I have a confession to make, a confession that will convince you, once and for all, if my previous columns have not already done so, of my complete and utter political nerdification: I do Model U.N.
As you are reading this, Penn's MUN club, the International Affairs Association, is hosting its annual college conference at a hotel in Center City. A Model U.N. conference more or less runs like the real thing, with committees composed of delegations from member countries, but also with additional crisis committees in which the delegates have to resolve international incidents created by the staff from the host school. My job in the IAA is to design a crisis for one of these committees.
Some conservative critics who claim that the U.N. is only a "debating society" may now be allowing themselves a self-righteous chuckle, and asking what difference there is between the U.N. in New York and ours here in Philadelphia.
I'd answer in three ways. First, we give out awards. The U.N. gives out blue berets which, while nifty, match with nothing, or at least nothing in my closet. You may, however, have more clothes than I do.
Second, we have way more fun. If you don't believe that debating international politics can be a blast, let me offer two facts to prove my point. One, the hotel gift shop sells out of condoms every year. You think I'm joking, but I'm not.
Two, the gift that the IAA gives to those of us who staff the college conference is very often a commemorative shot glass. For the benefit of any readers who happen to be my parents, I'd like to make clear that as a good Wisconsin boy, I only drink milk, but I think that the rest of you get my point.
Finally, the biggest difference between our debating society and the one in New York is that our version actually accomplishes things. It's sad to say, but the conservatives are right; the ability of the United Nations is highly limited by the willingness of the member states to cooperate. Of course, that's also largely the conservatives' fault in that they are the ones guiding American foreign policy away from cooperative action.
The fact remains, however, that especially since Bush the Younger acceded to the throne, international cooperation has fallen by the wayside. The consequences of this change in direction are real and significant.
First, look at Iraq. The lesson that we are learning there is that, as much as we may now be the world's sole superpower, allies are still useful, and America really could stand to have a few more of them. Not only do we wish to share the burden in lives and dollars, but having a larger base of allies and a corresponding smaller U.S. commitment would enable us to project force where it's needed in other areas of the world -- for example, North Korea. Protecting America against actual and immediate threats would be a nice change in direction for this presidency.
Bush also should consider how he is spending the political capital of international legitimacy. Burning national bridges on issues of security makes cooperation in other important issue areas -- trade, human rights and international justice, just to name a few -- much more difficult.
Additionally, pressing global environmental issues, crises that will not affect the politicians of today but that will affect our generation and that of our children, can only be resolved by international cooperation. As such, we, more than our current leaders, should seek to maintain and strengthen the United Nations.
Finally, there is the question of principle. This administration has repeatedly looked only at the possibility and not the propriety of potential foreign policies. Yes, of course the United States can act without the support of the world community vis-…-vis the United Nations, but should we?
Cooperation helps create a world in which all can thrive. For a society like ours which recognizes that all people, regardless of nationality, have a fundamental human dignity, such international engagement has a value that extends beyond our own material interest.
As for Model U.N., I do it because, as you may have noticed, I have a strong interest in international politics. Well, that, and I really like instigating coups and blowing things up, or at least simulating such mayhem and having delegates clean up the mess.
Besides, that's really not my point. What is impressive about the Model U.N. conference now underway downtown is not that my staff and I will create such crises, but rather that college and high school students will, by debate, cooperation and yes, even compromise, resolve them.
If only the delegates to the real United Nations would be so adult, our world would be far better off.
Kevin Collins is a sophomore Political Science major from Milwaukee, Wis.
