Ten days ago, the typical right wing UN critics and reputable news outlets alike were predicting a feckless Security Council response to the North Korean missile tests. These critics were proven wrong.
“We have a strong and unequivocal resolution,” Ambassador Bolton beamed prior to the unanimous Security Council vote condemning North Korea’s missile tests. “We expect full, unconditional and immediate compliance by North Korea.”Even the most ardent conservative critics of the United Nations (ambassador Bolton included) feel compelled to turn to it in times of crisis. And it should be noted that they do so not out of an ideological proclivity for multilateralism. Far from it.
Rather, they turn to the United Nations because it can be a practical and pragmatic tool for diffusing international crises.