Yes India must leave the UN. There has been such a lot of unUNisation anyways that the original spirit of the concept has fully dissipated by now. UN today functions like a subordinate office of the US State Department. That US should make its intentions of denying the new members the veto power is an indication of the arrogance that that country has. Agaian, the implicit 'equation' of India and Pakistan or India and any other country is ridiculous. The only other country that could can at all be compared with India is China and it is already in the UNSC. If we have any self-respect left, we should say bye-bye UN the moment the General Body decides against extension of Veto power.
I fully agree with Rajeev. Since the US continues unabashedly to treat the UN as its personal estate, we should rather hand it over to them than to fight a losing battle. It will not only save us a lot of time, energy, resources and brave lives but will also propose to the world that options should change with the changing times. Trust me, the US will get the shock of its life if one such step by India turns into a global movement of sorts.
But then, on the other hand, if we are to quit UN only to formulate another such organisation a few years later, we need to remain consciously alert to ensure that the new arrangement does not meet with the same fate in the long run.
Thanks Rajeev for a timely article. The composition of UN still bears the reminiscences of a bygone colonial era. It does not reflect either aspirations or expressions of the Afro-Asian nations free from colonial yoke in entirety. It is kind of bullish and boorish too, stinks of Biggism. I suggest one nation from Africa should be accommodated along with G4 to make it a wholesome composition. India should have taken this initiative since it enjoys lot of clouts in African nations for historical reasons.The question now remains as tho what is to be done? Are the unity among G4 nations rock solid enough to fight back divide et empera? Is not US coaxing Japan and Russia nurturing eternal friend India? Well, human nature is to be preferential. Then what course of action, India should adopt to: well, I do not buy Rajeev's agreement of boycotting UN in this millennium when India is thundering with its economic might and enormous Sci-tech power. This is no time to sulk INDIA. Try to accomplish membership with veto power, use all weapons at your disposal but accept whatever you can achieve and strive again to raise your booty.
I think,India should get out of UN.India is contributing precious lives of our Soldiers to the Peace Keeping force.India has paid its dues regularly.India is playing always for the UN role(namely the Iraq, Afghan conflict,I think,If India had sided the US during these conflicts,it would have gained much than favoring the UN).
As the author says,UN has failed to address Terrorism,failed to prevent wars,failed to resolve conflicts.
There are even accusitions of fraud and malpractices within the UN.Even US Secretary Rice has rightly said that if UN didnt serve the purpose,it should die.
If I were in charge of Foreign Policy and Strategic Economic Planning of India, I would have taken the following position:-
India is slated to be the third largest economy of the world. India is already ahead of countries like Hong Kong in terms of foreign exchange reserves. India is one of the strongest countries with established cpabilities in Atomic and Missile Technologies. India has acquired a leading position in BPO segment and is already called as the Back Office of the world. And, India is the largest democracy of the world.
Why should India be shaky on its ground ? Which country / institute in the world can afford to ignore India any more ?
India should start dectating the world with a firm stance. India should take-up the issue of Permanent position in the Security Council with G-4 as well as powerful 5 countries and issue ultimatum of leaving the UN, if their position is not made permanent in Security council with veto power.
Rajeev has made incidental mention of third-world functionaries latching on to the 'generous mammaries of the UN welfare state'. I would like to mention that as a graduate student in the USA in the mid-sixties (when geting green cards was a little iffy), we were well-aware of the wonderful babu jobs in the UN, World Bank and the IMF. However, you needed a little 'pull', besides a US graduate/doctoral degree (with apologies to people such as Tharoor who may have got in without the pull). You retained your Indian citizenship, and you were paid in tax-free dollars, and had numerous fringe benefits such as getting domestic help from India. Furthrtmore, you worked in a bureaucracy with little accountability, and you could coast for the 25 or so years before getting your pension. Those of us who felt that we did not have the pull joined US multinational corporations and did very well. However, we were held accountable in our jobs and had to work very hard, and could not coast to pension-time as those amongst us who had joined these organizations. Bravo Rajeev, smash babudom whether it in India, or it is international.
