CRANFIELD UNIVERSITY DAREN BOWYER JUST WAR DOCTRINE

59 over membership issues 38 . The broadly equal distribution of veto use between the 2
opposing sides is illustrated in Table 2-3.
Table 2-3 Use of the Veto, 1946-1990: Breakdown by State 39
What this does not show is chronological trends. In the early years the preponderance
of vetoes was with the Soviet Union, reflecting, perhaps, dominance by the Western
States resulting in their rarely having to use a veto. The development of the non-aligned
movement in the 1960s and the enlargement of the Security Council from 11 to 15
members in 1966 changed the pattern, with the Western Powers increasingly having to
use the veto against a growing Third World influence. At the same time a trend of US
vetoes – often at odds with the other Western powers – was established over Middle
Eastern issues. 40
It might have been hoped, even expected, that the ending of the Cold War stand-off
would bring to an end such inappropriate use of the veto as a new international
consensus was established, and the P5 would constrain themselves to use of the veto
only as originally intended. Already, in the late 1980s there had been a reduction in use
of the veto. Indeed, it was not used at all by the Soviet Union in the second half of the
decade and the preponderant user was the United States, three times over Nicaragua,
and repeatedly over issues linked to Israel and the Middle East; issues over which it was
frequently at odds with its Western partners. Nevertheless, use of the veto fell. Soviet –
and then, after 1991, Russian – attitudes towards the UN and cooperation with the
Western Powers improved. The response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait appeared to
mark a new dawn in international cooperation, and between May 1990 and April 1993
there were no vetoes at all. 41
Permanent member Number of Uses of the Veto
between 1946 and 1990
China 22
France 18
Soviet Union 124
United Kingdom 33
United States 82
76