Absent from the discussion from both Obama and McCain as they debate their respective plans for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, trade, human rights and the environment has been the role they envision for, and how they plan to use, the United Nations as a resource.

And without so much as a peep on how they plan to use the world body in its current incarnation, it’s probably too much to ask for their ideas on reforms that they would favor to make the UN a better functioning, more democratic, and overall, more useful organization.

Recognizing that we have neither the inclination nor the ability to solve the world’s problems all by our lonesome, the subject of the United Nations is one that is long past due in the Presidential race.