United Nations Positive Role in Counter-Terrorist Policies - Essay Example

United Nations’ positive role in counter-terrorist policies of Western democracies as well as global development The evolution and establishment of various countries throughout the world have necessitated an overseeing organization. The organization that will look after how the various countries ‘interact’ in sensitive issues, indulge in activities which are detrimental to the third countries, their internal affairs, etc, etc. In total, a ‘world government’ to govern the entire world and for that purpose, United Nations (the UN) was established in 1945. However, the image of ‘world government’ was compromised by the unilateral actions or counter-terrorist actions of few Western countries. These countries involved in those unilateral actions, even without the UN’s mandate, mainly to counter terrorism, or if, viewed from another perspective, in the guise of fighting terrorism. The UN despite this contemporary challenge of unilateralism is still relevant because these Western democracies themselves give that credibility (however quite belatedly) by involving the UN in the aftermath of the counter-terrorist actions. Apart from this role in various countries, the UN is optimally functioning and contributing as part of global development by involving themselves in various peacekeeping missions, humanitarian programs and other constructive processes. So, this paper will evaluate how the UN is playing a positive role in ensuring that the counter-terrorist policies of Western democracies do not hinder its global development aims. The UN’s Evolution The UN was established after the Second World War as an overseeing international organization, which can prevent any more World Wars and also to take care of the basic issues concerning the world population. However, its spread and influence were restricted or kept at low levels due to the rise of ‘unipolarity’ in the form of American domination of world affairs. After the end of the Cold War, with Soviet Union’s disintegration, the U.S. became the sole superpower due to its military, economic and other strengths. This power status of U.S. started negatively affecting the functioning of the UN. The UN played its role with perfection in many circumstances but was made to ‘under perform’ by the U.S., making it irrelevant on few occasions. Western democracies counter-terrorist actions Western democracies have involved itself in various counter-terrorist actions all over the world. Although, in certain cases, it was unilateral, in other cases being a victim of terrorism, these countries carried out counter-terrorist activities with UN mandate. For example, because of 9/11 terrorist attacks, it carried out attacks against the Taliban and Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan with the UN support. However, in the case of Iraq, Western democracies attacked it without the UN mandate. Thus, because of U.S.’s launch of pre-emptive unilateral military intervention in Iraq, the notion that gained credence is, the UN has been sidelined or even made irrelevant. Along with the support of few of its allies, the U.S. marched into a sovereign country under the pretext of finding non-existent Weapons of Mass Destruction. “The term “international consensus” thus referred, not to the actual body of opinion in the world, but the opinion of those powers that agreed with the US.” (Chibber 2009). Even though it did not find any WMDs, it overthrew the persecuting regime of Saddam Hussein, who was also accused of aiding certain terrorist groups. Because of this unilateral preemptive strike only, it appears that the UN had been made irrelevant with one of its founders, the U.S. being the forefront of this dubious action. However, the other view is, the U.S. and other Western democracies by this counter-terrorist actions have given legitimacy and importantly relevance to the UN in the post-war Iraq. The UN’s role in Iraq now borders both on civil administration for society development as well as counter terrorist activities carried out by certain radical groups within Iraq. “(Former) U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said that Iraq has become an even greater “center for terrorist activities” than Afghanistan under the Taliban.” (Associated Press 2005). The later role of the UN got aided by the establishment of UN Action to Counter Terrorism. That is, in 2006, to consolidate and coordinate counter-terrorist activities, Member States of the UN agreed to a global strategy to counter terrorism. This resolution focused on joint international efforts to counter terrorism, with the key role for Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force (CTITF) The UN’s positive role in Post-War Iraq The relevance of the UN was also questioned in the post war Iraq, with the view that the U.S. will manage the administration of Iraq unilaterally without role for any homegrown administrators or unbiased international observers like the UN. But, that did not happen because Iraqi administrators ‘filled’ a major portion of the administration. Importantly, the UN’s role also was strengthened with the passing of the Resolution 1483. That is, the UN cannot be sidelined and had to be in the center of action, especially when it comes to civilian administration. This fact was further firmed by the adoption of the resolution 1483 in May 2003 granting the UN a significant role in postwar Iraq. That is, after launching the war and achieving what it wanted, the U.S. felt that it needed the UN backing for the administration of Iraq. Civil administration is the key for any development of Iraq. UN and its officials have a wealth of experience in managing many countries in the aftermaths of war. It had not only managed countries in the immediate period after war, but also in the times of