Selective Security : War and the United Nations Security Council since 1945

ISBN-13: 9780415474726 / Angielski / Miękka / 2008 / 94 str.

Adam Roberts;Dominik Zaum

Opis

This is a pioneering interpretation of the role of the UN Security Council in facing constantly evolving threats to international security. In contrast to the common perception that the UN is, or should become, a system of collective security, this Adelphi Paper advances the proposition that the Council embodies, at best, a selective approach. Analysis of both the Cold War and the post-Cold War periods suggests that the Council cannot address all security threats effectively. The reasons for this include not only the veto power of the five Permanent Members, but also the selectivity of UN member states: their unwillingness to provide forces for peacekeeping or other purposes except on a case-by-case basis, and their reluctance to involve the Council in certain conflicts to which they are parties. The Council’s selectivity is generally seen as a problem – even a threat to its legitimacy. Yet selectivity, which is rooted in prudence and in the UN Charter itself, has some virtues. Evaluating the UN by this realistic yardstick sheds light on the division of labour between the Security Council, regional security bodies, and states; and can assist public and governmental understanding of the UN’s past, present and future roles.

This Adelphi Paper explores the analytical conclusions and policy implications that flow from a multi-author 800-page study on The United Nations Security Council and War: The Evolution of Thought and Practice since 1945 (Oxford University Press, 2008) conducted within the framework of the Oxford Leverhulme Programme on the Changing Character of War.

Spis treści

Introduction  Chapter One The Inherent Selectivity of the Council's Roles  Chapter Two Wars and Crises since 1945: The Overall Record  Chapter Three Proposals for UN Standing Forces: A Record of Failure  Chapter Four Innovation and Flexibility since the End of the Cold War  Chapter Five Accountability and Reform  Conclusion Problems and Opportunities of Selective Security Today  Appendix UN Security Council-Authorised Military Operations, 1950-2007

O autorze

Adam Roberts, Dominik Zaum