things, without which nothing at all could be done in creating an institution with political authority. It had to have the Soviet Union and the United States as members, participating with equal authority. Thus both powers got the veto. It was then given to the other three victorious powers: China, Britain and France.
That was 58 years ago, and nobody plausibly asks that continued fruits of victory should go on any longer. Their contributions to victory in 1945 were made before 80 percent of the world's population was born. On Monday, the French foreign minister pledged quite directly to veto any resolution that could be interpreted as authorizing the use of military force in Iraq any time before the next French grape harvest. Supplementary vetoes by Russia or China would be redundant.
The United Nations has an opportunity to reform itself, surrendering the veto, but pride will keep veto-holding powers from simply giving it up. (http://www.townhall.com/columnists/wfbuckley/wfb20030314.shtml)</span>
March 14, 2003
The new world immediately
The Iraqi question is bringing about a change in perspectives at a screeching speed. Conventions we have lived by and plighted our troths to are simply emptying out, lacking in muscle, or spirit. The first of these, manifestly, is the United Nations as an instrument for guarding the peace.
The U.N. is finally suffering from the imposture of its constitution. When it was formed in 1945 it needed two things, without which nothing at all could be done in creating an institution with political authority. It had to have the Soviet Union and the United States as members, participating with equal authority. Thus both powers got the veto. It was then given to the other three victorious powers: China, Britain and France.
That was 58 years ago, and nobody plausibly asks that continued fruits of victory should go on any longer. Their contributions to victory in 1945 were made before 80 percent of the world's population was born. On Monday, the French foreign minister pledged quite directly to veto any resolution that could be interpreted as authorizing the use of military force in Iraq any time before the next French grape harvest. Supplementary vetoes by Russia or China would be redundant.
The United Nations has an opportunity to reform itself, surrendering the veto, but pride will keep veto-holding powers from simply giving it up. (http://www.townhall.com/columnists/wfbuckley/wfb20030314.shtml)</span>