The time has come for an international police force.

• Author: Howell, Llewellyn D.

The American government recently was referred to by The Economist as "the reluctant sheriff" in its sometime efforts to try to bring order to an increasingly disorderly world. The U.S., as much as any other country, indeed has been hesitant about jumping into a fray that has any indication at all that it ultimately might become another Vietnam-style quagmire.

The unwillingness of the U.S. to put troops on the ground in Bosnia has raised questions about how even international police action through the UN can be made a practical option in trying to maintain order in the international community. Part of the reason for the failure (thus far) of the policeman concept is the lack of a model for an international justice system as well as unwillingness to address the practical implications of seeking international order.

As the international system moves toward becoming a true international community (an idea thrust forward by the reality of an integrated global economy), the notions of a worldwide justice system - including common "human rights" - and an accompanying enforcement system need to come to the forefront in UN and regional organization forums. Specifically, the role and concept of the international policeman needs to be thought through, discussed, and confronted. How is this police idea supposed to work in a multi-national context?

Begin by asking how the police concept works in existing communities. First, the fact that law and police go together must be accepted. Without police, laws are only norms. Rules are followed if the societal members are socialized fully and appropriately, and the world is far from this circumstance in the international arena. Even the U.S. rejects rulings of the International Court of Justice when that suits its interests. If America wants to condemn Iraq for violations of "international law" or the UN wants to condemn petty dictators who slaughter their own citizens, it first is necessary to settle the question of exactly what constitutes international law and how it is to be derived.

As it stands, in most instances where multiple nations are involved or internal actions run against the grain of international expectations, the notion of law never is brought to bear since it would be meaningless without enforcement. To have a rule of law, police are needed.

Where should the police come from? Like it or not (and the Reagan and Bush Administrations clearly didn't), the UN is the only body that can approximate...