Play the game

As predicted here on Ranting Stan, the UN has failed to send an unequivocal message to Iran over the kidnapped British sailors.

After four hours of negotiations yesterday, the Security Council could only agree a watered-down version of the statement, voicing “grave concern”, which fell far short of Britain’s demands.

These sailors were working on a UN operation with full UN approval and the best the UN can do is voice their "grave concern".?

Just what is the point of the UN?

If they are unable to respond to blatant acts of aggression against troops operating under their auspices then when will they respond? The organisation has become so impotent, so toothless and so cumbersome that is now nothing more than a huge, expensive international joke. Everything it does is done badly. Whether it's the IPCC and the blatant politicising of science or peacekeeping in the Congo where UN members have been accused of organising child sex rings, the UN has demonstrated that it is "unfit for purpose" in the words of our Home Secretary.

Even in areas where the UN is supposed to be the leader - responding to natural disasters - we've seen that they are incapable of doing anything. When the tsunami struck Indonesia it was the USA, Australia and India that led the relief while the UN held high-level talks to talk about organising high-level talks at the earliest opportunity - which turned out to be several months down the line.

This was their chance - their last chance - to demonstrate that they still have a place in today's world. They blew it big time. Britain should now be unequivocal and tell the UN that either it responds and proves it's worth to protect British troops operating under the UN banner or Britain will immediately withdraw all British forces from all UN operations and refuse to commit future staff to future UN operations.

Furthermore, the British government should also tell the UN that it will use it's position on the security council to veto any resolution by default that is not tabled by Britain or the United States.

It's time to get tough and play the game.