United Nations Sanctions Hurt Civilians

The UN Security Council has approved more sanctions against Iran. Those left-liberals who think of the UN as a check on American belligerence should reflect on the implications. The UN has served as a fig leaf to US empire since the Korean War, and, when it postures itself as being for peace, rather than war, it never actually obstructs US warmaking. Why should we respect this organization that violates the human rights of people everywhere to freely trade? Even by conservative estimates, the anti-Iraq UN sanctions through the 90s killed hundreds of thousands. All who love peace should look upon the UN with grand skepticism.

Here’s an article from five years ago, before the Iraq war, when I criticized liberals and conservatives for their apparent hypocrisy on the UN. And here’s a piece I did in September, 2004, demonstrating the extent to which President Bush—a supposed opponent on UN meddling—proposed the UN and US help run the world together.