Zinger, II.

VDH is en fuego. This book review and subsequent analysis of UN failings is spot-on. The only comment I would make is that rather than pronouncing the entire institution a colossal failure, it would be preferable for Mr. Hanson to pronounce its efforts in the security realm colossal failures. The UN generally does a tremendous job on social, economic and humanitarian fronts. While it often stumbles for many of the same reasons Hanson references in his review, the record is far more solid in non-security missions. Of course, Hanson's point is well-taken when one considers that the UN's raison-d'etre is the provision of collective security. One need only read the final transcript of delegates at the final meeting of the League of Nations to understand this. (I'm looking for a link, but it's pretty difficult to track down.)