Where? Did the UN recently decided something grave against Iran?
recently
The fact that you’re trying to weasel out of the obvious answer tells me you know you’re wrong. So in lieu of falling for it, Did Russiarecentlyveto something grave against Iran?
failed to gain the favour of a veto power.
This is an argument that only makes sense if rely on a veto to cover your ass. Which, as we have seen, only works if you’re a permanent member. Or Israel, apparently.
Are you seriously believing that Russia today would again allow the UN to sanction Iran and would not exert its veto? Honestly?
Yes I am. They have before, and will again. If anything, I would expect it to let the sanctions happen, then break them, then veto being punished for breaking them. Fits the MO much better.
I’d love to see “the news” that call for a map without Iran as a country.
Israel, in turn, is capable of coexisting with Muslim countries around it if they accept that there will be an Israel around. Is Iran ready to accept that?
As long as the country isn’t Palestine.
We can’t talk about anything without immediately focussing on US and Israel.
We can, but your core argument hangs on a great power covering an ally with a veto no matter what, and we currently only have one actual example of it happening.
The veto would not necessarily block the intervention. It would only block the legitimisation by the UN of said intervention.
This is an excellent point! A country can, absolutely, act without UN legitimacy, and “get things done”. But it doesn’t just strip legitimacy from itself, it also strips it from the UN. Which then leads to geopolicy understanders online to call the UN useless, despite all the useful stuff it does.
You can choose yours, I’ve chosen mine.
I know. And what you have chosen is “Might makes right”. I can understand why, it’s an appealing fantasy, it’s why Dirty Harry is popular, but the flip side is that if you declare the rules don’t apply to you, you can’t object to everyone else doing it, whether it’s Russia invading Ukraine, or China invading Taiwan. Or, in fact, any of the Arab states attacking Israel.
What are you on about? I’ve always been talking about recently, status quo, today. The only one trying to make this into a historical competition on who vetoed for whom how many times is you. I’ve been trying to make that clear repeatedly. My problem isn’t who vetoed for whom but the possibility to veto at all, as that’s the core problem. If you want to discuss something else, fine. But that’s not the discussion I’m having here.
This is an argument that only makes sense if rely on a veto to cover your ass.
Why? Please elaborate.
Yes I am. They have before, and will again.
They have at a time when Iran was internationally isolated and Russia was in (superficially) good terms with the “West”. Now, Russia is also isolated, in bad terms with the “West” and dependent on Iran’s support for maintaining their war machine. Russia has too little allies left to be able to afford losing another, if they can help with as little effort as using their veto power. That’s the arguments I can provide for my opinion that they wouldn’t let Iran be punished by the UN. What are yours for your point of view?
As long as the country isn’t Palestine.
True as of today. But in Israel, the people can vote for another direction entirely and have the possibility to rid themselves of unpopular Netanyahu. In Iran, the political cornerstones are set since 1979 and the will of the people for change was just brutally slaughtered. The question remains: is Iran ready to accept the existence of Israel?
But it doesn’t just strip legitimacy from itself, it also strips it from the UN. Which then leads to geopolicy understanders online to call the UN useless, despite all the useful stuff it does.
But that’s a UN problem and not a “persons that call that out” problem. After WW2, there was the understandable desire to create a platform where international topics could be resolved in peace. Good idea! However, the big players didn’t trust each other and also didn’t want to be subjugated to anything else than their own free decisions. That’s also understandable. But a true and fair international platform issues the same rights to all its members. Which the UN doesn’t, so that’s an elemental design flaw it will always stumble upon.
And what you have chosen is “Might makes right”.
No. Because I don’t advocate a general free-for-all where every nation can do as it pleases. I just can accept that in a situation where the body responsible for exerting international law and the protection of basic human rights is not working, its member states, facing exigent circumstances, themselves take matters into their own hands instead of watching idly.
