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How can the UN Security Council authorize the use of military force?
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war
United Nations forces fighting to recapture Seoul from communist invaders, September 1950.
The UN Security Council is tasked with the primary responsibility of maintaining international peace and security. Under Chapter 7 of the UN Charter, the Council may authorize the use of military force as a measure of collective security when peaceful methods of dispute resolution have failed.12
The process generally follows these steps:
- Determination: The Council must first identify a "threat to the peace, breach of the peace, or act of aggression" as defined by Article 39 of the Charter.1
- Exhaustion of Alternatives: The Council typically explores peaceful resolutions, such as negotiation or economic sanctions, before resorting to force.21
- Authorization: If peaceful methods are inadequate, the Council may pass a resolution authorizing member states to use "all necessary means" to restore international peace and security.13
- Voting: Substantive decisions require nine affirmative votes, including the concurring votes of all five permanent members. While a permanent member’s veto can block action, an abstention does not invalidate a decision.1
By subscribing to the Charter, members agree to place armed forces at the disposal of the Council to uphold these mandates.3