... each of the Big Five has a veto power. Any one of them can block even the discussion of an action that it disapproves.

Amazon Review :

A scorching indictment of the U.N. by a journalist who has done as much to expose the puffed-up incompetents and frauds of Turtle Bay as anyone. -- Rich Lowry, editor, National Review

Eric Shawn has been brave enough to wield one of the first shovels among the ruins of the status quo. -- Christopher Hitchens

Eric Shawn has written a superb book that objectively lays out [the U.N.’s] many faults and failures—a desperately needed step in the right direction. -- Edward I. Koch, former mayor of New York City

Eric Shawn makes a persuasive case that the U.N.... has drifted dangerously astray. -- Rudolph W. Giuliani, former mayor of New York City

Eric Shawn’s explosive book breaks open the world of the diplomatic elite, shows what really goes on behind closed doors and reveals how the international bureaucrats on New York’s East River are an even bigger problem than we ever imagined. -- Sean Hannity

Eric Shawn’s new book is a blistering attack on the world body’s corruption, hypocrisies, greed, ineptitude, scandals and crimes against humanity — and it delivers knockout punches on every page. -- Newsmax.com

If any journalist can expose the U.N. with wit, style, and common sense, it’s Eric Shawn. He’s a pit bull with a pen! -- Ann Coulter

The United Nations is supposed to be a guardian of peace and goodwill. Instead, it has degenerated into a corrupt and cowardly organization. How did that happen? The U.N. Exposed will tell you It is the best investigative work on the U.N. in print. -- Bill O’Reilly

If any journalist can expose the U.N. with wit, style, and common sense, it’s Eric Shawn. He’s a pit bull with a pen! (Ann Coulter)

The United Nations is supposed to be a guardian of peace and goodwill. Instead, it has degenerated into a corrupt and cowardly organization. How did that happen? The U.N. Exposed will tell you It is the best investigative work on the U.N. in print. (Bill O’Reilly)

Eric Shawn’s explosive book breaks open the world of the diplomatic elite, shows what really goes on behind closed doors and reveals how the international bureaucrats on New York’s East River are an even bigger problem than we ever imagined. (Sean Hannity)

Eric Shawn makes a persuasive case that the U.N.... has drifted dangerously astray. (Rudolph W. Giuliani, former mayor of New York City)

Eric Shawn has been brave enough to wield one of the first shovels among the ruins of the status quo. (Christopher Hitchens)

A scorching indictment of the U.N. by a journalist who has done as much to expose the puffed-up incompetents and frauds of Turtle Bay as anyone. (Rich Lowry, editor, National Review)

Eric Shawn has written a superb book that objectively lays out [the U.N.’s] many faults and failures—a desperately needed step in the right direction. (Edward I. Koch, former mayor of New York City)

Eric Shawn’s new book is a blistering attack on the world body’s corruption, hypocrisies, greed, ineptitude, scandals and crimes against humanity — and it delivers knockout punches on every page. (Newsmax.com)

Quote from : Wikipedia : United Nations Security Council

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the principal organs of the United Nations and is charged with the maintenance of international peace and security.

Its powers, outlined in the United Nations Charter, include the establishment of peacekeeping operations, the establishment of international sanctions, and the authorization of military action.

Its powers are exercised through United Nations Security Council Resolutions.

The Security Council held its first session on 17 January 1946 at Church House, London.

Since its first meeting, the Council, which exists in continuous session, has traveled widely, holding meetings in many cities, such as Paris and Addis Ababa, as well as at its current permanent home in the United Nations building in New York City.

There are 15 members of the Security Council, consisting of five veto-wielding permanent members (China, France, Russia, United Kingdom, United States) and ten elected non-permanent members with two-year terms.

This basic structure is set out in Chapter V of the UN Charter.

Security Council members must always be present at UN headquarters in New York so that the Security Council can meet at any time.

This requirement of the United Nations Charter was adopted to address a weakness of the League of Nations since that organization was often unable to respond quickly to a crisis.

Originally posted by mblahnikluver
First of all you cant hold an entire country responsible for what the morons in power do to others. The idiots making these decisions need to be locked up...I am an American and I dont agree with what the suits in power are doing to other countries. It is for their own benefit and nothing more. It's about MONEY and POWER and those two together are deadly.

Quote from : Wikipedia : Project for the New American Century

The Project for the New American Century (PNAC) was an American think tank based in Washington, D.C. that lasted from early 1997 to 2006.

It was co-founded as a non-profit educational organization by neoconservatives William Kristol and Robert Kagan.

The PNAC's stated goal was "to promote American global leadership."

Fundamental to the PNAC were the view that "American leadership is both good for America and good for the world" and support for "a Reaganite policy of military strength and moral clarity."

The PNAC exerted influence on high-level U.S. government officials in the administration of U.S. President George W. Bush and affected the Bush Administration's development of military and foreign policies, especially involving national security and the Iraq War.

Quote from : Wikipedia : Article 51

Article 51 provides for the right of countries to engage in military action in self-defense, including collective self-defense (i.e. under an alliance).

This has been cited as support for the legality of the Vietnam War.

“ Nothing in the present Charter shall impair the inherent right of individual or collective self-defence if an armed attack occurs against a Member of the United Nations, until the Security Council has taken measures necessary to maintain international peace and security.

Measures taken by Members in the exercise of this right of self-defence shall be immediately reported to the Security Council and shall not in any way affect the authority and responsibility of the Security Council under the present Charter to take at any time such action as it deems necessary in order to maintain or restore international peace and security. "

The U.S. arrears issue
The UN has always had problems with members refusing to pay the assessment levied upon them under the United Nations Charter. But the most significant refusal in recent times has been that of the U.S. For a number of years, the U.S. Congress refused to authorize payment of the U.S. dues, in order to force UN compliance with U.S. wishes, as well as a reduction in the U.S. assessment.

After prolonged negotiations, the U.S. and the UN negotiated an agreement whereby the United States would pay a large part of the money it owes, and in exchange the UN would reduce the assessment rate ceiling from 25% to 22%. The reduction in the assessment rate ceiling was among the reforms contained in the 1999 Helms-Biden legislation, which links payment of $926 million in U.S. arrears to the UN and other international organizations to a series of reform benchmarks.

U.S. arrears to the UN currently total over $1.3 billion. Of this, $612 million is payable under Helms-Biden. The remaining $700 million result from various legislative and policy withholdings; at present, there are no plans to pay these amounts.[citation needed] Under Helms-Biden, the U.S. paid $100 million in arrears to the UN in December 1999; release of the next $582 million awaits a legislative revision to Helms-Biden, necessary because the benchmark requiring a 25 percent peacekeeping assessment rate ceiling was not quite achieved.

The U.S. also seeks elimination of the legislated 25 percent cap on U.S. peacekeeping payments in effect since 1995, which continues to generate additional UN arrears. Of the final $244 million under Helms-Biden, $30 million is payable to the UN and $214 million to other international organizations en.wikipedia.org...