by Kim R. Holmes

About the author: Kim R. Holmes is vice president and director of foreign policy studies at the Heritage Foundation in Washington, D.C.

For over forty years, the Cold War conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union paralyzed the peacekeeping functions of the United Nations. With few exceptions, the United Nations and other multinational organizations were ineffective in resolving major conflicts because of the zero-sum nature of the Cold War. Now that the Cold War is over, many believe that the United Nations can play a greater role in resolving conflicts and maintaining order in the so- called new world.

New Responsibilities for the United Nations

Glowing in the success of the Persian Gulf War, the United Nations has renewed stature and expanding peacekeeping...