Why should people let themselves get killed just because the UN is incapable of fixing its design flaws?
you can’t object to everyone else doing it, whether it’s Russia invading Ukraine, or China invading Taiwan. Or, in fact, any of the Arab states attacking Israel
Let’s not pretend they care at all, even today. Russia invaded Ukraine although everyone knew there was not justification behind it whatsoever, besides the wish of a small, ageing man to be the one in the history books that restored the “lost empire”. Similarly, China doesn’t care at all if the world thinks there’s any justification to them trying to annex Taiwan, when the sole reason they’ll try it is petty-minded revenge and the inability to accept a “Chinese” country outside their oppressive control. All these examples of yours are already operating under the principle “might makes right”.
No you haven’t. You’ve been talking in hypotheticals. If you have a non-imaginary example, I’d love to hear it.
Why? Please elaborate.
Because normal countries don’t see the veto as a first line of defense. In fact, normal countries don’t see the veto at all. SC vetos are not, as you present it, normal procedure for normal countries. Hell, even permanent SC members don’t just plop vetos willy-nilly. Seeing the veto as the first, last, and only option requires a very specific mindset, that is simply not how countries operate. Well, except for…
They have at a time when Iran was internationally isolated and Russia was in (superficially) good terms with the “West”. Now, Russia is also isolated, in bad terms with the “West” and dependent on Iran’s support for maintaining their war machine. Russia has too little allies left to be able to afford losing another, if they can help with as little effort as using their veto power. That’s the arguments I can provide for my opinion that they wouldn’t let Iran be punished by the UN. What are yours for your point of view?
This isn’t an argument, it’s an opinion. It’s not unreasonable, but it goes against both prior and current behavior of the parties involved.
True as of today. But in Israel, the people can vote for another direction entirely and have the possibility to rid themselves of unpopular Netanyahu. In Iran, the political cornerstones are set since 1979 and the will of the people for change was just brutally slaughtered. The question remains: is Iran ready to accept the existence of Israel?
Once again, you’re criticizing Iran for announcing destruction they haven’t actually done, but credit Israel for hypothetically being capable of deciding not to do the destruction they currently literally are doing. You’re doing the thing again.
No. Because I don’t advocate a general free-for-all where every nation can do as it pleases.
Yes you do, you just don’t realize it, because you think right isn’t made by might if it’s made by might you agree with.
Let’s not pretend they care at all, even today. Russia invaded Ukraine although everyone knew there was not justification behind it whatsoever, besides the wish of a small, ageing man to be the one in the history books that restored the “lost empire”. Similarly, China doesn’t care at all if the world thinks there’s any justification to them trying to annex Taiwan, when the sole reason they’ll try it is petty-minded revenge and the inability to accept a “Chinese” country outside their oppressive control. All these examples of yours are already operating under the principle “might makes right”.
Exactly! Let’s not pretend they care at all, even today. US invaded Iraq although everyone knew… And since you agree that laws are stupid and working through the system to get what you want is a waste of time, then clearly you’re fine with them following the precedent.
Exactly! Because, I’ll repeat it again once more, my problem is not who vetoed when for whom specifically but that it is possible to veto at all for a certain group of countries. Got it?
that is simply not how countries operate. Well, except for…
Yea… no. See attached the number of vetoes. Reality paints a different picture.
but it goes against both prior and current behavior of the parties involved.
It doesn’t go against current and I explained why I expect different than prior behaviour. And you?
Once again, you’re criticizing Iran for announcing destruction they haven’t actually done
No. Iran has supported, organised, financed terror against Israel for a very very long time and the destruction stemming from that is very real and palpable. I’m criticising Iran for a goal they openly state and which they actively try to achieve. When it comes to Israel, these citizens don’t have the hypothetical but very real option to vote and change politics accordingly. Opposed to the Mullahs, Netanyahu actually has to fear public opinion and the political opposition, as there, it can actually put him out of office. The Mullahs will just shoot the people in the streets instead. But again, you deviate from the question: is Iran ready to accept the existence of Israel?
Yes you do, you just don’t realize it, because you think right isn’t made by might if it’s made by might you agree with.
