How Veto Powers Stymied "At the height of the Cold War in the 1960s and 70s, the two superpowers wielded their Security Council vetoes arrogantly -- and most of the time unjustifiably -- barring countries from U.N. membership primarily for political reasons or to protect their own national interests. The United States shut out countries considered Soviet "allies" and the Russians barred countries either "friendly" to the U.S. or political buddies of other Western nations such as Britain and France..." (Quoted from article)