# Why is Iraq in the UN? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 17, 2003, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-iraq-in-the-un/161968 "2003-03-17T11:21:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2003, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-iraq-in-the-un/161968/1 "2003-03-17T11:21:03Z")
This is a factual question, not an opinion. Surely, there must be a factual answer as to how the UN operates, or else maybe they really should disban. After visiting the UN webiste, I see that Iraq has been a member of the UN since 1945. Ok, so why wasn’t Iraq expelled from the UN after the very instant it annexed Kuwait leading to the first Gulf War? …not to mention its association with attacking Kuwaiti oil tankers in the Gulf in the late 1980’s causing the US to grant protection to Kuwaiti tankers under the US flag? - Jinx ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2003, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-iraq-in-the-un/161968/2 "2003-03-17T11:42:22Z")
I don’t think any UN member has been barred from membership through attacking another member, have they? ---
**Author:** ![brianmelendez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/65b543/32.png) [@brianmelendez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brianmelendez)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2003, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-iraq-in-the-un/161968/3 "2003-03-17T11:44:00Z")
From the [United Nations Charter](http://www.un.org/aboutun/charter/): > [@](#): > > **Article 5** > A Member of the United Nations against which preventive or enforcement action has been taken by the Security Council may be suspended from the exercise of the rights and privileges of membership by the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security Council. The exercise of these rights and privileges may be restored by the Security Council. > > **Article 6** > A Member of the United Nations which has persistently violated the Principles contained in the present Charter may be expelled from the Organization by the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security Council. The short answer is that Iraq has not been expelled because the Security Council has not recommended its expulsion. ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2003, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-iraq-in-the-un/161968/4 "2003-03-17T11:48:10Z")
One might just as well ask why the US was not expelled for the numerous, arguably unjustifiable [invasions](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=168156) it staged in the 20th century. Playing fair has never been a prerequisite for UN membership. ---
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2003, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-iraq-in-the-un/161968/5 "2003-03-17T12:04:42Z")
If this is true, then the UN accomplishes very little to nothing. Perhaps I discount small disagreements (of which I am ignorant) which may have otherwise been played out on the battlefield. So, maybe the UN serves to minimize wars… But outspending Russia’s military budget helped, too! 😉 - Jinx ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2003, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-iraq-in-the-un/161968/6 "2003-03-17T12:12:47Z")
FWIW, the predessessor of the UN, the [League of Nations](http://worldatwar.net/timeline/other/league18-46.html) has the reputation in history of complete uselessness because it failed to prevent World War 2. But they did expel one member: the USSR, in 1939. ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2003, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-iraq-in-the-un/161968/7 "2003-03-17T12:17:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jinx \* > **If this is true, then the UN accomplishes very little to nothing.** Maybe, if you’re of the mind that the UN’s sole purpose is to prevent wars (which, according to the Charter, it’s not). Personally, I have found the population statistics gathered by its component agencies to be of great use. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2003, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-iraq-in-the-un/161968/8 "2003-03-17T12:59:27Z")
In international law, a sovereign nation is only bound by international conventions which it has ratified. The authority of the Security Council to impose restrictions on Iraq and to require disarmament flows from the fact that Iraq is a signatory to the U.N. Charter, and has agreed to be bound by the principles of international law set out in the Charter. If Iraq were kicked out of the U.N., it would no longer be a signatory to the Charter, and could argue that the Security Council has no authority over it. Therefore Iraq would not be required to disarm, as a matter of international law.