I don’t. I told you before: I just can accept that in a situation where the body responsible for exerting international law and the protection of basic human rights is not working, its member states, facing exigent circumstances, themselves take matters into their own hands instead of watching idly.
And since you agree that laws are stupid and working through the system to get what you want is a waste of time, then clearly you’re fine with them following the precedent.
No. I said that the examples you provided all already operate under the principle “might makes right”. What you’re trying to sell here to me and yourself as a reaction to the - of course! - initial source of injustice that is the “eternal enemy USA”, has in fact always been the case. Have a skim through the linked list of issued vetoes. You’ll be surprised how blatantly calculating and motivated by their own goods these votes were right from the start. And which side especially used the veto in that first period.
Yea… no. See attached the number of vetoes. Reality paints a different picture.
Ah, you’re finally looking stuff up. Fantastic. I don’t know what picture you think the graph paints, but I’ll take the win.
It doesn’t go against current
Yes it does. There was no veto for sanctions. That’s the current. You’re doing it again.
No. Iran has supported, organised, financed terror against Israel for a very very long time and the destruction stemming from that is very real and palpable. I’m criticising Iran for a goal they openly state and which they actively try to achieve.
That’s exactly it - I don’t see them trying to achieve it. I could be wrong, but I don’t even remember them attacking Israel directly at all before a couple of years ago. You’re doing it again.
When it comes to Israel, these citizens don’t have the hypothetical but very real option to vote and change politics accordingly. Opposed to the Mullahs, Netanyahu actually has to fear public opinion and the political opposition, as there, it can actually put him out of office. The Mullahs will just shoot the people in the streets instead. But again, you deviate from the question: is Iran ready to accept the existence of Israel?
They have the option, yet the action is still hypothetical. You’re doing it again.
I don’t. I told you before: I just can accept that in a situation where the body responsible for exerting international law and the protection of basic human rights is not working, its member states, facing exigent circumstances, themselves take matters into their own hands instead of watching idly.
And who makes the right decides what counts as exigent circumstances? That’s right. The mighty.
No. I said that the examples you provided all already operate under the principle “might makes right”. What you’re trying to sell here to me and yourself as a reaction to the - of course! - initial source of injustice that is the “eternal enemy USA”, has in fact always been the case. Have a skim through the linked list of issued vetoes. You’ll be surprised how blatantly calculating and motivated by their own goods these votes were right from the start. And which side especially used the veto in that first period.
…Wait, you think there’s such a thing as an initial source of injustice? And you think I’m arguing it’s America? Christ on a stick, every fucking thing is a team sport to you people. Though I shouldn’t be surprised, you are after all arguing that breaking the laws is good when the good guys do it. What I’m trying to sell - of course! - here is that either there are laws, or there are no laws. If you believe it’s acceptable to discard law where it hobbles you, then you’re arguing that it’s acceptable for anyone to discard law where it hobbles them. And when told this is what “might makes right” is, your reaction - of course! - is “We don’t do that, also, everyone does that!”. Which is why you’re blaming Iran for things Israel does, because “everyone does that” so they must do it too, and then absolving Israel for things they are doing, because “we don’t do that”, so it’s clearly a fluke.
I could be wrong, but I don’t even remember them attacking Israel directly at all before a couple of years ago.
Well, you will know why you sneaked in “directly” here. Iran is the main sponsor of the terrorist groups exerting violence against Israel for decades. It doesn’t matter if they use the hands of others to harm their enemy. But I’m sure we actually both know that, so what’s there left to say.
But again, you deviate from the question: is Iran ready to accept the existence of Israel?
And who makes the right decides what counts as exigent circumstances? That’s right. The mighty.
As has been the case all along. Your point being?
Wait, you think there’s such a thing as an initial source of injustice?
I absolutely don’t. Do you?
every fucking thing is a team sport to you people.
