The Broken United Nations: Failing Democracies and Enabling Tyranny

The United Nations was founded on the noble ideals of fostering global peace and cooperation. Its charter envisioned a platform where nations could resolve conflicts, protect human rights, and work together for the common good. However, over the decades, the UN has strayed far from its original purpose. Instead of symbolizing hope, it has become a hub of dysfunction, corruption, and oppression.

A Betrayal of Democracies: The Case of Israel

One of the UN’s most glaring failures is its treatment of democratic nations, particularly Israel. Despite being the only democracy in the Middle East, Israel faces disproportionate condemnation from the UN. Year after year, resolutions are passed denouncing Israel while authoritarian regimes with appalling human rights records evade scrutiny. This obsession with Israel is not merely a policy misstep but a symptom of a deeper structural bias within the organization—one that is easily exploited by autocratic states.

A Structural Flaw: Empowering Oppressors

The UN’s design gives equal voting rights to all member states in the General Assembly, regardless of their governance systems or human rights practices. This framework has created a perverse situation in which dictatorships like North Korea and Iran wield the same influence as democracies such as Canada or Germany. Worse still, these authoritarian regimes often form alliances to shield one another from accountability while targeting democratic nations.

Consider the repeated UN condemnations of Israel—a country that protects freedom of speech, religious diversity, and gender equality. Meanwhile, nations that suppress dissent, crush political opposition, and brutalize their own populations face little to no censure. This imbalance is neither accidental nor incidental; it reflects a deliberate effort by autocratic regimes to deflect attention from their abuses and undermine democratic values.

Countries like China and Russia, permanent members of the Security Council, further exacerbate this problem. These powers leverage their influence to protect allied dictatorships and preserve a system that sustains their global dominance. The result is an organization that perpetuates injustice rather than promoting equity and freedom.

The Human Toll of UN Inaction

The consequences of the UN’s failures are devastating. In conflict zones from Syria to Myanmar, the UN has repeatedly failed to act decisively, hampered by the competing interests of its member states. Its peacekeeping missions often lack the resources or authority needed to protect vulnerable populations, leading to widespread suffering and preventable tragedies.

Even more concerning is the UN’s inability to address systemic issues like corruption and poverty. Rather than empowering nations to develop sustainable solutions, the organization often exacerbates these problems. Aid frequently ends up in the hands of corrupt officials, leaving ordinary citizens to bear the brunt of the UN’s inefficiencies.

A New Vision for Global Governance: DNAPP

The UN’s structural flaws and systemic failures make it clear that the organization is incapable of addressing the challenges of the modern world. A bold alternative is needed: the Democratic Nations Alliance for Peace and Prosperity (DNAPP). This new coalition would bring together democratic nations under a framework that prioritizes justice, accountability, and the defense of human rights.

DNAPP would differ fundamentally from the UN. Membership would be reserved for democratic nations, ensuring that the organization’s decisions reflect the values of freedom and equality. Voting power would be weighted according to a country’s democratic index, incentivizing member states to uphold and strengthen democratic principles. DNAPP would also foster economic collaboration, military alliances, and election oversight, creating a unified platform for democracies to address global challenges.

For democracies like Israel, marginalized and vilified by the UN, DNAPP would provide a supportive environment where shared values guide policy and cooperation. Free from the influence of authoritarian regimes, DNAPP would empower democracies to tackle pressing global issues with clarity and purpose.

The Way Forward: Building a Better World

Creating DNAPP is not merely an idealistic aspiration; it is a necessity. The UN cannot be reformed because such efforts would require the consent of the autocracies that benefit most from its dysfunction. Reforming the UN would not only be unfeasible but also counterproductive.

By forming DNAPP, democratic nations can reclaim their leadership role on the global stage, presenting a vision of governance that is fair, effective, and rooted in the principles of freedom and justice. This is not just about creating a new organization—it is about laying the foundation for a better, more equitable world.

As I argue in my forthcoming book, The Untied Nations: United in Oppression, the time has come to rethink how nations cooperate on the global stage. DNAPP represents a new dawn, offering hope for a future where democracy and human rights take precedence over tyranny and self-interest.

The choice is stark: cling to a broken system or create a new one that genuinely serves humanity. For democracies, the path is clear. It is time to unite for peace, justice, and prosperity.