civil war, internal turmoil etc. So, the UN’s role was very crucial in the post war Iraq and the U.S.’s acceptance of that fact only resulted in Resolution 1483. “That the United States chose to give the UN such a prominent position reflects not just British pressure but also Washingtons own recognition that it needs the world body” (Tharoor). Apart managing the civil administration, the UN’s role in counter-terrorist activities is crucial. Although, CTITF is focused on controlling terrorism, major steps are not being taken in Iraq. This was pointed out by Advisor to the Minister of Tourism & Antiquities (Republic of Iraq), Bahaa Mayah when asked about the role of the UN in combating terrorism, “Issuing resolutions is not enough to fight terrorism.” (dailyexpress.com.my 2010). So, the UN in coordination with U.S. forces has to come with apt strategies to eliminate or even minimize the terrorism in Iraq. With conflicts raising everywhere, most countries take unilateral decision in the heat of the moment, and to garner the legitimacy they approach for the UN for help. In those situations as well, the UN’s role could not be marginalized as it will play its role with full freedom and perfection. As, Gartzke (2003) states “Once major military combat operations – normally under the command of one important the UN member state – are over, the UN often comes into play as an actor in its own right, primarily through the direct administration and reconstruction of war-torn countries and the work of its specialized agencies like the UNHCR, WFP.” The UN’s positive role in humanitarian efforts UN with its various wings are carrying out developmental activities all over the world, apart from being part of the civil administration in war ravaged countries like Iraq, Afghanistan, etc. The UN’s humanitarian role will come in the form of peacekeeping duties. That is, as troops of the UN’s peacekeeping force will be ‘sterilized’ from any local political and social agendas that will be prevalent in strife ridden territories, they are optimally involved. “UN Secretariat... and the development of a peacekeeping culture that lead to an institutional ideology of impartiality that made it legitimate.” (Barnett and Finnemore 2004). UN also does humanitarian and reconstruction activities in territories ravaged by natural disasters like Haiti, Indonesia, etc. More importantly, its various wings like UNHCR, UNICEF, UNDP, etc are taking various measures to elevate the lives people from various sections of the society. UNICEF for example, independently or in association with various corporations like IKEA is taking care of children in distress all over the world. IKEA donated $48 million in 2009 to UNICEF to help improve the living conditions of children as well as provide them with education in some of the Indias economically poor areas. This initiative of IKEA made it possible for 80,000 children to get an education and 140,000 children and 150,000 women were immunised. (unicef.org). Apart from these works of its specialized agencies, the UN is mainly focusing on development through Millennium Development Goals. The Millennium Development Goals are set of eight goals, which all the 192 United Nations member states have committed to try to accomplish by 2015. To achieve these goals, the UN is guiding the world countries in various ‘spheres’, thereby benefiting quite large sections of the population. Conclusion The UN has to play a positive role in future as well in counter-terrorist activities or any war related scenarios as well as in constructive developmental activities. The UN can play a positive role in counter-terrorist activities by making the countries exhibit unified conduct under the UN. That is, UN has to make sure that countries should not facilitate any terrorism related activities and ‘nip it in the bud’. Then, as UN carried out extensive humanitarian services as well as development activities in many countries, using that experience, it can replicate those models in more countries, earning a good image. Normally, common people will not be unaware of the machinations of the world politics and UN’s role in it. They will just need their basic necessities to be fulfilled, and for that UN can play an optimal role should do more. “We cannot build such a world without a strong commitment to work together through the UN and importantly work in a way that will increase its effectiveness and decisiveness.” (Short 2003). So, the relevance of the UN can be strengthened, if it is able to play positive role in both counter-terrorist activities as well as global development, without compromising either. References Associated Press 2005, U.N. chief: Iraq new epicenter for terrorism, viewed on December 12, 2010 http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9220940/ns/world_news-terrorism/ Barnett, M and Finnemore, M 2004, Rules for the World - International Organizations in Global Politics, Cornell University Press, Ithaca, NY. Chibber, V 2009, American militarism and the US political establishment: the real lessons of the invasion of Iraq, Socialist Register, 23-53 dailyexpress.com.my 2010, Of Iraq, terrorism and tourism, viewed on December 12, 2010 http://www.dailyexpress.com.my/news.cfm?NewsID=74971 Gartzke, U 2003, Irrelevant or Indispensable? – The United Nations after the Iraq War Int. Organisation und NGOs, viewed on December 12, 2010 http://www2.dias-online.org/direktorien/int_org/031115_13 Tharoor, S 2003, Why America Still Needs the United Nations, Foreign Affairs, vol. 82, no. 5, pp.67. Short, C 2003, What future for the UN? viewed on December 12, 2010 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/2969184.stm unicef.org, IKEA social initiative adds $48 million to UNICEFs child health programme, viewed on December 12, 2010 http://www.unicef.org/media/media_48176.html . Read More