There has been only one person trying to drag the whole discussion into a competition between Israel/US and Iran/Russia. And that wasn’t me. In fact, I’ve tried to tell you numerous times that I don’t care at all about who did what when but only about the underlying mechanisms that allow this behaviour - by both teams! I’m under the strong impression that you are getting really emotional about points you read into my words but which I didn’t make at all and hence this is a discussion where we’re talking at cross-purposes.
Check out the attached link to the source, that should make it clearer what the graph is showing.
I know what it’s showing, but “Actually, Russia does veto more!” isn’t the interesting part.
Well, you will know why you sneaked in “directly” here. Iran is the main sponsor of the terrorist groups exerting violence against Israel for decades. It doesn’t matter if they use the hands of others to harm their enemy. But I’m sure we actually both know that, so what’s there left to say.
I didn’t sneak it in, I wrote “directly” because Israel has attacked Iran directly, and repeatedly. It very much does matter who pulls the trigger. Terror groups are not UN members.
But again, you deviate from the question: is Iran ready to accept the existence of Israel?
Frankly, I think they already have accepted it, and that’s the big reason they’re being as measured as they have. There were attempts to destroy Israel before, some came pretty damn close, but Iran wasn’t involved in any of them, I don’t think, and they all stopped when Israel got nukes. It’s politically unacceptable for Iran to say it out loud, but they have the full triad now. I believe the motivation for Iran even considering a nuclear program is precisely the fact that they’re facing a foe they can’t destroy, and don’t trust to keep a peace, so their approach is to try and keep the conflict from boiling over.
As has been the case all along. Your point being?
So, now you put together a very interesting picture here. You “can accept […] member states, facing exigent circumstances, themselves take matters into their own hands”, and that “exigent circumstances” is defined by the mighty, “As has been the case all along”. Therefore, you can accept that the mighty decide when matters are to be taken into their own hands, and therefore, you do, in fact, “can accept” might to make right. But you also “don’t advocate a general free-for-all where every nation can do as it pleases”, so you accept might to make right sometimes, but other times, nations must be limited and not do as they please. Hm. Have you ever encountered the term “Crooked Timber Conservative”?
I absolutely don’t. Do you?
Fuck no. There is a web of triggers and precedents, but there’s no head vampire everything traces back to. Evil is an emergent phenomenon, not a river with a source.
There has been only one person trying to drag the whole discussion into a competition between Israel/US and Iran/Russia. And that wasn’t me. In fact, I’ve tried to tell you numerous times that I don’t care at all about who did what when but only about the underlying mechanisms that allow this behaviour - by both teams! I’m under the strong impression that you are getting really emotional about points you read into my words but which I didn’t make at all and hence this is a discussion where we’re talking at cross-purposes.
I believe you were the one who brought up the comparison of Iran and Russia, and Israel and the US. I just ran with it. And it’s not a competition, but a comparison. Time and time again, I see arguments made by what I’m sure are people who consider themselves egalitarian, that basically boil down to “the good guys should just kill all the bad guys”, and I find the shortest, simplest way to throw a wrench in this mindset is to flip the positions and see if they recognize what they’re doing. This either gets people’s gears going, or devolves into the “No you don’t get it, I’m a Good Person.” meme, which is always funny.
The second, broader point, to put it plainly: Either there are laws, or there are no laws. And if there are no laws, then might makes right. And I believe strongly that having laws is wildly preferable.
If you will forgive a history lesson to point out a few highlights, ever since war got too expensive to be profitable, countries went to great effort to prevent it, or at least minimize it. After the 30 Years War, the powers that be effectively invented the modern state. After the Big One, they effectively invented the international community. Then the Other Big One happened, they went to troubleshoot the problem, and what they settled on as a solution is honestly kinda interesting. In essence, the vast majority of states like working together. Or, at the very least, they prefer it to war. This is to be expected, this is normal, this is how humans are. Those that aren’t willing are mostly just stubborn, and can be incentivized to compromise, usually through sanctions and other pressure tactics. For those who genuinely refuse to play nice, the UN solution is to force compliance. However, even putting aside the “fucking for virginity” paradox, the first time the UN enforced their will some 70 million people died, so this isn’t to be done lightly. The answer we ended up with is the GA, the SC, and the veto: the GA to be used for negotiations, when those fail, the SC will assist with coercion, and, if nothing works, move to enforcement. However, to prevent enforcement turning into Another Other Big One, the major powers were given the veto, to block actions that would end with them fighting eachother. This may sound ridiculous looking at what peacekeeping looks like now, but I remind you the UN police action know as the Korean War ended with some 3mil. dead.
