In his Financial Times column today, Gideon Rachman makes the argument for a "United Nations army." His test case, interestingly, is Somalia, where offshore piracy has galvanized international cooperation, but 18 years of onshore violence and instability has rumbled on unchecked. Would it be easier, or any more advisable, to send UN peackeepers to Somalia if there were, as Rachman proposes, "a proper UN force on permanent stand-by?"
Maybe, but many of the same problems with deploying UN personnel in Somalia would still apply: militants would be all too eager to turn their violence onto UN blue helmets, the presence of foreigners could inspire radical nationalist sentiment, and the ensuing deaths and difficulty would only make countries more skeptical of contributing their troops to UN peacekeeping.
And herein lies a problem that Rachman does not consider. In his view, the chief obstacle to creating a "UN army" is a general wariness, primarily on the part of conservatives, to cede such power to an internationalist institution. He cites the proverbial UN "black helicopters" synonymous with world government and counters conservative skepticism by quoting the Gipper himself:
Even perfectly sane American conservatives regard the idea of a permanent UN force with horror. They might be surprised and enlightened to learn that the hero of the conservative movement, Ronald Reagan, once spoke approvingly of the idea of “a standing UN force – an army of conscience – that is fully equipped and prepared to carve out human sanctuaries through force”. And, of course, to take on the Martians, whenever they finally invade.
But a problem possibly even greater to overcome than (conservative) discomfort with the idea is the reluctance of UN member states to contribute troops. The mission in Darfur has been short on personnel for over a year and a half, and its counterpart in DR Congo can't even muster a requested addition of 3,000 troops. However one conceives of this "UN army," the soldiers would have to come from somewhere, and countries that don't contribute troops now (ahem, the United States) wouldn't be likely to sign on to a permanent deal.
Rachman's Martian example -- that fighting an alien invasion is a perfect example of when a global UN force would be appreciated -- is also revealing. For as I've argued before, UN peacekeepers are not invasion-repellers. They are peacekeepers. So I'd hope that the powers that be on Earth would be smart enough to only deploy them after a peace has been reached with these hypothetical invading Martians
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Ex-Somali Police Commissioner General Mohamed Abshir
Sultan Kenadid
Seyyid Muhammad Abdille Hassan
Sultan Mohamud Ali Shire
Designation of Al-Shabaab
SOMALI REPUBLICANS
About Us
The Foundation is dedicated to networking like-minded Somalis opposed to the terrorist insurgency that is plaguing our beloved homeland and informing the international public at large about what is really happening throughout the Horn of Africa region.
Blog Archive
-
▼
2009
(2838)
-
▼
July
(232)
- Jihad, USA
- Turkish navy commandos seize pirates off Somalia,E...
- FBI searches Rochester homes in Somali probe
- SOMALIA-UGANDA: AU deaths under spotlight
- Video Alert Somalia,..Somalia: a hopeless case? a...
- Briefing on Secretary Clinton's Upcoming Trip to A...
- Terrorism probe into Dutchmen arrested in Kenya,Du...
- 'Extremist groups threaten Somali govt'
- UN Ambassador Says US Committed to Peacekeeping.So...
- Minnesotan Sheds Light On Somali Terrorist Group
- UPDF soldiers ‘poisoned’ in Somalia,Shabaab Terror...
- Radicalization of Americans worrying Eric Holder. ...
- ,Public's help needed in terror fight, Napolitano ...
- Modern Muslim Sufi aka Ahlu Waljma’a clerics say ...
- U.S.'s UN envoy warns Eritrea over Somalia rebels
- Five Somalis sentenced to death in absentia for bombs
- Somali Pirate talks about how to negotiate ransom,...
- Alarm over Somalia's child soldiers
- Kenya arrests four Dutchmen near Somalia border (N...
- National Terror Alert Homeland Security Weekly Int...
- House Dems Carry Islamists’ Water
- How to reinvigorate the war on terrorism here at home
- Government soldiers conduct operations in central ...
- INTERVIEW-Some Somalis in Dubai may aid piracy -UN...
- Shelling in Somali capital takes fresh toll
- Somali Extremists Who Raided U.N. Offices Not Cons...
- Al Shabaab have betrayed Islam — Somali president
- U.S. extends protected status for Somali nationals
- habar-gidr hawiye Second suspect pleads guilty to ...
