So Bush may have to leave the UN behind, and go with a “coalition of the willing.” Let’s admit the obvious Texas analogy -“coalition of the willing” is basically another term for “posse.” Jacques, Gerhard, the marshal’s got six or seven armed men and a couple guys carrying provisions, and he’s leavin’ town with or without y’all.
Still, in spite of its many flaws, the UN continues to have its uses. When it does act collectively, however rare that may be, it adds an additional layer of legitimacy, like when the Senate votes unanimously on something. But the President doesn’t stop governing when the Senate isn’t unanimous. The UN also facilitates the habit of diplomacy and multilateral agreements, each of which have their uses.
It’s like mediation. Any litigator will tell you that mediation is a useful tool in resolving some disputes. Mandatory mediation is a waste, because some disputes won’t settle that way. And making mediation the only method of dispute resolution would be absurd, because sometimes you can’t get agreement and often the lack of agreement works to benefit a wrongdoer, who is never held to account. Besides, mediation with no threat of litigation is toothless.
None of the presidential candidates should understand this better than John Edwards; what would he say if we told him that lawsuits were illegal, injured people have to just mediate. He’d blow his stack, that’s what. The US should have the same view when people say that UN dispute resolution is the only way to go.