Slow Posting Friday
Once again my paying job intereferes and it will be highly unlikely that I will be able to post for a good part of the day tomorrow. Chances are that I'll be able to get stuff up late tomorrow afternoon or evening. Thanks.
posted by theCardinal @ 12:10 AM
3 Comments:
Many thanks for the article on foreign policy alternatives.
Some brief feedback. It suggests that national publics won't vote to maintain global order, unless the economics clearly favour them. Moreover, it can be argued that their governments are constitutionally required to vote in international gatherings to this effect. Therefore unilateralism is a higher priority than global order.
On the other hand, unilateralism (mainly because others can't be persuaded) has an unsustainable cost. Apart from the dire economics, the US administration are becoming very anxious - troop numbers are insufficient to support their national foreign policy; tour duties are being lengthened and conscription is on the horizon.
Such is national politics! It's a systemic problem: other nations are on a similar path. However, it is encouraging that there was approval in principle this month for a UN Peacebuilding Commission - Iraq will be an early test for it.
More information on the Peacebuilding Commission, a crucial addition to the UN system.
"The summit [in September 2005] will agree to the establishment of a Peacebuilding Commission to help prevent post-conflict nations from relapsing into violence. But disputes over control of the new commission resulted in the absence of crucial details. The U.S. wants it to be set up under the auspices of the Security Council, where the U.S. and four other countries have a veto. But developing countries, which think the Security Council already is too powerful, hold firm on their demand for the Peacebuilding Commission to come under the General Assembly or the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), where their representation is stronger. A final decision on control was postponed. Most UN members support the Peacebuilding Commission, but many details must be resolved to turn a good idea into an effective reform."
More on the UN's Peacebuilding Commission. NATO are considering what their role will be - a televised discussion is here.
One matter not considered was who will pay for all the duties of the new commission, which are extra to previous ones. It is said in the posting 'On the Newstand: David Rieff on Imperial Grunts' that compromise and coordination among regional powers is necessary - we may be concluding that a central bank is necessary to finance central public services.
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