Our modern international family

by John Heineman, DI columnist

I applaud President George W. Bush for allowing India to join the "nuclear family." Nevertheless, I believe that that India should have been accepted into the club earlier - and, further, be offered a permanent seat on the UN Security Council.

The United Nations is currently a post-World War II relic which delegates nearly all of its power (in the form of the Security Council) to the nations who were victors in a war more than half a century ago. The world has changed much since then: The United States, the United Kingdom, the People's Republic of China, France, and Russia do not accurately represent all of the great powers on this interdependent, multipolar globe. The Security Council must expand its membership and distribute its power for the UN to be effective and accomplish its admirable goals.

Nevertheless, the Security Council does not believe in change. The scenario is like to a stubborn, elderly generation who does not want to give into the Internet, because he is comfortable with what he knows how to control. Consequently, he insists to pay for postage and write letters rather than sending emails for free at the speed of light.

Since the formation of the UN on Oct. 24, 1945, India has become one of the world's most populous nations and would represent the other developing nations. Isolating the Third World from being able to make diplomatic decisions only furthers the gap between worlds. The Security Council would have to sacrifice power by extending membership, but was not learning how to share the first lesson we were all taught in the glory days of recess and nap time?