The United Nations myth.

The tragedy unfolding in Burma tends to highlight the failed hope the founders of the United Nations brought to the world.

The United Nations - and before it the old League of Nations - was supposed to be the answer to the world's problems. A universal " umpire " to step in and arbitrate where there was discord - to prevent hostilities progressing to war - and to marshal world resources to bring relief when mother nature unleashes a natural tragedy.

It didn't happen that way. The individual members divided into power blocks - each only concerned with protecting their own interests. The UN seemed powerless to prevent wars and now we are seeing the most obscene obstacles to human relief being played out against a background of huge numbers of people dead or dying from the effects of a cyclone.

Burma is ruled by a military junta. That junta is deliberately withholding visas to allow humanitarian aid to flow to it's citizens in need of medical attention, food and water. The dead remain unburied and the inevitable result in a tropical country will be disease - and more death.

The generals of the Burma junta fear losing control of the people they subjugate. They have wrecked their country's economy, but make sure that they live in luxury - and the trickle down wealth keeps the troops under their command better off than the general population. In that way - they have control.

They are not interested in the welfare of the Burmese people - and they fear that welfare agencies might present a comparison that sparks unrest. Eventually they will allow some help to cross their borders, but only when they have set in place methods of control. While that happens, death will stalk the land.

As usual the United Nations will engage in a talkfest. China and other countries with influence in Burma will be asked to intercede with the generals - but that objective will be tempered with greed. Burma has oil - and China will do nothing that could interrupt the flow of Burmese oil to it's own industrial base.

It was once supposed that the United Nations - with the support of world countries - would have the power to brush aside any government that refused international aid to it's citizens in distress.

That option was an early casualty of great power cartels. The United Nations will beg and plead for access to those waiting for medical aid, food and clean water - but in the end those pleadings will fall on deaf ears.

Even the title is a misnomer. Never since the dawn of time were the nations of this world " united " !