r/skeptic • u/JetTheDawg • 2d ago

Exclusive: Preliminary investigation confirms Russian missile caused Azerbaijan Airlines crash

https://www.euronews.com/2024/12/26/exclusive-preliminary-investigation-confirms-russian-missile-over-grozny-caused-aktau-cras
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u/JetTheDawg 2d ago

How is Russia still allowed to have a vote in the UN? Or veto power? 

Remember, MAGA loves to cozy up to Russia and Putin for some strange reason, so let’s see how they respond to this. 

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u/Happytallperson 2d ago

Passenger jets being shot down by air defence systems is not exactly a new thing, both the US and Russia have form in this regard.
Korean Air Lines Flight 007 - Wikipedia

Iran Air Flight 655 - Wikipedia

It doesn't make it anymore excusable - but to an extent these incidents and incidents like Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 - Wikipedia and Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 - Wikipedia are kind of reminders that wars have consequences and maybe politicians should spend more effort avoiding them if they don't want lots of civilians to die.

So to answer the question of why Russia is still in the UN, its because nations have a long history of letting these things slide as part and parcel of leaders dick waving. The world shouted and then shrugged at Belarus kidnapping someone off a passing plane.
Ryanair Flight 4978 - Wikipedia

Ultimately, expelling a country from the UN is very difficult and also seen as undesirable because its recognised that Germany and Italy outside of the League of Nations was a bad thing. Keeping some form of diplomatic channel open, however badly things are going, stops the nukes flying. That was the lesson learned in the early 60s with the Berlin Crisis and Cuban Missile Crisis.

AS for removing Veto power, there are a lot of proposals for UN reform, there is good grounds that Brazil, India and South Africa should all be added to the UNSC on a permanent basis. Ultimately however, China does not want Russia to lose its veto power, so Russia will not lose its veto power.

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u/JetTheDawg 2d ago

This is a well informed comment and a good answer. Thank you for taking the time to write that up