The League of Democracies?

Here's a right-wing fantasy that will probably never happen... marginalizing the United Nations and creating a new League of Democracies where "tyrants need not apply". This was made mainstream when mentioned by Sen. McCain in a recent speech. In theory it sounds good, but the idea is rooted in an ideological mess.

This is indicative of two aspects of right-wing thinking... a) throwing the baby out with the bath water, and b) viewing the world in childish black-and-white terms.

First, throwing the baby out with the bathwater. Yes, the United Nations is a flawed institution that has seen its power reduced in recent years and has been harmed by corruption scandals. But the same can be said for every institution and/or government of this magnitude.

So, what's the solution here? Cleaning house? Restoring the ideals for which the body was formed to fight for? Etc?

Nope. The answer, says the right, is to scrap the whole thing and call it a wash. People who hate the U.N. (and diplomacy too, for that matter) should not be entrusted with reforming it. It's the John Bolton dilemma all over again.

Secondly-- and definitely even worse then that first part-- is the black-and-white idea that their substitute-U.N. should only include our allies and friends. It's been said that President Bush lives in a bubble. The rest of the conservative movement apparently wants to join him there.

The world is a messy, gray place. There are many forms of government, of varying degrees of quality. We can't just ignore/bomb them all away. The whole point of a United Nations or a State Department is to work with the ones who are problematic and attempt to reach compromises and solutions. It's easier said then done, but you try and you keep at it. You don't throw your hands up in the air and decide that the world consists of only the nations we deem to be 'democracies'.

The issues that Sen. McCain says he'd want this new organization to fight for-- "relieve suffering in Darfur, fight the AIDS epidemic in Africa, develop better environmental policies... helping struggling democracies succeed", etc-- are all within our grasp already. We just lack the will, and we don't need a new institution for that.

It doesn't help us either that we are bogged down in an endless war that has destroyed our international credibility. Until we wrap that up, all these other problems are going to continue to fall by the wayside.