Rebuilding the US-UN Relationship

The onset of the Iraq war caused real tension between the United States and the United Nations. And it has become the "framing issue" for many conversations surrounding the future of US-UN relations. But where is the relationship going today and how will it develop in the future?

There are many contrasting views in the United States about what the relationship between the United States and the United Nations should look like.

On the one hand, there is the idea that the United States is self-sufficient. The United States, after all, has the resources and confidence to pursue its own national interests as it sees fit. The United States is economically stable, has cordial relations with many states, and maintains defense and trade agreements with numerous countries. Moreover, goes the argument, the money the United States pays in UN dues could very well be diverted to domestic programs.

A second view is that the United States should provide leadership to the shaky organization, in return for the recognition that it is the one world superpower and that it is by choice, not necessity, that the United States lend its leadership and expertise.

But there is a third view. It is not one of American exceptionalism or patronage. It is one of responsibility, leadership, and forward thinking. It is true that the United States is the superpower, and that it has the resources to provide for its own. But it is also true that the borders of the United States are porous, and, for example, an outbreak of SARS in China has the potential to enter the United States before it can be detected. A threat to one is a threat to all in this time of globalization. And it is this interconnectedness that should drive the United States' attitude and behavior toward the United Nations.

As the United Nations recognizes that the United States is a necessary ally, the United States must realize that the United Nations has been successful in conflict prevention, disease prevention, and in bringing state and nonstate actors together to work for the common good.

It is time for the United States to resist the vendetta against the UN. Instead, it should provide leadership in the United Nations. It is an American tradition, after all. But it should not do so expecting gratitude or congratulations. It should do so out of enlightened self-interest and a respect for those who cannot govern or support themselves in the same way. The United States must recognize that working together in a forum such as the United Nations will enhance security, ensure a healthy environment, and promote economic self-sufficiency throughout the world.