United Nations Security Council

Annual Military Training

   To improve their effectiveness, the five primary members of the Security Council should be required to conduct military exercises together on an annual basis. This will encourage greater cooperation among them and improve their handling of international matters together as a group.

Individual Participation Rights

   The United Nations should be more respectful towards the individual rights of military personnel who are involved in international peacekeeping situations. In other words, the personnel who are involved in such efforts should be provided the ability to individually opt out of participating in the event, without the penalty of being fined, imprisoned, or demoted by their country.

   This is necessary to respect human rights since their oaths are to their respective countries, not the international community. This policy may also be necessary to prevent certain leaders who may use the opportunity to satisfy their own personal motives (e.g., hero complex) by claiming that the international situation is a national security issue when it typically is not the case.

   To prevent such behavior and the unnecessary endangerment of personnel, the United Nations should require that all military personnel involved in peacekeeping missions to file a release form for their voluntary participation in order to protect their rights under international law. In this manner, individual soldiers will decide for themselves if they wish to participate rather than their leaders who may have alternative motives for the situation.

Demerit System

   All Security Council members are expected to maintain a higher level of standard than other nations due to their stature as representatives of the international community.

   However, there may be a number of situations where a particular member may behave in an unethical or unorthodox manner that may negatively reflect upon the organization (e.g., overly strict handling of a domestic matter, or conducting a military strike on a foreign country for an otherwise moderate situation).

   To prevent such unfavorable conduct, the international community should impose a demerit system to ensure that higher standards are being met at all times.

   Examples of earning a demerit are: dereliction of duty (refusal to participate in an approved measure other than individual soldiers opting out), human rights violations (both domestic and international), failure to uphold certain ideals (unfair trade practices), participating in an unnecessary military conflict (Russia/Ukraine, America/Iran, UK/Falklands, France/Libya, China/Taiwan), etc.

   If a member earns a number of demerits that surpasses a certain threshold then that nation may be temporarily dismissed until they are able to reestablish themselves once again. If they fail to do so in a reasonable timeframe then the dismissal will be final and they will be replaced by another that is willing to assume their duties (so no longer permanent members or veto power).

   What should be understood is that being a member on the Security Council is both a privilege and honor that carries essential duties that should be taken seriously at all times. Employing a demerit system is important to ensure that the world does not develop a dysfunctional or uncooperative Security Council, which is necessary to resolve international matters for the global community.

Nuclear Weapons Restriction

   The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons was established to prevent the possibility of nuclear war between nations. However, the agreement as it exists today is not restrictive enough to prevent weapon development since a nation may simply withdraw making the accord ineffective.

   For example, since the treaty started, both India and Pakistan developed nuclear weapons as well as North Korea, Israel, South Africa, and possibly Iran. The treaty, whether nations were willing to sign for it or not, has failed to discourage the development of nuclear weapons that places the entire world at risk.

   To correct the situation, the international community should consider taking a stronger stance by imposing a more restrictive policy that only allows the five primary members of the Security Council to possess nuclear weapons. Other nations may complain that this would leave them at a disadvantage, however, there are other ways of developing an advanced military than the use of nuclear weapons (e.g., stealth technology, laser weapons, robotics, space-based delivery systems, etc.).

   The reason why only the five primary members of the Security Council should have nuclear weapons is due to their need for resolving international matters. For example, a nuclear detonation may be necessary to destroy an underground/underwater/space-based facility that conventional weapons would not suffice. Also, possessing nuclear weapons may prevent the Security Council members from being targeted by revenge or vendetta-style attacks from previously corrected nations.

   So, regardless of whether this proposal is popular or not, something else needs to be done other than rely on current treaty since it has proven to be ineffective in preventing the development of nuclear weapons in the world.