And if you’ll forgive a games lesson, the reason vetos are such a popular tool in system design is that they’re inherently reactive and limited: you can’t force a thing done, just prevent it. For example, a veto can prevent the UN from officially declaring sanctions that all members would need to follow, but it can’t stop individual members from imposing them - in theory, this is the approach to be taken when a veto power is stonewalling action, and if it isn’t, then the implication is the community consensus on what is right isn’t really there, and either is preferable to a conflict between veto powers. The system is stable as long as you’re not allowed to cheat: If a country breaks the law and gets away with it, the other countries will rightfully wonder how protected they are by law. Worse yet, if a country breaks the law, then hides under a veto to get away with it, the veto itself is still the same as a regular veto stonewall, but instead of freezing an issue or kicking the can down the road, it has turned into an “I can do what i want” card. If the lawbreaking continues, and there’s no response, countries will eventually decide there are no laws and go rogue, until they’re either brought back in line or the line disappears. It won’t happen instantly, but every time it happens the community gets a little bit closer to falling apart. And if it does, you’re back to might-makes-right, at least until another war reminds everyone why we made the system in the first place.
The graph you posted is interesting, but not for the reason you think. What that graph shows is the number of times a veto power announced to the world “I find this decision, that the majority of the council agrees with, so unacceptable that I am considering going to war over this!”. What the red on that graph tell me is that instead of one veto power being outvoted and fighting a delaying action against decisions everyone else agrees with, we now have a situation of the international community facing at least two veto powers wilding out. This is not good.
It’s why I take a dim view of “yes, it’s illegal, but it’s the right thing to do”. It’s also why I have more patience with countries that operate by supporting their enemies’ enemies, instead of blowing up embassies and murdering negotiators outright. And, honestly, it’s why I’m a lot less worried when a country goes to war and gets kicked off of swift, instead of getting a lukewarm “well, democracy, his own people, R2P, nationbuilding”. Which I now realize is also “yes, it’s illegal, but it’s the right thing to do”.
The fact that you’re trying to weasel out of the obvious answer tells me you know you’re wrong. So in lieu of falling for it, Did Russia recently veto something grave against Iran?
This is an argument that only makes sense if rely on a veto to cover your ass. Which, as we have seen, only works if you’re a permanent member. Or Israel, apparently.
Yes I am. They have before, and will again. If anything, I would expect it to let the sanctions happen, then break them, then veto being punished for breaking them. Fits the MO much better.
Oh, we’ll get there, don’t you worry…
As long as the country isn’t Palestine.
We can, but your core argument hangs on a great power covering an ally with a veto no matter what, and we currently only have one actual example of it happening.
This is an excellent point! A country can, absolutely, act without UN legitimacy, and “get things done”. But it doesn’t just strip legitimacy from itself, it also strips it from the UN. Which then leads to geopolicy understanders online to call the UN useless, despite all the useful stuff it does.
I know. And what you have chosen is “Might makes right”. I can understand why, it’s an appealing fantasy, it’s why Dirty Harry is popular, but the flip side is that if you declare the rules don’t apply to you, you can’t object to everyone else doing it, whether it’s Russia invading Ukraine, or China invading Taiwan. Or, in fact, any of the Arab states attacking Israel.
What are you on about? I’ve always been talking about recently, status quo, today. The only one trying to make this into a historical competition on who vetoed for whom how many times is you. I’ve been trying to make that clear repeatedly. My problem isn’t who vetoed for whom but the possibility to veto at all, as that’s the core problem. If you want to discuss something else, fine. But that’s not the discussion I’m having here.
