Whether you like Obama winning the Nobel Prize not, his speech has revealed a major concern that lies within the UN—- our international community’s governing body. In retrospect, many international problems have been solved with the help of America. If so, it the following statement true?
“The International community is all bark and no bite.”
With the advent of technology, adding onto the clout of globalization, the international community as become increasingly inter-connected through better flow of information and various conduits of communication. The first thing that comes to the minds of many when “international community” is mentioned is United Nations. Indeed, as an international governing body of 192 members states since 1945, United Nations is definitely the best icon that can be representative of the phrase “international community”, it is at the same time, a platform for various nations to interact. One of its most influential subsidiary bodies is the Security Council, which often helps to settle various disputes. However, the international community through its performance at UN, has often been censured for its incapability to uphold and buttress international laws. One example is that f nuclear proliferation. Despite the international community’s efforts to prevent more nuclear powers from emerging, India, Pakistan and Israel have all subsequently produced nuclear weapons successfully. In 2009, Iran and North Korea have embarked on their journey for the pursuit of nuclear power.
There are numerous examples where the international community failed to punish those sates that broke the rule. If so, is the international community really all “bark and no bite?” Nevertheless, situations where international community does “bite” exist as well. A possible reason that can be held accountable for this is the burgeoning complexities that are emerging around the world. President Obama’s recent Nobel Peace Prize speech has given me some hints on this subject.
The underlying factor for international community to fail to “bite” lies in the word “community”, which means a group of interacting organisms sharing an environment. 192 nations— you hardly expect them to share any major similarities— they are different in language, geography, climate, culture and most importantly, politically and ideologically diverse. The result will be difference in approach towards punishing nations that break the international laws. Mr. Obama said, “Those regimes that break the rules must e held accountable” gives us some enlightenment, it was recognition of the presence of barricades that obstructs the passing of any resolutions or actions by international community against countries that break the rules. This is evident at the Security Council where countries are split into two broad categories—- “Mind you own business” and “Let justice be served”.
The first category includes countries such as Russia and china, their principle is to avoid interference in other nations’ domestic affairs. They usually give no opinions on events that are regarded as other nations’ internal issues. For example, they have often veto against the passing of any resolution that imposes sanctions on countries such as Iran, North Korea and Myanmar. Often, they have an interest in these countries. For instance, Russia sells weapons to Iran and North Korea is a traditional ally of china. Imposing sanctions will reduce revenue for Russia and reduce geopolitical influence in the region for China. For not meddling with other nations’ domestic and often sensitive issues, they hope the rest will do the same towards them in return, especially when they have thorny issues at hands too: Chechnya and Georgian War in Russia and Tibet and human rights issues for China.
The second category is where U.S. and UK will fall in. As victors of WWII, as the sole superpowers of the world (especially America), they feel they have the obligation to protect the world. In the case of Myanmar, there is no denial that U.S. is at the forefront of lambasting the secular state for its human rights problems, in particular, the house arrest of Aung Sun Suu Kyi. The Western values- democracy, liberty and capitalism, have been seen as the viable model for countries to adopt, especially after the fall of Berlin Wall where U.S. eventually emerged victorious. These western values, however, are not viewed as universal by every member of the community. The Middle East and Now the South America, led by Venezuela, are rejecting them altogether. While these values are acceptable to me, ideological differences have made the oppositions difficult to understand and appreciate wholeheartedly.
The potpourri of ideologies and politics has made different nations to view events differently. Yet, if the international community does not share any common traits—intent, belief, preferences, is this a community in the first place?
Nations face different needs and interests. Upon the clash of interests, someone has to give up his. If not, nations will come to an impasse. As world leaders gather at Copenhagen for climate change discussions, our theory is lucidly displayed before us. Bounteous protests have been staged as the ongoing altercation failed to make any progress. Nations are divided into numerous groups including BRIC, G77-China and the West. At the moment, talks are deadlocked over emissions cuts and financial aid for poorer countries. At such occasions, we expect “self before community”; abnegation? You must be kidding me!
However, if were to face a common problem these differences will fade away and abscond.
In this borderless world that we stay in, there are no limits to crime. Crimes are becoming high-tech these days- piracy, file-sharing, cyber attack are the new forms of threats we are facing today. Any hacker that manages to invade a nation’s network can paralyze the entire country. In the face of it, international community I working towards a common goal. U.S. has finally joined UN’s cyber war talks recently. International cooperation in such situations is often more effective as there are multilateral benefits. Another example is that of Somali piracy, where navy forces from various nations have joined to escort ships.
International community’s attempt to avoid war and use diplomacy and sanctions whenever possible has to be noted. The desired outcome if of course to solve problems without any shedding of blood ad further conflicts, as Obama has said, “it was simply a fact, like drought or disease- the manner in which tribes and then civilizations sought power and settled their differences. In the twenty-first century, diplomacy and talks are sometime deemed too slow to produce any results but violence is sought to be avoided as much as possible. Ask yourself, would you prefer another Iraq war on Iranian soil or UN Security Council’s resolution: Non-proliferation. Diplomacy has not only avoided misunderstandings, but also encourage further bilateral relationships, such as the deployment of missile defence system in Eastern Europe; after diplomacy and talks and finally the abolishment of the plan altogether, U.S. and Russia are working closer together especially in the area of nuclear non-proliferation.
A major setback of the international community lies under the imperfections of various international governing bodies. These organizations are more often platforms for nations to voice their opinions and in terms of judging nations on their right and wrong, the international community seems to be ready to go for that. One thing they have to forego is national sovereignty. In order to be more effective in terms of reactive to global events and enforcing international laws, nations have to incorporated into the international community and be willing to have a higher authority to rule over them. For now, it has been “America that led the world in constructing an architecture to keep the peace”. After the “U.S. has helped underwrite global security for more than six decades with the blood of our citizens and strength of our arms”, can the international community one take over of the role and not just another superpower (BRIC)?
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