The UN has been shown to be ineffective and useless in this current situation, just like the League of Nations was before. Time to dissolve and a new body developed.
Did I read yesterday that some UN idiot was campaigning to have Russian military allowed to compete in the next Olympics. How screwed up is that?
No great power will sign up to a new institution that imposed genuine constraints on them (i.e. one without a veto for them). A new UN that the US and China failed to join would be pretty much dead at birth.
So what's the alternative - just accept that the current veto system is useless when one 'great power' chooses to go to war?
That's a recipe for world war and negates one of the important founding reasons for such an organisation.
Nope, Its always wrong to execute POW's, always. I can well understand a Ukrainian finding his relatives murdered in brutal fashion after the Orcs have been driven out of an area, coming across some Russian POW's, losing the head and letting off a burst from his machine gun. Even so, it should not be condoned, and always prevented.
It is not a great system but it is hard to see it being reformed since it would require unanimity among the five permanent members. Any scenario where it collapsed would probably be worse though since it would suggest a total breakdown of the international order and a possible imminent war. I've already stated how I'd like to see it reformed but like I said it probably won't happen.
As you say, reform is unlikely as long as the permanent members have a say. But like money systems, the UN relies on belief and trust and when that's gone, institutions whether financial or political tend to collapse.
Surely the question to be asked is 'why should five countries alone have permanent seats on the Security Council?'
Basically Russia being prepped for perpetual war. Obviously was meant to be done in days/weeks but this scenario also suits Putin well. He's not going anywhere, no challenge to his power in Russia, gets to keep war-time powers, and is "fighting for Russia's existential future against the West".
Its pretty grim in terms of Ukrainian defense and long term Western support, but also begs question of how long the Russian military can last
They can be “at war” forever if they like. North Korea & Syria have been technically at war for decades, but to actually *wage war*? I don’t think they’ll have the means to successfully do that if things keep going to way they are.
Ukraine and Eastern NATO countries have a future of being constantly on gaurd against an unstable and dangerous neighbour for a long while.
Because they or their predecessor states won World War 2 and founded the UN.
I know the question is rhetorical:)
That's a kind way of looking at it. Another is that he's a coward who'd rather hide in the West than fight for his own country.
Even leaving morality aside, which is a big enough thing to do, executing POWs is counter productive in relation to the war effort. Keep the prisoners, and you can trade them for your own prisoners. Execute the prisoners, or treat them inhumanely, and their comrades will be less likely to surrender to you out of fear of what will happen to them.
Something the Ukrainans have been shown to be doing treating pows with care and dignity, unlike the the Russians who made the claims
Much is being made of this delivery of 18 Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, but 18 tanks is not a lot. They're not impervious killing machines which can turn a battle around single-handedly. Presumably, you still need to have at least a few of them together, working in coordination with other forces to make a difference. What else is Ukraine getting to really bolster the effectivity of these machines, is the real question, and will be more pertinent to the success of their predicted Spring offensive.
NY Times verified such claims and videos showing the executions. They're being taken serious by the UN HC for Human Rights so the allegatations obviously hold some weight. Nobody is above such an act, every country has individuals capable of this so to just completely dismiss the claims because they don't sit well with you is no different than Russians claiming the Ukrainian POW murder claims are false.
Maybe allow some impartiality in when discussing these things, it allows for critical thought.
Here's to many, many more Russians bailing out on their national duty.
It is probably unrealistic to expect that every single Ukrainian soldier will treat every single Russian POW with care and dignity. What is more important is that when Ukrainian soldiers carry out abuses, the prosecutor's office looks at it and (hopefully) the soldiers involved will be prosecuted. It is also important that the Ukrainian government and senior military officials continuously makes it clear that this type of behaviour is unacceptable.
By contrast, Russia seems to do nothing about it, in some cases even giving medals to those who commit war crimes.
