UN Policy, USA

Abstract

The United States is midwife (History of the Foundation of the UN; History of the UN), host, largest contributor and by far the most powerful and therefore most influential member state of the United Nations. The United States permanent seat in the UN Security Council assures almost complete control over its agenda and action in international security and conflict management. The periodic pragmatization in US policy toward the United Nations corresponds to diminishing influence of US interest groups. Congress reacted earlier than did the administration to a growing skepticism in the American public towards the United Nations. Generally, Congress will try to influence foreign and UN policy whenever it expects thereby to gain advantage it its ongoing rivalry with the President. The influence the United Nations itself can exercise on American UN policy depends on a combination of different factors. Keywords: American UN policy; Congress; Security Council