Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Make it Last
By a resounding vote, the member states of the UN have voted South Africa a non-permanent seat on the Security Council, to begin in january and to last for two years. Isn't it time that an African nation be granted a permanent seat on the Security Council? And if so, is there any logical choice other than South Africa when one takes into account status, economic and political stability, regional diplomatic and military strength and general common sense? If one assumes that the changing world will demand at least some expansion of the Security Council's permanent membership, South Africa seems like an ideal choice and now seems like an ideal time.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
7 comments:
Why not Egypt?
(Kidding.)
What about Kenya? Zimbabwe? Ethiopia? Libya? I think they'd have something to say about it. Think that over.
I was thinking the Congo. Or Sudan. Or Zimbabwe. Though in all seriousness, I would imagine that an expanded permanent security council might someday include a Middle eastern country, and Egypt would be better and more logical than many. dcat
Wasn't the bad guy in Lethal Weapon 2 that kept invoking diplomatic immunity from South Africa?? Yeah--we want them on the Security Council.
That's the bad old South Africa, not the Rainbow Nation of God South Africa!
dcat
Victor Davis Hanson long ago called for an expanded Security Council, adding India and Brazil. South Africa would also be an excellent addition, despite the killing of Riggs' wife and girlfriend.
There has been talk about adding India-Brazil-SA for a while now. I heard it in SA when I first lived there. Certainly the world as it looks now would require that thosde three be part of the equation -- they are as vital and worthy as at least one or two other members.
Of course we might want to ask if the current configuration of the UN is worth amending but my suspicion is that whatever we came up with, 8it's not happening. The UN is likely not going anywhere, and while in practice it fails lot, it also has its successes and we may as well try to make it work as long as it will exist.
dcat
Post a Comment