Anti-Climacus

PROVOCATIVE THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

I think it's time for the U.S. to leave the U.N., because, really, what have they ever accomplished? Assuming we don't buy into the Majoritarian Fallacy, why shouldn't we act in concert with the governments that might agree with us?

In theory, the reason to have a UN at all is because there is some linking element across national boundaries of rational people dedicated to peaceful resolution of disputes. But, of course, the UN is not a collection of democrats--it's a collection of regimes. What typifies the surreal worldview of international politics more right now than the fact that Libya is heading the UN Human Rights Commission? What, after all, does it mean to have a country that has no workable concept of human rights in that position of influence?

It seems to make more sense, from a purely logical point of view, to say "here are the things we stand for:

1. republican or democratic forms of government
2. vigorous defense of civil right and liberties (where the Bill of Rights is a basic ennumeration thereof)
3. Pluralistic, secular governments, at least inasmuch as people deign to return them
4. A commitment to work in the common interest of furtherance of these principles across the world; making no excuse for any dictator or autocrat

...and if you want to get on board, go ahead and join us."

What is, after all, the point of conferring legitimacy on the petty despots of the world (I'm thinking Middle East and sub-Saharan thugocracies, in particular)? Continuing in this charade of resolutions and inspections and reports does nothing about the more basic problems.

I don't mean to suggest, of course, that we should've been at war months ago, whether or not other countries wished to join us. I particularly want to stress I'm not arguing against multi-lateralism as such. But the emphasis on legalism-- "material breach" and all that-- seems to just abstract the problem away from it's common-sense level (Saddam=bad, democratic government=good). Do we really need France or Russia to confirm the obvious facts of the case? We only weaken the strength of the case for freedom by insisting that it can wait at all...