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The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) - Council on Foreign Relations

CFRBackgrounders
TheUNSecurityCouncil
Author:ZacharyLaub,OnlineWriter/Editor
Updated:December6,2013
Introduction
TheSecurityCouncilistheUnitedNations'principalcrisismanagementbody,empoweredtoimposebinding
obligationsontheUN's193memberstatestomaintainpeace.TheCouncil'sfivepermanentandtenelected
membersmeetregularlytoassessthreatstosecurity,addressingissuesthatincludecivilwars,naturaldisasters,
armscontrol,andterrorism.Structurally,thebodyremainslargelyunchangedsinceitsfoundingin1946,stirring
debateamongmanymembersaboutitsefficacyandlegitimacyasanarbiteronmattersofinternationalsecurity.
Syria'scivilwarposesparticularchallengestotheSecurityCouncilamidconcernsaboutregionalinstability,
proliferation,andamountinghumanitariancrisis.
WhatistheSecurityCouncilsstructure?
Anyoneofthefivepermanentmembers(P5)oftheSecurityCouncilChina,France,theRussianFederation,
theUnitedKingdom,andtheUnitedStatescanvetoaresolution,apowernotaffordedtoitstenelected
members.TheP5'sprivilegedstatushasitsrootsintheUN'sfoundingintheaftermathofWorldWarII.The
UnitedStatesandRussia(thentheSovietUnion)weretheoutrightvictorsofthewar,and,alongwiththeUnited
Kingdom,theyshapedthepostwarpoliticalorder.AstheirplansforwhatwouldbecometheUnitedNations
tookshape,U.S.presidentFranklinDelanoRooseveltinsistedonNationalistChina'sinclusionatthehelm,
envisioninginternationalsecuritypresidedoverby"fourglobalpolicemen."BritishprimeministerWinston
ChurchillsawinFranceaEuropeanbufferagainstpotentialGermanorSovietaggressionandsosponsoredits
bidforrestoredgreatpowerstatus.
TheCouncil'spresidencyrotatesonamonthlybasis,ensuringsomeagendasettinginfluenceforitsten
nonpermanentmembers,whoareelectedbyatwothirdsvoteoftheGeneralAssemblytoservetwoyear,
nonconsecutiveterms.Themaincriterionforeligibilityiscontribution"tothemaintenanceofinternational
peaceandsecurity,"oftendefinedbyfinancialortroopcontributionstopeacekeepingoperationsorleadership
onmattersofregionalsecuritylikelytoappearbeforetheCouncil.
Asecondaryconsideration,"equitablegeographicaldistribution,"gaverisetotheregionalgroupsusedsince
1965inelections:theAfricanGrouphasthreeseatstheAsiaPacificGroup,twotheEasternEuropeanGroup,
oneGRULAC(LatinAmericaandtheCaribbean),twoandWEOG(WesternEuropeandOtherGroups),two.
Eachhasitsownelectoralnorms.AnArabseatalternatesbetweentheAfricanandAsianblocsbyinformal
agreement.TurkeyandIsrael,whichhasneverservedontheCouncil,caucuswithWEOG.
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SubsidiaryorgansthatsupporttheCouncil'smissionincludeadhoccommitteesonsanctions,
counterterrorism,andnonproliferation,andinternationalcriminaltribunalsforRwandaandtheformer
Yugoslavia.WithintheUNSecretariat,theDepartmentofPeacekeepingOperationsandDepartmentof
FieldSupportmanagefieldoperations.ThePeacebuildingCommission,establishedin2005asarepositoryof
institutionalmemoryand"lessonslearned,"servesanadvisoryrole.
WhataretheSecurityCouncilstoolsforconflictmanagement?
TheSecurityCouncilaimstoreachpeacefulresolutionofinternationaldisputesunderChapterVIoftheUN
Charter.Failingthat,itisempoweredtotakemoreaggressiveactionunderChapterVII,suchasimposing
sanctionsorauthorizingtheuseofforce"tomaintainorrestoreinternationalpeaceandsecurity."Peacekeeping
missionsarethemostvisiblefaceoftheUN'sconflictmanagementworkinlate2013theCouncilwas
overseeingsixteenoperationsandnearlyninetyseventhousanduniformedpersonnel.
ConstrainedbyU.S.Sovietrivalry,theSecurityCouncilactedinfrequentlyinthefourandahalfdecades
betweenitsfoundingandthecloseoftheColdWarin1989.Duringthattimeitauthorizedseventeen
peacekeepingoperations.
TheSecurityCouncilhasauthorizedfiftyoneoperationsintheyearssincetheColdWar,manyrespondingto
failingstates,civilwars,orcomplexhumanitarianemergencies,anddeployingtoconflictzonesintheabsence
ofceasefiresorparties'consent.Undermoremuscularmandates,theyhavecombinedmilitaryoperations
includinglessrestrictiverulesofengagementthatallowforcivilianandrefugeeprotectionwithciviliantasks,
includingpolicing,electoralassistance,andlegaladministration.Developingnationsprovidethelion'sshareof
personnel.