- Somalia seeks to ease donor jitters with foreign f...
- Mogadishu residents dealing with three governors, ...
- At UNDP, Clark's Talks and Photo-Ops But Dodging o...
- Hostage talks stall
- Lord Malloch-Brown warns UK on Somalia
- Six people killed in clashes in Somali capital Mog...
- NEFA Foundation: Shabaab al-Muhajideen Bans 3 UN A...
- Plea deal expected for Somali terror suspect
- Ethiopia convicts Canadian of terror charges,Cana...
- Were young Somali men determined to fight, or simp...
- Piracy upswing expected off Somalia,Pirates at sea
- EU to help prop up Somali gov't.,EU eyes Somalia s...
- Clinton to meet Somali president in Africa trip
- Impose Sanctions on Peace Spoilers in Country
- Somali Government Forces say Insurgents Pushed fro...
- Al Qaeda and its Propaganda Warfare
- UPDF faces al Qaeda threat in Somalia
- Aid Won't Fix The Crisis in Yemen
- Somalia, int'l community launch joint security com...
- Saleh renews call on US to support Somali government
- Travel Warning...KENYA..Kenya boosts Somali border...
- Yemen: Security concerns due to refugees flow from...
- Somalia terrorist groups uniting to overthrow gove...
- Zim aid worker's abductors demand ransom
- American forged own path into Al Qaeda
- Government soldiers take over central town,Somali ...
- Vedio of the week ..The Week in Africa
- Somalia's Shabaab, Hizbul Islam seek merger
- Al-Qaeda intent on 'cleansing' Christians by behea...
- Lost Sons, Stolen Lives.Family learned over Intern...
- Turkish commandos capture 5 pirates off Somalia
- INTERVIEW-Somali security minister says to reform ...
- Somali militia orders Islamic rules for foreign ag...
- Somali Intelligence Chief Talks to Asharq Al-Awsat...
- US concerns for Somali youth
- Opposition’s efforts to topple Somali Government m...
- Mystery illness hits peace force
- The latest news up date from somalia,Somali gov't ...
- Missing men end up in war. Watch an exclusive The ...
- Bin Laden Son Reported Killed In Pakistan
- U.S. Condemns Obstruction of Humanitarian Work
- Feds: US man gave al-Qaida NYC subway information
- Al-Shabab’s Reign Of Terror.
- Somalis charged with hijacking
- Soldiers probably involved in kidnapping, says int...
- Al Shabaab destroys more graves in southern towns
- 'Ruthless' police killer faces 35-year minimum,Rev...
- Warplanes seen flying over Mogadishu
- Were Somali fighters recruited to return to homela...
- Radical Islamists Slipping Easily Into Kenya
- Murderous Barbarian Hawiye Terrorest Rape, and Imp...
- Kenya boosts Somali border force
- The Fighting in Mogadishu is Against to the People...
- Africa Today Mr. OMAR JAMAL, Executive Director,...
- U.S. Soldier POW in Afghanistan (full video)Pentag...
- Situation in Somalia Briefing at the United Nation...
- Somalia Tops 'Failed States' -- 'Too Failed' For a...
- France Could Use Force To Free Somalia Hostages
- Somalia: Christian Convert "Hunted Down" and Execu...
- UN humanitarian chief condemns increasing violence...
- Yemen battles unrest on several fronts
- Somali radicals loot UN buildings, forcing some op...
- The Final Blow to the BBC Somali Service
- TIMELINE-Foreign hostages held by kidnappers in So...
- CNN Rick Sanchez interview with OMAR JAMAL JULY 20...
- Another reason not to go to Somalia
- Abduction Highlights somali talaban Government Col...
- Somali rebels say to close down three U.N. agencie...
- Ships held by Somali pirates
- More attempts to aid Al-Shabaab via terrorists her...
- Kenyan team in Somalia for talks to free aid worke...
-
▼
July
(232)
Al-Qaida in Somalia. ...
We Are Winning the War on Terrorism in Horn of Africa
The threat is from violent extremists who are a small minority of the world's 1.3 billion Muslims, the threat is real. They distort Islam. They kill man, woman and child; Christian and Hindu, Jew and Muslim. They seek to create a repressive caliphate. To defeat this enemy, we must understand who we are fighting against, and what we are fighting for.
No comments:
Post a Comment