Studies in World Affairs/edited by K. R. Gupta

In recent years, phenomenal developments have taken place in the field of international relations. With the disintegration of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics [USSR], bipolar world has given place to a unipolar world with the United States playing a dominating role in world affairs. The functioning of the United Nations Organisation has been under great strain particularly because of the behaviour of the United States under the regime of George W. Bush. The United States has been flouting the provisions of the United Nations. A recent example of this is the unilateral action taken by it in Iraq in spite of strong opposition from the United Nations and many other countries. Likewise, it has recently brushed aside some good international agreements (for example on nuclear testing, world criminal court, land mines, etc.) and dismissed some others (the Kyoto Convention on Global Warming) with an insouciance unbecoming to the world's biggest producer of greenhouse gases. Furthermore, it has been dominating the United Nations Organisations like the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, International Finance Corporation, etc. The grant of loans by the financial international institutions is considerably influenced by the United States instead of being guided strictly by commercial and financial prudence. The United Nations undoubtedly and urgently needs to reform, resurrect and update. Moreover, the terrorist attack on September 11, 2001 on World Trade Center and Pentagon have shaken the idea of security and its military, economic, political and societal considerations world over. Question on military capability and security and state's ability to guarantee security and the citizen's right to it, have come into focus as never before. In the interest of national survival, national security has become a prominent concern of states. The present book focuses on all contemporary issues of global significance. It aims at addressing ambitious themes such as the inter