Conor Cruise O'Brien

(141 votes)   The United Nations cannot do anything, and never could; it is not an animate entity or agent. It is a place, a stage, a forum and a shrine... a place to which powerful people can repair when they are fearful about the course on which their own rhetoric seems to be propelling them.

Conor Cruise O'Brien
1917-, Irish Historian, Critic, and Statesman

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(100 votes)   The main thing that endears the United Nations to member governments, and so enables it to survive, is its proven capacity to fail. You can safely appeal to the United Nations in the comfortable certainty that it will let you down.

Conor Cruise O'Brien
1917-, Irish Historian, Critic, and Statesman

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(27 votes)   Man watches his history on the screen with apathy and an occasional passing flicker of horror or indignation.

Conor Cruise O'Brien
1917-, Irish Historian, Critic, and Statesman

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(18 votes)   Nothing does more to activate Christian divisions than talk about Christian unity.

Conor Cruise O'Brien
Irish, Politician Quotes

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(18 votes)   You can safely appeal to the United Nations in the comfortable certainty that it will let you down.

Conor Cruise O'Brien
Irish, Politician Quotes

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(16 votes)   Man watches his history on the screen with apathy and an occasional passing flicker of horror or indignation.

Conor Cruise O'Brien
Irish, Politician Quotes

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(15 votes)   Human nature doesn't include all human beings. There are human beings who are indifferent to politics, religion, virtually anything.

Conor Cruise O'Brien
Irish, Politician Quotes

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(16 votes)   The main thing that endears the United Nations to member governments, and so enables it to survive, is its proven capacity to fail, and to be seen to fail.

Conor Cruise O'Brien
Irish, Politician Quotes

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