Posted on 04/23/2013 6:01:15 PM PDT by Pan_Yan
The idea that peacekeepers should not initiate military action has prevailed ... until now. Jeni Whalan says the new "intervention brigade" in the Congo has stretched the institution of peacekeeping to breaking point.
There's a fine, but critical, line between keeping the peace and waging a war.
For the blue-helmeted United Nations peacekeepers deployed in some of the world's worst conflict zones, it's a line that is constantly, violently tested - by the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia in the early 1990s; by rebels who this month killed five peacekeepers in South Sudan. Yet the greatest challenge may have come from the United Nations itself.
Last month, the United Nations Security Council established an "intervention brigade" to take offensive military action against rebel groups in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
It's a decision that takes UN peacekeeping into uncharted waters. Peacekeeping is the UN's policy instrument of choice for responding to violent conflict around the world. It entails diverse tasks, from monitoring buffer zones to holding elections to demobilising militia forces. But never has UN peacekeeping involved combat operations to defeat an armed group through military force.
The Congo's new peacekeepers are charged with precisely that: with "neutralising" militia in the country's east. The move follows an earlier decision in which the Security Council dropped its historic reluctance to give peacekeepers intelligence-gathering capacity, authorising their use of surveillance drones to monitor conflict activity. Despite assurances that the DRC is an exceptional case, these are precedents that demand careful scrutiny.
(Excerpt) Read more at abc.net.au ...
Maybe the locals just don’t like the competition in rapes.
Ya beat me by a hair’s breadth!
There is some kind of problem in the Congo???? WHO KNEW??????
Current authorization until 31 March 2014
Security Council resolution 2098 (2013) of 28 March 2013
Additional authorization
On 28 March 2013, the Security Council decided by resolution 2098 that MONUSCO shall, for an initial period of one year and within the authorized troop ceiling of 19,815, include an “Intervention Brigade” consisting inter alia of three infantry battalions, one artillery and one Special force and Reconnaissance company.
Current strength (28 February 2013)
*Note: Statistics for international and local civilians are as of 31 December 2012
Bangladesh, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Burkina Faso, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Egypt, France, Ghana, Guatemala, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Jordan, Kenya, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Morocco, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Romania, Russian Federation, Senegal, Serbia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Tunisia, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Yemen and Zambia.
Bangladesh, Belgium, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt, France, Guinea, India, Jordan, Madagascar, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Romania, Russian Federation, Senegal, Sweden, Switzerland, Togo, Turkey, Ukraine and Yemen.
31 troops
3 police
3 military observer
11 international civilian
7 local civilian
_____
The premise that the UN has never been used as a military force is a lie - see Korean War for further details
BINGO!
She's talking about the UN Peacekeepers, which is its own department started in 1958. Having done a lot of reading on them lately it looks like their primary function is to provide jobs for third world soldiers from places like Bangladesh (8,826), Pakistan (8,251) and Ethiopia (6,514). Oh, and they must have a whole section that does nothing but make up acronyms.
Yep. It’s too bad our highly paid Congress with their padded intelligence briefs aren’t willing to see what they enable.
Why should they care?
They make me sick.
I cede the department, but the article still comes across as though the UN as a whole is venturing into new territory. Interesting stuff though.
Last month, the United Nations Security Council established an "intervention brigade" to take offensive military action against rebel groups in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. It's a decision that takes UN peacekeeping into uncharted waters.Uncharted? Hardly. Apparently the nimrod who swilled out this shill piece never heard of Korea or Vietnam.
First link is a Marxist website on steroids. Just sayin’.
Here is another one.
It is uncharted waters. This is the first UN offensive without the US there to do all the actual offensiving.
Lol!
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