Right now it is impractical and unrealistic to compel nations to supply troops for offensive action in Somalia, such as the Gulf War. Yet it seems reasonable to require that all members contribute to humanitarian efforts.

In the spirit of the U.N. though and in the name of fairness, it is essential that the burden of supplying the forces be equally shared.

There are several options for achieving this, including a standing U.N. force made up of units from all countries or a rotating system that requires a few countries to supply standby troops for a limited period.

Intervention in a civil war situation is also a sticky area for the U.N. National sovereignty has long been one of the main foundations for international organizations. Every nation is uncomfortable with the prospect of the U.N. meddling in their internal affairs.

Yet the situations in Somalia and Bosnia demonstrate that the time has arrived for official expansion of U.N. jurisdiction to countries where massive human rights violations are occurring or where civil control has broken down.

The death and horror that has occurred in Somalia will go down in history as one of the great tragedies of the 20th century. With effective handling of the currently planned operation though, and by drawing the right lessons from the situation, the tragedy can become a watershed for moving towards a more humane world.

For now, at least we've made a start.