Anumberoftheseoperations,includingthoseinCambodiaandElSalvador,weretoutedassuccesses.But
increasinglycomplexemergencies,whichmushroomedinthe1990s,challengedtheCouncil'sabilitytomount
effective,coordinatedresponses.
Regionalorganizationshaveplayedanincreasinglyimportantroleinpeacekeepingandconflictresolution,in
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somecasesproddingtheCounciltoactionandinothersactingassubcontractorsonitsbehalf.Forinstance,the
CouncilauthorizedtheuseofforceinLibyain2011aftertheArabLeaguecalledforanoflyzone,which
NATOthenexecuted.CFRAdjunctSeniorFellowMarkLagonalsopointstotheincreasedwillandcapacity
oftheAfricanUnion,whichhaspartneredwiththeUNincarryingouthybridmissionsinSomaliaandthe
DarfurregionofSudan.
WhatcoercivemeasurescantheSecurityCounciltake?
ThesanctionsprovisionsprovidedforbyArticle41oftheUNCharterlaydormantthroughmuchoftheCold
War,onlytobecomeoneoftheSecurityCouncil'smostfrequentlyemployedtools.Sanctionswereimposedjust
twicepriortothefalloftheBerlinWall:in1966,atradeembargowasenactedagainstthewhiteminority
governmentinSouthernRhodesia(presentdayZimbabwe),andin1977,anarmsembargowasenactedagainst
apartheideraSouthAfrica.YettheCouncilbegantomakeregularuseofsanctionsintheearly1990sinIraq,
theformerYugoslavia,andHaiti.
Thesecomprehensiveembargoeswroughtunintendedhumanitarianconsequences,asIraqhighlightedin
particular.AfterSaddamHussein'sinvasionofKuwaitandthesubsequentGulfWar,theUnitedNations
coupledasuccessfuldisarmamentregimewithseveresanctions.TheUNsubsequentlyestablishedtheOilfor
FoodProgramtoalleviatetheirhumantoll.Theprogramwasmarredbyexploitationandcorruption,however,
andinamajorinstitutionalsetback,anindependentinquiryledbyPaulVolckerfoundthatsometwothousand
firmsmanyofthembasedinP5countriespaidkickbackstotheIraqigovernmenttotalingnearly$2billion.
Socalled"smartsanctions"emergedinthemid1990sasanalternativetothe"bluntinstrument"ondisplayin
Iraq,targetingdiscreteeconomicandpoliticalmattersandspecificindividualsdeemedtothreateninternational
security.Certificateoforiginregimeshavecurtailedthetradein"blooddiamonds"thatfinanceseveralcivil
wars,forexample.Armsembargoes,travelbans,assetfreezes,andimport/exportbansonindividualgoodsare
nowthenorm,ratherthancomprehensiveembargoes,withroughlyadozenregimesineffectatanygiventime.
CFRSeniorFellowStewartPatricksaystheSecurityCouncilhasplayedanimportantroleinsettingafloorfor
sanctionsontheIraniannuclearprogramandharmonizinginternationalpolicyonterroristfinancing.
Buttargetedsanctionshaveraisedhumanrightsconcernsoftheirown.UNimposedregimeshavea"ratchet
effect,"Lagonsays.Inordertobedelisted,blacklistedindividuals,entities,anditemsoftenthosewithdual
uses,suchasagriculturalormedicinalapplicationsrequireanaffirmativevoteofsanctionscommitteesin
whichallSecurityCouncilmembersarerepresented.
TheCouncilalsohasthepowertorefercasesofgenocide,warcrimes,andcrimesagainsthumanitytothe
prosecutoroftheindependentInternationalCriminalCourt.Itdidsoforthefirsttimein2005,resultinginan
outstandingwarrantforSudanesepresidentOmaralBashironchargesregardingDarfur.
IsforceunsanctionedbytheSecurityCouncillegitimate?
UndertheUnitedNationscharter,theuseofforceislegalonlyincasesofselfdefenseorwhenithasbeen
authorizedbytheCouncil.Thequestionoflegitimateuseofforceasdistinctfromstrictlegalityremains
contentious.
NATO'sseventyeightdaylongairwarinKosovoisthemostoftcitedcaseinarguingforthelegitimacyof
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humanitarianinterventionsoutsideSecurityCouncilauthorization.Thebombingcampaignwasundertakento
protectKosovarAlbaniansfromethniccleansingbySerbs,thenleadingrumpYugoslavia,afterRussiahad
indicateditwouldblockauthorizationintheCouncil.Anindependentcommissionofscholarslaterdeemedthe
intervention"illegalbutlegitimate."
Theemergenceoftheresponsibilitytoprotect(R2P)intheearly2000sappearedtojustifytheuseofforce
outsideCouncilauthorizationbyqualifyingtheprincipleofnoninterferenceinsovereignaffairs.Thedoctrine,
asadoptedbytheUNGeneralAssemblyin2005,stipulatesthatstateshavearesponsibilitytoprotecttheir
populationsfromcrimesagainsthumanitytheinternationalcommunityhasaresponsibilitytousepeaceful
meanstoprotectthreatenedpopulationsandwhenastate"manifestlyfails"toupholditsresponsibilities,
coerciveChapterVIImeasuresshouldbecollectivelytaken.
SuccessiveU.S.administrationshavearguedthatinterventioncanbeundertakenwithregionalorganizationsor
"minilateral"coalitionsofthewilling,conferringlegitimacy.ButUNsecretarygeneralBanKimoonhas
rejectedthisposition,saying,"Theresponsibilitytoprotectdoesnotalter,indeeditreinforces,thelegal
obligationsofMemberStatestorefrainfromtheuseofforceexceptinconformitywiththeCharter."This
debatewasrevivedintherunuptothe2011NATOledLibyainterventionandcontinueswiththeongoing
Syriancivilwar.
"Legitimacyisverymuchintheeyeofthebeholder."JeffreyLaurenti,TheCenturyFoundation

