while the UN makes mistakes, sardepon is absolutely right to point out that the power given to it is determined by it's member states, esp. it's most powerful state america.
the way the UN is run suits the bigger powers, and the bigger powers do not want to cede any of their control to anyone else so you end up with a stalemate. 5 nations can essentially determine everything for the rest of the 170 odd nations in the world.
the veto power these 5 nations have prevents the UN from doing much of anything. china would veto anything on burma, the US will veto anything with israel, russia vetoes anything w serbia, so you end up with a spineless organization. and that is exactly what superpowers want.
this belief that america acts for the good of other nations is naive, idealistic, and ultimately dangerous. it's time to grow up and realize that the US acts for it's own economic, political, and strategic interests, sometimes those interests help the local population but more often than not the US doesnt care one way or another, and most of it's policies definitely do not help the rest of the world.
i can name about two dozen dictators and brutal thugs america has supported and armed throughout the 20th century, madmen who butchered entire villages but who are our allies and friends. i can name a half dozen different coups the CIA has been involved with, coups where a democratically elected politician has been overthrown, replaced with a more complacent strongman.
so yeah, let's quit with the kneejerk UN bashing and actually accept the reality of the world we live in for once.