Multilateralism / Comment
The United States and the UN: democrats versus Republicans?
07/04/2008 By María Avelló
This is, principally, an electoral year for US politics and that includes with regard to foreign policy. With new states coming into existence (Kosovo), largely forseeable changes unfolding in places like Cuba and fresh attacks underlining the problematic situation facing Afghanistan, the American presidential candidates have been adopting their positions.
And the question of whether the United States will opt for multilateralism, supporting organisations like the United Nations, remains one of the unresolved issues. Both Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton seem to be clear that the UN is a forum that can’t be avoided, where the US must make its voice heard. But in the Republican camp more sceptical voices can be heard with regard to America’s contribution to the organisation.
Both within the Republic ranks and among Democrats, a great many feel that the international leadership exercised by the United States since the end of World War II has been profoundly weakened by the Bush administration. And, for some, the attitudes of people like John Bolton are a luxury that the US can no longer afford. It will be the electorate that has the final word, however.
In this comment article María Avelló explores the varying positions of the White House hopefuls and the ramifications their respective policies may have for the US and the world at large.
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Keywords
Elections International organisations Multilateralism UN United StatesBio author: María Avelló
Law Degree by the Oviedo University, M.A in Human Rights by Complutense University (Madrid) and M.A in European Law and Politics by the Institute of High European Studies (Strasbourg).
At present, she works as international consultant in the area of institutional development, european law and human rights for the European Union and other international organizations.
