Expand UNSC to 7 members?

[Michael]

There has long been talk of expanding the UNSC from the present number of five (USA, Russia, China, France & UK).

By all accounts, India is pretty much guarenteed to be the 6th member.

The question is, who should the 7th member be? The usual candidates are Germany, Japan and Brazil.

Any thoughts on this issue?

[Americano]

There has long been talk of expanding the UNSC from the present number of five (USA, Russia, China, France & UK).

By all accounts, India is pretty much guarenteed to be the 6th member.

The question is, who should the 7th member be? The usual candidates are Germany, Japan and Brazil.

Any thoughts on this issue?

I'd drop the UK/France in favor of a combined EU membership with one vote and add India.

[dilettante]

My first thought would be that, unless they change the rule that gives every permanent member veto-power, adding many new members is gonna shut the council down pretty fast.

That said, it seems to me (and I have no pretensions of being well versed in international relations) that a useful member of the UNSC should (1) have sufficient global engagement to care about global security, and (2) have demonstrated both the capability and the will to take part in encouraging and enforcing global security. Bonus points to anyone the UNSC would have to deal with anyway on a regular basis.

Of the three potentials mentioned in the OP, I'd think Germany makes the most sense, though I know very little about Brazil's engagement with the world outside of S.A. I also suspect that China would have a fit if both India and Japan were added to the council one after another.

[Donkey]

Thoughts? Yes, many.

The first being that any meaningful reform will need to see an end to (or limitation of) the veto. More on this later. I'm off to the gym.

[Zarquon]

India and Brazil, though France and UK should be replaced with EU, so that Japan and South Africa are added.

[Michael]

I think the suggestion of kicking France and UK off the UNSC is a non-starter for so many reasons it seems foolish to list them here. Suffice it to say that suggestion is not on the table and never will be.

I agree that there is no way in hell that China is going to permit India and Japan to get UNSC veto-seats, and since everyone pretty much agrees on India, that leaves Japan out in the cold.

I think it ought to be between Brazil and Turkey.

I left Germany off that short list because a 3rd EU member isn't going to be popular with anyone. I also reject Germany and Japan as having too much history as imperialist warmongers that caused way too much damage during the 20th century for anyone to forget.

[Michael]

South Africa

I am TOTALLY opposed to that. South Africa has absolutely nothing to recommend it. The politically correct trendy popularity of South Africa has thankfully past its prime as the reality of yet another corrupt single-party state emerges in Africa.

South Africa has zero credibility on any issue. South Africa cannot even be taken seriously with African issues.