Americans Keep Negative Views on United Nations

22 March 2008

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Almost two-thirds of people in the United States think the United Nations (UN) is not a competent organization, according to a poll by Gallup released by USA Today. 65 per cent of respondents think the UN is doing a poor job in solving the problems it faces.

For the past three years, at least three-in-five respondents have provided a negative assessment of the UN.

The UN was established in 1945 and includes virtually every internationally recognized independent state. The organization describes itself as a "global association of governments facilitating cooperation in international law, security, economic development, and social equity."

The UN Security Council is in charge of maintaining peace and security between nations, issuing specific resolutions that governments must adhere to under the terms of the UN Charter. The internal organ currently has five permanent members—Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States—as well as 10 non-permanent members who are chosen for two-year terms.

Relations between the U.S. and the UN have been notoriously strained in the past few years, especially following the UN’s rejection of the military campaign to overthrow Saddam Hussein’s regime in Iraq in March 2003, led by the U.S. and Britain.

On Mar. 19, UN spokesperson Michele Montas discussed the organization’s current role in Iraq, saying, "Our focus is not at looking back, but rather at helping Iraqis build a peaceful future. The United Nations has been doing all it can and it will continue to do so, working under Security Council resolutions. (...) The secretary-general [Ban Ki-moon] is committed to seeing the United Nations doing more in support of the people of Iraq, as circumstances permit."

Polling Data

Do you think the United Nations (UN) is doing a good job or a poor job in trying to solve the problems it has had to face?


Good job
Feb. 2008: 27%
Feb. 2007: 29%
Feb. 2006: 30%

Poor job
Feb. 2008: 65%
Feb. 2007: 66%
Feb. 2006: 64%

Unsure
Feb. 2008: 8%
Feb. 2007: 5%
Feb. 2006: 7%

Source: Gallup / USA Today
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,007 American adults, conducted from Feb. 11 to Feb. 14, 2008. Margin of error is 3 per cent.