Not as pessimistic about the role of the UN as is Andrew Sullivan.

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Sullivan write:

LEAVING THEM BEHIND: The lesson from this is a simple one: we have to abandon the U.N. as an instrument in world affairs. I'm not saying complete U.S. withdrawal, although I'm beginning to think that now makes a lot of sense. I mean temporary U.S. disengagement. The body is now a joke of immense proportions. If it cannot enforce a resolution it passed only a couple of months ago, it cannot enforce anything. If it cannot read the plain meaning of its own words, it is an absurdist theater piece, not a genuine international body. It isn't in danger of becoming the League of Nations. It now is the League of Nations. The difference is that this time, after 9/11, U.S. isolationism is not an option. So U.S. non-U.N. multilateralism is the only option for any future threats to world order. God knows we cannot rely on Europe to keep the peace. The Old Europeans will regret this deeply in the years to come. They have just told us in no uncertain terms to ignore them. We should. We will. And in the post-Saddam settlement, we must actively shut out the French and Germans from any slice of the economic action and tear up whatever contracts they had with Saddam. They have told us how highly they value the lives of American citizens. We can now tell them how highly we value their export markets. - 6:44:31 PM
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I'm figuring Powell knew going into today's UN Security Council session that most of the representatives would make statements supportive of more inspections. However, I think he might have been taken aback some by how strongly some of the statements were worded. It sounded on the radio that Powell was thinking on his feet countering their arguements vigorously. Right now, many of the countries can continue to do their best impersonation of an ostrich with its head in the sand. When the USA and UK push for a deadline, we shall see how the Security Council reacts. If they still don't move then Sullivan is right that we have to abandon the UN.