by Brett Daniel Wills founder/editor-in-chief [EMAIL PROTECTED] ******************************************************* e-venthorizon.net is a free online magazine covering trends and obstacles toward the establishment of a global government; international political analysis and socio-cultural issues; a comprehensive political research resource directory; book and film reviews; and literary work from contemporary writers throughout the world. ******************************************************* Sinking the Titanic U.N. Flagship Unless the U.N. can utilize the winds of competition to navigate its course, it may end up unable to accurately calculate the costs necessary to reach its destination. As such, while the organization fondly pours over its aged maps of wishful thinking, impervious to the cruel pragmatism of current trends, it may be defenseless against the subtlety of bloodless coup attempts. Spoiled by a half-century of unchallenged longevity as the sole torchbearer of the cause for global integration, the UN is presently ill-equipped to counter these agile contenders. As the UN old guard dreamily scans the horizon for that fabled utopian coastline awaiting its palm-shaded mooring, it may wake too late to realize it has been without a working compass for some time. Long convinced that its stale vision of governing a seamless, tropical world of boundless prosperity and peace was a pending reality, it may come to find that such a goal is merely a mirage. By then, it will have strayed too far from practicality to restore credibility to its mission. Abandoned by the tide of public opinion, it would then drift like flotsam until the media undercurrent relegated it to an island surrounded by a tribe of tabloid savages. And, with the UN disqualified and disgraced, the race would be on to fill the leadership vacuum. To a lesser extent, a patchwork of forums, think tanks, NGO's and others provides a compelling undertow when the UN passes through political still waters where crises abate and the media's glare affords brief respite from scrutiny. And while these lesser persuasions are unlikely candidates for global governance, they are, nonetheless, gaining greater ability to steer the ship to their cumulative advantage; as such, they may eventually act as the enforcers of regulatory no-wake zones — an increasing necessity for circumvention from evermore turbulent waters. With seasonal storms of protest strengthening in breadth of participation and speed of assembly afforded by the Internet, the waves of dissent which threaten to overturn summits and meetings may soon reach heights capable of overturning even the titanic UN flagship itself. Superstorms of Protest Therefore, in consideration of these reactionary forces, the sudden burst of trial-phase competition among Establishment entities can best be understood as a countermeasure. As new entities prepare to enter the race, it is critical to take note of the skills and tactics of these current challengers as they ply the waters, to determine which is most capable of capturing the governing crown. Furthermore, to gauge which of these pretenders to the throne embodies the greatest resolve not only to win the crown, but retain it, it is essential to determine for which does the crown hold the most vital interest, greatest value and most extensive use. Thus "resolve" is the most pivotal characteristic, because to achieve an unshakable world order, its providers must ensure not merely survival of the pending hurricanes of revolt against the Order, but a miraculous ability to silence those very waters. For what is steadily building not too far out at sea is the advance of a worldwide swell of defiance which has all the makings of a superstorm. Forged by the cold fronts of civilian protest colliding with the heat of religious zealotry, terrorist attacks and militia uprisings, a governmental dam will have to be raised to withstand and contain the inundation. Yet only the severity of a de facto police state will be able to provide such a buffer; only a constitutional dictatorship will be able to channel the floodtide away from cities prone to intransigence. It is probable that by this stage of development, the political tier of integration will render rogue nations extinct. As dictators are tamed or overthrown by armed forces and/or economic sanctions, the vassal states will then be brought into conformity with international law and alignment along routes of interdependence. It is, of course, possible that a synthesis of competing systems of universal government will determine the final phase, upon which it is theoretically assumed that this completion will, in ending the refinement processes which spur the transitions to new governing entities, endure indefinitely. UN Theatrics Take Center Stage However, the potential for continued changes in the shape of a global government — occurring either as countless displays of new shapes afforded by evolutionary processes in technology, nature, and the human form itself (see >From Global Democracy To Constitutional Dictatorship), or bound to a circular repetition of a limited few, but which would be continuously built upon until a unified world system was realized and cemented, the UN, awaiting a long-due overhaul — was watched with intense scrutiny as it glided out once again onto center stage after a half-century hiatus to perform. As the international community, itching for unification theatrics, gave the stagnant organization another chance to impress them with a sizable growth spurt, the organization stumbled before hecklers that would make the Apollo Theatre's audience of skeptics seem tame by comparison. As academic sharks exposed the organization's ineffectiveness, media dolphins leaped to its defense with splashes of praise for the UN's record of increasing, and mostly successful, peace operations, touting its potential while railing against the abstinence and paranoia of most nations to yield even a scrap of sovereignty to the anxious, loyal mastiff. With the Cold War flu apparently inoculated, many liberal papers gushed. The UN had well-crafted stage props and a stunning backdrop of opportunity before which it could flaunt its capacity to act; and, if given an unbiased audience with patience enough to perform another decade, it might well live up to expectations and elicit a standing ovation. Yet when the curtain was drawn, it gradually became evident that the U.N. had performed cunningly under pressure, evincing a cool restraint and almost elegant patience. As such, it muffled the embarrassment of pitiless critiques and untactful expectations. Remarkably, like a snake shedding its over-stretched and faded skin, the unappealing pattern of incompetence and credulity gave way to a glossy, flexible skin with a soft-toned image that blended well with it's present scenery. Soon it would be apparent why the U.N. had envisaged such meekness in the face of overwhelming skepticism mingled with fanciful expectations. During the intermission of its half dozen peacekeeping acts, the supranational body had gambled a bold move to initiate the long-awaited transition from decades of preparation for empowerment, to actual practice. As Daniel New documents in his remarkable expose, Michael New: Mercenary… Or American Soldier?, for the first time in its history, the U.N took control of a segment of the U.S. armed forces, effectively rescinding American command of a portion of its own military during the deployment to Macedonia. Crafting a Persuasive Performance Thus in its first scenes, the UN retained attention in its Gulf War and former Yugoslavia missions, while curbing damnation for stumbling in missions such as Somalia. As the intermission of the mid 90s afforded time for liberals to reflect, sober up and reevaluate, the conservative isles mostly yawned and grumbled, while the front rows of the extreme right, rummaging through their bags of evidence to pitch spoiled fruits of accusation at the actors, a few international political distractions temporarily silenced their venting, leaving them the unsatisfying option of pelting a darkened, quiet stage, the timely curtain of world attention closing too quickly to stain more than a prop or two. Th UN's much-practiced advances were thus well-calculated, and seen as evidence enough that it should not suffer permanent obscurity, or the dread of outright dismantling. Its emminent demise was now seen, not as a danger to, but rather the duty of, the national community to avert, if they could not rally behind its revamped goals and carry its banner of authority. No longer content with hollow endorsements of piecemeal support, the UN gambled boldly by demanding legislative actions commiserate with the compliments. Convinced of a solid campaign strategy, the UN pressed adamantly for the upper and middle classes of the global community to not only purchase the Secretary General's resolutions — given free-of-charge to the lower class nations on the promise of full installation and continual usage by their governing authorities — but actively install them in their national congresses and parliaments, to legitimize the Charter's costly latest-edition upgrade. ******************************************************* To receive a free subscription of our e-newsletter, visit: www.e-venthorizon.net *******************************************************