Why? Please elaborate.
They have at a time when Iran was internationally isolated and Russia was in (superficially) good terms with the “West”. Now, Russia is also isolated, in bad terms with the “West” and dependent on Iran’s support for maintaining their war machine. Russia has too little allies left to be able to afford losing another, if they can help with as little effort as using their veto power. That’s the arguments I can provide for my opinion that they wouldn’t let Iran be punished by the UN. What are yours for your point of view?
True as of today. But in Israel, the people can vote for another direction entirely and have the possibility to rid themselves of unpopular Netanyahu. In Iran, the political cornerstones are set since 1979 and the will of the people for change was just brutally slaughtered. The question remains: is Iran ready to accept the existence of Israel?
But that’s a UN problem and not a “persons that call that out” problem. After WW2, there was the understandable desire to create a platform where international topics could be resolved in peace. Good idea! However, the big players didn’t trust each other and also didn’t want to be subjugated to anything else than their own free decisions. That’s also understandable. But a true and fair international platform issues the same rights to all its members. Which the UN doesn’t, so that’s an elemental design flaw it will always stumble upon.
No. Because I don’t advocate a general free-for-all where every nation can do as it pleases. I just can accept that in a situation where the body responsible for exerting international law and the protection of basic human rights is not working, its member states, facing exigent circumstances, themselves take matters into their own hands instead of watching idly. Why should people let themselves get killed just because the UN is incapable of fixing its design flaws?
Let’s not pretend they care at all, even today. Russia invaded Ukraine although everyone knew there was not justification behind it whatsoever, besides the wish of a small, ageing man to be the one in the history books that restored the “lost empire”. Similarly, China doesn’t care at all if the world thinks there’s any justification to them trying to annex Taiwan, when the sole reason they’ll try it is petty-minded revenge and the inability to accept a “Chinese” country outside their oppressive control. All these examples of yours are already operating under the principle “might makes right”.
No you haven’t. You’ve been talking in hypotheticals. If you have a non-imaginary example, I’d love to hear it.
Because normal countries don’t see the veto as a first line of defense. In fact, normal countries don’t see the veto at all. SC vetos are not, as you present it, normal procedure for normal countries. Hell, even permanent SC members don’t just plop vetos willy-nilly. Seeing the veto as the first, last, and only option requires a very specific mindset, that is simply not how countries operate. Well, except for…
This isn’t an argument, it’s an opinion. It’s not unreasonable, but it goes against both prior and current behavior of the parties involved.
Once again, you’re criticizing Iran for announcing destruction they haven’t actually done, but credit Israel for hypothetically being capable of deciding not to do the destruction they currently literally are doing. You’re doing the thing again.
Yes you do, you just don’t realize it, because you think right isn’t made by might if it’s made by might you agree with.
Exactly! Let’s not pretend they care at all, even today. US invaded Iraq although everyone knew… And since you agree that laws are stupid and working through the system to get what you want is a waste of time, then clearly you’re fine with them following the precedent.
Exactly! Because, I’ll repeat it again once more, my problem is not who vetoed when for whom specifically but that it is possible to veto at all for a certain group of countries. Got it?
Yea… no. See attached the number of vetoes. Reality paints a different picture.
Source
It doesn’t go against current and I explained why I expect different than prior behaviour. And you?
No. Iran has supported, organised, financed terror against Israel for a very very long time and the destruction stemming from that is very real and palpable. I’m criticising Iran for a goal they openly state and which they actively try to achieve. When it comes to Israel, these citizens don’t have the hypothetical but very real option to vote and change politics accordingly. Opposed to the Mullahs, Netanyahu actually has to fear public opinion and the political opposition, as there, it can actually put him out of office. The Mullahs will just shoot the people in the streets instead. But again, you deviate from the question: is Iran ready to accept the existence of Israel?
I don’t. I told you before: I just can accept that in a situation where the body responsible for exerting international law and the protection of basic human rights is not working, its member states, facing exigent circumstances, themselves take matters into their own hands instead of watching idly.
