Why do people seem to ignore all the good stuff the UN does?

Question

For example, UN troops stabilized Sierra Leone and Liberia. They drastically reduced the violence all across the DR Congo, while losing about 90 troops in the process. They have broken up gangs in Haiti and are restoring security there. When that Ebola outbreak happened in the DR Congo, UN doctors and medics working at UN labs contained it.

Hell, even the US military likes the UN. The military gave the UN money to train police and soldiers in the Somaliland region of Somalia, because sending in actual US troops would be too risky.

Remember also who runs all those relief programs in Afghanistan, refugee camps around the world, etc. - the UN. There is a reason Bush himself keeps praising the UN despite calls from within his own party for the US to withdraw - Bush gets reports from his own military and State Department telling him that the UN is useful.

Why do so many people seem to forget all this?

EDIT: Someone wrote:

"Name one good thing the UN has done other than it's diplomats not paying their parking tickets."

Did you even read my full question? CAN you even READ, or did you post this through one of those microphone transcription things?

Answer 1

Don't forget eradicating small pox. establishing a global mail system, monitoring elections to ensure free democracy, immunizing children in the developing world for polio, diptheria and many more diseases, defining and promoting universal human rights, preventing nuclear proliferation, facilitating and enforcing international standards and protocols on subjects such as internet protocols, satellite usage and right of way, and maritime law, leading the way to the end of apartheid in South Africa, preventing conflict by providing a resolution to territorial, diplomatic and even prisoner of war disputes through the International Court of Justice, promoting women's rights, giving over 1 billion people safe drinking water, clearing land mines and setting global food export standards. But other than that not much. Cinner - how have all these things been "anti American".

Answer 2

The UN has a long history of being very useful, especially when it comes to providing and administering humanitarian aid programs. The examples you cite are all good ones.

However, they are notorious for sitting on their hands passing paper "resolution" after resolution, when quick, decisive, forceful action is necessary.

Do not forget that Saddam Hussein basically ignored the UN's resolutions for 12 years before this stupid war.

The UN is fine as long as the situation can be managed by a small effort. Even 13,000 UN peacekeepers in Sierra Leone was not a large military effort. And British troops were part of that effort. The UN didn't do it on their own.

When a true bully thumbs his nose at the UN, and it requires a serious military response, they do nothing. This causes people (myself included) to lose respect for them.
They can only be counted on to do the right thing when countries cooperate. They can't handle a bully.

They are kind of like Van Dreesen, the English teacher from Beavis and Butthead. He may be in the right, and his heart may be in the right place. But he's still a wuss so nobody respects him.

If the UN, as we know them now, had existed in the 1930s, they would have acted just like Neville Chamberlain - passing silly resolutions and "negotiating" with Hitler, while Hitler plotted the destruction of the world.

Remember, they were borne out of a need for nations to band together and pledge to fight Hitler (in 1942). I just don't think that fighting spirit exists in the UN now.

Answer 3

Republicans can't seem to make up their minds about whether to hate the U.N. or like it. They like it when they can use broken resolutions as an excuse for another war, but they hate it when other countries don't behave as if though the U.S. owns it, operates it and calls all the shots with it.

Answer 4

Because they've been fed the word "Socialism", which is then associated with the UN, and there are ignorant peopel who prfer to see more of the bad then the good.

Robert J- Did you actually read the text below the question, or was it all just a blur as you clicked the blue button?

Answer 5

WHO The World Health Organization led the war on small pox, now it is all but gone. No cases in many, many years. You asked for one and now you have it.

Answer 6

For the same reason thei ignore any good Bush has done... It isn't convenient.

I suppose it's easier to condemn something or someone than to stick up for it.

Answer 7

Actually most people just haven't heard of all the good stuff. They think all the the UN does is sanction, which we all know doesn't do much good anymore.

Answer 8

Because cons are incredibly ignorant and gullible to believe the rubbish the right wing media spews.

Answer 9

"because Rush doesn't talk about it... and Rush doesn't lie...

if they did good things, Rush would say so... right?"

they don't care about the facts... only what their opinion developers tell them to think...

Answer 10

Name one good thing the UN has done other than it's diplomats not paying their parking tickets.