h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

It's fair because only by bemoaning its flaws can we recognize where it needs to be improved. As with any political system.

Well, yes. That's a good point.

The safety is not defective the five permanent members of the Security Council keep switching it off by breaking their own rules as set out by the victorious powers at the end of the second world war.
I think they should lose their powers of veto every time they breach key UN rules - ie by starting illegal wars, supporting those who do, commit gross breaches of human rights or support those who do.

The General Assembly also includes an irritating number of ruthless dictators and does nothing but blow hot air at them. Simultaneously, it is powerless to act without the Security Council's approval, even in matters that don't have any kind of security component whatsoever.

That sounds pretty defective to me.

"I think they should lose their powers of veto every time they breach key UN rules - ie by starting illegal wars, supporting those who do, commit gross breaches of human rights or support those who do." [Tucuxii]

Would the Security Council have anybody left if that standard were applied? Let's reconfigure the Council to include Switzerland, Denmark, and Uruguay

Switzerland hosts a UN headquarters, but is not a member.

The UN was founded as a military alliance against the Axis powers of WW II and the Swiss decided that membership amounted to a violation their policy of neutrality.

I thought Switzerland joined in 2002. No?

http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2002/GA10041.doc.htm

I was working pre-mob operations up at Camp Roberts, CA, at the time, no TV or any time for it, which is probably why I missed the news announcement.

Switzerland isn't a squeaky clan as it pretends with all those Swiss bank accounts holding the fortunes of corrupt dictators and Nazi gold.
Costa Rica the only country in the world without an army gets my vote.

I would propose that the permanent members of the security council only lose their vetos while they are in serious breach of the UN charter which could keep the US, UK and France in line while denying serial offenders Russia and China the veto (they could still speak and vote but would be denied the veto), I would add India, Brazil and Malaysia (a moderate Muslim state) to make the council more representative.

All's well that ends well, ITIWBS.