No. I said that the examples you provided all already operate under the principle “might makes right”. What you’re trying to sell here to me and yourself as a reaction to the - of course! - initial source of injustice that is the “eternal enemy USA”, has in fact always been the case. Have a skim through the linked list of issued vetoes. You’ll be surprised how blatantly calculating and motivated by their own goods these votes were right from the start. And which side especially used the veto in that first period.
Ah, you’re finally looking stuff up. Fantastic. I don’t know what picture you think the graph paints, but I’ll take the win.
Yes it does. There was no veto for sanctions. That’s the current. You’re doing it again.
That’s exactly it - I don’t see them trying to achieve it. I could be wrong, but I don’t even remember them attacking Israel directly at all before a couple of years ago. You’re doing it again.
They have the option, yet the action is still hypothetical. You’re doing it again.
And who
makes the rightdecides what counts as exigent circumstances? That’s right. The mighty.…Wait, you think there’s such a thing as an initial source of injustice? And you think I’m arguing it’s America? Christ on a stick, every fucking thing is a team sport to you people. Though I shouldn’t be surprised, you are after all arguing that breaking the laws is good when the good guys do it. What I’m trying to sell - of course! - here is that either there are laws, or there are no laws. If you believe it’s acceptable to discard law where it hobbles you, then you’re arguing that it’s acceptable for anyone to discard law where it hobbles them. And when told this is what “might makes right” is, your reaction - of course! - is “We don’t do that, also, everyone does that!”. Which is why you’re blaming Iran for things Israel does, because “everyone does that” so they must do it too, and then absolving Israel for things they are doing, because “we don’t do that”, so it’s clearly a fluke.
Check out the attached link to the source, that should make it clearer what the graph is showing.
Sure! Sounds just like him. Non-stop winning.
Well, you will know why you sneaked in “directly” here. Iran is the main sponsor of the terrorist groups exerting violence against Israel for decades. It doesn’t matter if they use the hands of others to harm their enemy. But I’m sure we actually both know that, so what’s there left to say.
But again, you deviate from the question: is Iran ready to accept the existence of Israel?
As has been the case all along. Your point being?
I absolutely don’t. Do you?
There has been only one person trying to drag the whole discussion into a competition between Israel/US and Iran/Russia. And that wasn’t me. In fact, I’ve tried to tell you numerous times that I don’t care at all about who did what when but only about the underlying mechanisms that allow this behaviour - by both teams! I’m under the strong impression that you are getting really emotional about points you read into my words but which I didn’t make at all and hence this is a discussion where we’re talking at cross-purposes.
I know what it’s showing, but “Actually, Russia does veto more!” isn’t the interesting part.
I didn’t sneak it in, I wrote “directly” because Israel has attacked Iran directly, and repeatedly. It very much does matter who pulls the trigger. Terror groups are not UN members.
Frankly, I think they already have accepted it, and that’s the big reason they’re being as measured as they have. There were attempts to destroy Israel before, some came pretty damn close, but Iran wasn’t involved in any of them, I don’t think, and they all stopped when Israel got nukes. It’s politically unacceptable for Iran to say it out loud, but they have the full triad now. I believe the motivation for Iran even considering a nuclear program is precisely the fact that they’re facing a foe they can’t destroy, and don’t trust to keep a peace, so their approach is to try and keep the conflict from boiling over.
So, now you put together a very interesting picture here. You “can accept […] member states, facing exigent circumstances, themselves take matters into their own hands”, and that “exigent circumstances” is defined by the mighty, “As has been the case all along”. Therefore, you can accept that the mighty decide when matters are to be taken into their own hands, and therefore, you do, in fact, “can accept” might to make right. But you also “don’t advocate a general free-for-all where every nation can do as it pleases”, so you accept might to make right sometimes, but other times, nations must be limited and not do as they please. Hm. Have you ever encountered the term “Crooked Timber Conservative”?
