Debate: The United Nations is Obsolete

As world attention descends on the United Nations General Assembly, Intelligence Squared U.S. casts a critical lens on this nearly 76-year-old global organization. In light of recent controversies in places like Haiti, and its limited presence in places such as Afghanistan -- where the Taliban has regained control -- questions are mounting as to whether the United Nations itself is both ineffective and outdated. Those who say “no” point to its promotion of peace and stability in an increasingly fractured political landscape, its devotion to human rights, its addressing of climate change, its commitment to multilateralism, and its widespread delivery of humanitarian aid as evidence of its value. The system is not perfect, they say, but its achievements are many, and are often unsung. Yet those who say “yes” question its usefulness in addressing a radically different global environment than the one in which it was formed, critique its promotion of globalism. They also cite corruption and a lack of accountability with regard to the very populations the body is charged with helping. So, in light of these emerging questions, we ask an especially timely question: Is the United Nations is Obsolete?
FOR THE MOTION
Rajan Menon, Political Scientist & International Relations Professor
Nile Gardiner ,Director, Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom, The Heritage Foundation
AGAINST THE MOTION
Angela Kane, German Diplomat & Former UN Official
Mohammad-Mahmoud Ould Mohamedou, Scholar & Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mauritania
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