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The United Nations inevitably remains the indispensable organization. Its future depends foremost on what member countries want to make of it. The United States occupies an exceptional position in the organization and so the UN largely depends on the agreement between Washington and other nations on what mission the organization should fulfill. But one cannot expect everything from the UN and the organization can neither take charge of the management of entire countries nor intervene by marginalizing populations and local expert opinions. Peacekeeping operations must be reconsidered, particularly the process of deployment (information from the Council, steps in the decision process, participation in forces . . .), and in a way that takes the weight off the UN.