Fuck no. There is a web of triggers and precedents, but there’s no head vampire everything traces back to. Evil is an emergent phenomenon, not a river with a source.
I believe you were the one who brought up the comparison of Iran and Russia, and Israel and the US. I just ran with it. And it’s not a competition, but a comparison. Time and time again, I see arguments made by what I’m sure are people who consider themselves egalitarian, that basically boil down to “the good guys should just kill all the bad guys”, and I find the shortest, simplest way to throw a wrench in this mindset is to flip the positions and see if they recognize what they’re doing. This either gets people’s gears going, or devolves into the “No you don’t get it, I’m a Good Person.” meme, which is always funny.
The second, broader point, to put it plainly: Either there are laws, or there are no laws. And if there are no laws, then might makes right. And I believe strongly that having laws is wildly preferable.
If you will forgive a history lesson to point out a few highlights, ever since war got too expensive to be profitable, countries went to great effort to prevent it, or at least minimize it. After the 30 Years War, the powers that be effectively invented the modern state. After the Big One, they effectively invented the international community. Then the Other Big One happened, they went to troubleshoot the problem, and what they settled on as a solution is honestly kinda interesting. In essence, the vast majority of states like working together. Or, at the very least, they prefer it to war. This is to be expected, this is normal, this is how humans are. Those that aren’t willing are mostly just stubborn, and can be incentivized to compromise, usually through sanctions and other pressure tactics. For those who genuinely refuse to play nice, the UN solution is to force compliance. However, even putting aside the “fucking for virginity” paradox, the first time the UN enforced their will some 70 million people died, so this isn’t to be done lightly. The answer we ended up with is the GA, the SC, and the veto: the GA to be used for negotiations, when those fail, the SC will assist with coercion, and, if nothing works, move to enforcement. However, to prevent enforcement turning into Another Other Big One, the major powers were given the veto, to block actions that would end with them fighting eachother. This may sound ridiculous looking at what peacekeeping looks like now, but I remind you the UN police action know as the Korean War ended with some 3mil. dead.
And if you’ll forgive a games lesson, the reason vetos are such a popular tool in system design is that they’re inherently reactive and limited: you can’t force a thing done, just prevent it. For example, a veto can prevent the UN from officially declaring sanctions that all members would need to follow, but it can’t stop individual members from imposing them - in theory, this is the approach to be taken when a veto power is stonewalling action, and if it isn’t, then the implication is the community consensus on what is right isn’t really there, and either is preferable to a conflict between veto powers. The system is stable as long as you’re not allowed to cheat: If a country breaks the law and gets away with it, the other countries will rightfully wonder how protected they are by law. Worse yet, if a country breaks the law, then hides under a veto to get away with it, the veto itself is still the same as a regular veto stonewall, but instead of freezing an issue or kicking the can down the road, it has turned into an “I can do what i want” card. If the lawbreaking continues, and there’s no response, countries will eventually decide there are no laws and go rogue, until they’re either brought back in line or the line disappears. It won’t happen instantly, but every time it happens the community gets a little bit closer to falling apart. And if it does, you’re back to might-makes-right, at least until another war reminds everyone why we made the system in the first place.
The graph you posted is interesting, but not for the reason you think. What that graph shows is the number of times a veto power announced to the world “I find this decision, that the majority of the council agrees with, so unacceptable that I am considering going to war over this!”. What the red on that graph tell me is that instead of one veto power being outvoted and fighting a delaying action against decisions everyone else agrees with, we now have a situation of the international community facing at least two veto powers wilding out. This is not good.
It’s why I take a dim view of “yes, it’s illegal, but it’s the right thing to do”. It’s also why I have more patience with countries that operate by supporting their enemies’ enemies, instead of blowing up embassies and murdering negotiators outright. And, honestly, it’s why I’m a lot less worried when a country goes to war and gets kicked off of swift, instead of getting a lukewarm “well, democracy, his own people, R2P, nationbuilding”. Which I now realize is also “yes, it’s illegal, but it’s the right thing to do”.