BORDER WARS

I feel like I've written about this more than once - maybe not.  Wars are such a lousy way to settle a dispute.  Sometimes they work - often they only work for a short while - many times they don't work at all.  In every case they are a huge waste of life and property.  You would think that the world is mature enough to figure out a way they can be avoided.

This United Nations was an attempt at avoiding wars but it is plainly obvious that it is useless or worse.  In the case of Russia vs Ukraine, the UN is totally helpless.  This appears to be a border war but I'm not sure that's an apt description.  Ukraine considers it a border war.  The crazy man in Moscow may have some completely different objective - who knows?  

The powerful countries have set up the UN in a way that pleases them; well, they thought it pleased them.  The so-called Security Council has all the power.  There are five Permanent Members of the council; USA, Russia, United Kingdom, France, and China.  There are 10 non-permanent members that are elected for two-year terms.  Currently, those are; Albania, Brazil, Gabon, Ghana, India, Ireland, Kenya, Mexico, Norway, United Arab Emirates.  

It was hoped that the Security Council could recommend and/or take action to dissuade two countries from going to war over border disputes and the like.  It normally requires nine votes of the 15 to pass a measure in the council.  But, the five Permanent Member countries have individually the power to squash any attempt at action the other 14 desire.  If one of the five is overly aggressive, as Russia is now, there is nothing the others can do through the United Nations.  As I said in the beginning, the UN is useless.

So how are we going to settle disputes and stop aggressors?  Sanctions was supposed to be a big thing but it hasn't seemed to stop anyone yet.  Aiding the victim of the aggressor nation with military arms - that has kept Ukraine alive but not intact.  It is just a sad situation.  I don't know why the world puts up with it. 

If the United Nations is to work, it must overcome Permanent Member veto power when that party is involved in a dispute.  I doubt it will happen.