A Year of Living Dangerously: Obama’s U.N. Policy

Brett Schaefer / November 04, 2009

On the anniversary of the November 2008 election, it seems appropriate to assess the impact of the Administration on America’s relationship with the United Nations. After all, one of President Obama’s sharpest criticisms of the Bush Administration was its supposed resistance to multilateral efforts—particularly U.N.-led multilateral efforts—to resolve international problems.

Well, we can’t say we weren’t warned. In its first 9 months, the Obama administration has sought to purchase goodwill at the U.N. by conceding U.S. policy positions, downplaying the U.N.’s many problems, and seeking to engage with the U.N. on a host of priorities in which is unlikely to prove a capable partner.

Shortly after the election, Obama described the United Nations as “an indispensable and imperfect forum” that was vital to U.S. interests. While he acknowledged the need to reform the body, his comments clearly indicated that he was far more interested in seeking to make the U.N. a “more effective … venue for collective action” than in fixing the problems facing the organization. (more…)