"Legitimacyisverymuchintheeyeofthebeholder,"veteranUNanalystJeffreyLaurentisays.Someexperts
cautionthatbyloweringthethresholdtheUnitedStatesclaimedforlegitimacyasitsoughttointerveneinmass
atrocitiesmostrecently,followingallegationsofchemicalweaponsuseinSyriainAugust2013theUnited
Statesmayachieveitsshorttermobjectiveswhilesettingprecedentscountertoitslongterminterests.
WhatcriticismshastheSecurityCouncilfaced?
Anumberofcritics,includingmemberstatesfromthedevelopingworld,chargethattheCouncil'sstructureis
anachronistic.TheCouncilwasexpandedfromsixelectedmemberstotenin1965,andthePeople'sRepublicof
ChinatookthepermanentseatpreviouslyoccupiedbytheRepublicofChina(Taiwan),in1971.Sincethen,the
body'scompositionhasremainedunchanged.
DevelopedandemergingpowerssuchasJapan,Germany,India,Brazil,SouthAfrica,andNigeriahavesought
Councilenlargementandapermanentseatforthemselves.OthershavecalledforacommonEuropeanseatto
replacetheBritishandFrenchpermanentseatsastheEUmovestowardacommonsecuritypolicy.Thedebate
aboutexpansionisoftenframedasatradeoffbetweenlegitimacyandefficacy.
OthercriticsoftheCouncilincludeadvocatesofR2P,whosaythevetogivesunduedeferencetothepolitical
interestsoftheP5,leadingtoinactioninthefaceofmassatrocities.ItisnotjustP5memberswhohave
demonstratedreluctancetouseforce.BeyondRussiaandChina,aspirantstopermanentmemberstatus
includingBrazil,India,andGermanyhaveviewsoninterventionandsovereigntyatoddswiththoseespoused
bytheUnitedStates.
WhileR2PadvocatescriticizetheSecurityCouncilanditsmembersforalackofpoliticalwill,othersquestion
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theUN'sconflictmanagementcapacity,oftenciting1990speacekeepingcrisesinSomalia,theformer
Yugoslavia,andRwanda.
Intheshadowofits1993experienceinSomalia,inwhicheighteenArmyrangerswerekilledinanattemptto
captureawarlord,theUnitedStateswasamongthepowersthatpreventedarobustUNresponseinRwanda,
wherein1994anestimatedeighthundredthousandpeoplewerekilledinagenocidecommittedagainstethnic
Tutsis.
TheUNalsosufferedhumiliatingdefeatsintheBalkans,wherepeacekeeperswereusedashumanshieldsinthe
siegeofSarajevoandfailedtoprotectciviliansinthedesignatedsafeareaofSrebrenicafrommassacre.Experts
saythesemissionswereunderminedbybothlogisticalandpoliticalproblems,includingmuddledmandates,
inadequateresources,andtheparochialinterestsofmajorpowers.
Peacekeepingmandatescontinuetobethefocusofscrutinyfortheirscope,cost,andcasesinwhich
peacekeepersthemselveshavecommittedabuses.A2000selfevaluation,commissionedbythensecretary
generalKofiAnnanandledbyveteranenvoyLakhdarBrahimi,saidtheUNhad"repeatedlyfailed,"andwould
continuetoabsent"significantinstitutionalchangeandincreasedfinancialsupport."
ButLaurentisaystheUN'soveralltrackrecordisrelativelystrong:"Peacekeepershaveproducedstabilization
inhighlyexplosiveconflicts,containedthem,andmoreoftenthannot,slowly,painstakinglyhelpedresolve
them."
SaudiArabiatooktheunprecedentedstepofdecliningaSecurityCouncilseatinOctober2013,announcinga
dayafteritwaselectedtoa20142015termthatitwouldnotserveintheabsenceofinstitutionalreform.
WhileRiyadhcitedtheCouncil'sfailuretobrokerpeaceintheSyriancivilwarandIsraeliPalestinianconflict,
Patricksaystheepisodeisbetterunderstoodas"misplacedpiquedirectedattheUnitedStates"asittiltedaway
fromSaudiinterestsindealingswithIranandSyrianpresidentBasharalAssad.Jordanranunopposedtofill
thevacated"Arabswingseat"andwaselectedbytheGeneralAssemblyinDecember2013.
WhataretheSecurityCouncilsprospectsforreform?
ProspectsforsubstantialreformareseenasremotebecauseamendingtheUNCharterrequiresanaffirmative
voteanddomesticratificationbytwothirdsofUNmemberstates.ThisincludesalloftheSecurityCouncil's
permanentmembers,whoareunlikelytotakemeasuresthatcurbtheirowninfluence.Whilethereisbroad
agreementamongUNmembersthattheSecurityCouncil'smakeupisoutdated,eachofthevariousproposals
forreforminevitablyleavessomeaspirantsalienated.Someproposalscallforadditionalpermanentmembers,
andothersforanewclassofelectedseatswiththepossibilityofrenewal.
CFR'sPatrickandformerInternationalAffairsFellowKaraMcDonaldwroteina2010CouncilSpecialReport
thatastate'scontributiontocollectiveactionshouldbetheprimarycriterionforpermanentmembership.
Intheabsenceofcharterreform,smallerstateshaveadvocatedforproceduralchanges,includinggreater
transparencyandcloserconsultationswithtroopcontributingcountries.