But the point is this - unlike the Amnesty International report which was poorly researched and stuffed with nonsense about taking up positions in forests etc, the UN report must be taken seriously by Ukraine. There are 5 open investigations, but Ukraine needs to demonstrate that they are prepared to prosecute and jail any soldier who mistreats POWs.
Russia claims to have intercepted a GLSDBS coming from Ukraine,more or less the first confirmation of their use by Ukrainian forces
If
You lost me at "Russia claims.."
Totally agree but the timing of the claims just as Russia is about to take the presidency of the UNSC , guess what will be the first order of the day
Suppose I'll have to wait for someone on social media to confirm
What’s stopping the UN from winding itself up close its ‘bank accounts’ etc , register the fact that it is ‘winding up its business’ and start anew wait a new set of rules and regulations. Eg how countries can become members , maximum numbers, ANY MEMBER THAT INITATES AWAR , SPECIAL MISSION or WHATEVER , IS SUSeNDED UNTIL tHE WAR IS OVER
Exactly.
The Ukrainian authorities, in order to encourage continued support and equipment, have taken the approach of 1) praising all help given to date; 2) emphasising its contribution (often to the detriment of their own efforts and equipment) and 3) highlighting the need for even more equipment.
For example, in the early part of the war the benefits of the Javelin were amplified, to the point where one could be forgiven for thinking that all tanks destroyed were directly destroyed by javelin missiles. That isn't really the case, and while they were very useful, the Ukrainian govt were happy for people in the West to believe that their weapons were having this disproporiate impact.
Just as important, if not more important, are the 40-100 Marder IFVs that Germany are providing. Likewise the Bradleys that the Americans are providing and other IFVs/APCs.
Then there is the American intelligence, HIMARs support and drones.
When all this is put together with a force of well trained and motivated assault force volunteers (suggested to be in the range of 100-200k troops, though this might be optimistic), and there is a serious fighting force.
Crucially, such a force will be used for maneuver warfare rather than direct confrontations. The Russians use probing attacks so that they can find out where the Ukrainians are weakest and attack there. The Ukrainians don't plan to hit the Russians where they are weak, they plan to hit the Russians where they are not there at all, and will aim to do so using high quality intelligence and recon, together with precision strikes. They can then give credit to the Leopards or whatever other weapon they want more of, but the most valuable things that the West have given them are recon, intelligence and superior tactics and training.
However, it suits everyone, including Rheinmetal, Krauss etc to give credit to the Leopard. It also suits the USA not to over-emphasise the level of recon and intelligence that they give, because this creates political difficulties as regards the level of their actual involvement in the war, in a way that simply saying they gave some limited range equipment to Ukraine
The solution is for people to stop thinking of the UN as a global government or international peace community and more as a talking shop for the big powers to meet and reach agreements, while also allowing the smaller countries to have some notional say. In that context, it is far from perfect, but it is the only viable option because the alternative is, I dunno, NATO plus friends.
It's easier to think about the UN as the organisation for the successful allies in WWII, that has since then tried to take on a greater role than it was originally intended for.
It risks going a bit off topic but once again the great powers (China, USA and Russia) won't join an organisation that restricts them like that. Their absence would turn the new organisation into a joke immediately. In any case no one can really stop a nuclear armed country that is determined enough to invade a neighbouring non-nuclear neighbour.
You do that. Debris photos would help.
You mistake me, I said fight for his country, not the mafia gang currently occupying it's government.
Any patriotic Russian should be currently engaged in open revolution.
Also, no, Russian refugees, asylum seekers or economic migrants shouldn't be welcomed here or in any other civilised nation until such time as aforementioned revolution has begun. And even then, they should be heavily vetted and entry limited to the elderly or otherwise infirm and mothers accompanying their children.
Lol do you hold the same opinions of Syrian refugees? Shouldnt they all be back fighting against the regime?
And what about Afghanis? Should we deny them asylum because they should stay and fight the taliban instead?
Those same three great powers are not signatories to the International Criminal Court. Unfortunately, it turns that organisation into a bit of a joke too.
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