The Third Try

Alison Broinowski & James Wilkinson

The United Nations is up to its neck in controversy. Launched with great hopes, it has helped keep the peace, improved world health, sheltered refugees, aided victims of natural disasters, and even prevented some wars. It has, however, fallen short on protecting human rights, overcoming poverty, safeguarding the environment, preventing genocide, and stopping the resort to force to solve international disputes. Today’s UN can surely do better, but powerful governments constantly seek to malign its potential, rich countries withhold the resources it needs, and everyone squabbles over how to update its structures.

After the international community’s two tries in the wake of horrendous wars to set up a viable global system, the end of the Cold War has given nations a third opportunity to get it right. Most want this third try, still under way, to build on the UN Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the best of existing UN organisations and agreements. Others, however, spurn widely supported international treaties, and work to undermine institutions of international law.

Once among the UN’s greatest supporters, the United States, with Australia in its corner, is leading the effort to redefine, if not reject, the founding vision of 1945. In The Third Try, two distinguished former diplomats an American and an Australian discuss how and why this is happening, and warn of dire consequences for the UN and the world if it continues.