1 of 1

Write now Article Tools

Page 4 of 4

domestic policies of its members. It has no military powers except those agreed to on a case-by-case basis by its members. By design, the UN is not terribly effective much of the time. How can the UN help?

It can and does help by providing a public venue where the world community comes together peacefully in order to develop consensus about issues of mutual concern. In so doing, it strives to create peaceful geopolitical conditions, which makes it a little more difficult for any government to claim the war powers it needs to take away civil liberties. It may have limited influence, but that influence may occasionally be enough to prevent catastrophe.

Of course the UN needs to be cleaned up-it needs to start to live up to its own charter-but what representative body does not? Shall we scrap the U.S. Constitution because our current president is violating his oath to uphold it?

There is much that is good in Ron Paul's platform, but if Ron Paul fans really want national sovereignty, they must first understand what it is, and that it nowhere currently exists. U.S. foreign policy is an expression of Executive Branch sovereignty, not the nation's. Yes, we can express our disapproval of executive policy every four years by our votes, but as we have learned and apparently forgotten many times, that is more than enough time for the Executive Branch to act against the national and human interest with devastating totality.

As James Madison said over two centuries ago, "Of all the enemies of true liberty, war is, perhaps, the most to be dreaded, because it comprises and develops the germ of every other." When our internal checks fail, a strong UN can help protect our sovereignty by helping to prevent war.

Learn more about this author, Kelcey Wilson.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

• << previous page
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4

Add your voice

Know something about How the UN protects American sovereignty: A case for a strong United Nations?
We want to hear your view. Write now!