United Nations conundrum

In thinking about the conflict in the Gaza strip recently, a whole host of other questions have popped into my mind, mainly concerning the U.S. government and what we do to prevent and help with these types of difficulties.
My biggest question was regarding the United Nations. Although it seems like a war would be something that they would want to intervene in to help stop. But, no. Guess what, America won't do anything to help. They just don't want to get involved, they say, or some other bologna along those lines.
So, if the United States' position in the United Nations isn't to help suffering and conflicting nations, what is it? Nothing, because that's what I assume. I mean really, I have actually never heard of a report from the United Nations in New York City, or wherever they convene, like you do from Washington D.C. with Congress.
From what I have seen of pictures of the United Nations, I am able to paint a pretty clear picture in my own mind too: a giant building with a lecture hall-like layout, in which hundreds of old men just sit around snoring.

Now don't get me wrong, it's not like I'm asserting that I could do a better job at keeping the peace, and some of the programs that they spearhead are great; UNICEF has saved thousands of lives, but shouldn't we be able to expect more out of the world's greatest leaders.

While I would undoubtedly be awe-struck and unable to move in the presence of Nelson Mandela during a meeting, our other members should have gotten over that shell shock by now. It's time for them to buck up and keep moving. I mean seriously, what does and ambassador do when he's not at a United Nations session? I can only imagine that he wanders the streets of America aimlessly, looking for a lost cause, but not really doing anything.
Another problem that I have with the United Nations is that it employs the idea of national superpowers. Now, they can spin it any way that they want, but as long as you have five countries that make all of the ultimate decisions, it's kind of like they have total control. Plus, when one of them is as stupid and bad at making decisions as the United States has proved to be, it's a problem.
But hey, it's not that big of a deal; nobody is about to listen to my views on foreign policy or economic affairs, so why bother. The United Nations is undoubtedly bigger than me, bigger than the whole American body, and they probably aren't going to change. Whoops, sorry for the downer.