AdditionalResources
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CFR'sGlobalGovernanceMonitorevaluatestheinternationalregimeforarmedconflictanddiscussespolicy
optionsforstrengtheningtheUN'sconflictpreventionandmanagementcapacities.
AsthecaseforU.S.interventioninSyriacametoahead,YaleLawSchool'sOonaA.HathawayandScottJ.
ShapiroarguedthattheuseofforceabsentSecurityCouncilauthorizationwouldonlyfurtherundermineglobal
security,whileNorthwesternUniversity'sIanHurdstressedthatinternationallawhassinceevolved,rendering
SecurityCouncilauthorizationmoot.
TheSecurityCouncilReport,aNewYorkbasedorganizationthatprovidesindependentanalysis,offersa
comprehensivepreviewof2013Councilelections.
TheInternationalPeaceInstituteevaluatestheSecurityCouncil'smixedrecordofinvolvementincivilwars
sincetheColdWar.
BritishNGOTransparencyInternationalarguesthatUNpeacekeepingmissionshavebeenundermined
becauseofaninstitutionalculturethatseescorruptionasamarginalissue.
TheUnitedNationsmaintainsalistofP5vetoesfrom1946tothepresent.

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TheDilemmaofHumanitarianIntervention
Authors:JayshreeBajoria,and
RobertMcMahon
,Editor

UNSecurityCouncilResolution1973,Libya
TheRoleoftheUNGeneralAssembly
Author:CFR.orgStaff

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