NationStates Jolt Archive

The UN Dude abides.

EDIT>> Im in ur threadz stealin ur OPz!

Smart man, that. And I say that almost without sarcasm (not really though).

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6920867.stm
A UN official has said soldiers from countries whose armies are suspected of torture and abuse should not be considered for peacekeeping operations.

So I think over the past forty years or so we've gathered a pretty decent sample of peacekeeping missions. We know that sometimes they work quite well (like in Kosovo and Bosnia at the moment) and sometimes they don't (like in Libanon before the war). We also know that peacekeeping requires a different focus to fighting a war, and neglecting one in favour of the other can lead to trouble (like in Iraq).

That begs the question...should countries train special peacekeeping regiments and make them available for UN missions?

Reaction to the article: I am very disappointed by the fact that Nowak's title isn't really "UN Dude." There is a great need in the world for such an office, and I think that Nowak has the just the right moustache to pull it off.

Reaction to the query: Probably not. If countries were ordered to train and equip troops especially for use by the UN they'd most likely resent the imposition on their time and resources and do a half-assed job of it.
There does need to be some stricter oversight of peacekeeping forces, though, with the possibility of severe penalties being inflicted upon transgressors.

what???

A UN official has said soldiers from countries whose armies are suspected of torture and abuse should not be considered for peacekeeping operations. I would rather countries that are proven to encourage torture and abuse not be considered. not suspected. that would leave a very small and totally ineffective UN force.

Mr Nowak urged it to impose stricter standards and said it should consider forming a professional standing army. so who will train this professional army?

and what happens if their standard army has to see action against their own country or worse, has to defend a country that are political rivals to their own...

"The UN must impose stricter standards in recruiting soldiers." the UN is recruiting? I thought countries "loaned/assigned" groups to the UN.

Exactly. Most of the time, the UN has to beg and borrow to have ANYONE work for them.

Reaction to the article: I am very disappointed by the fact that Nowak's title isn't really "UN Dude." There is a great need in the world for such an office, and I think that Nowak has the just the right moustache to pull it off.

Reaction to the query: Probably not. If countries were ordered to train and equip troops especially for use by the UN they'd most likely resent the imposition on their time and resources and do a half-assed job of it.
There does need to be some stricter oversight of peacekeeping forces, though, with the possibility of severe penalties being inflicted upon transgressors.

Such as atomic wedgies. *nod*

Actually, a few countries do just that. Poland and Ukraine have developed a permanent Peacekeeping force of thier own that is available to the UN at any time.

Polish Ukrainian Peace Force Battalion (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polish-Ukrainian_Peace_Force_Battalion)

what???

I would rather countries that are proven to encourage torture and abuse not be considered. not suspected. that would leave a very small and totally ineffective UN force.



Well there is Switzerland and uhmm... is Switzerland a UN nation??

That begs the question...should countries train special peacekeeping regiments and make them available for UN missions?They shouldn't be required to, but afaik peacekeeping is the single task our army is concentrating on. Otherwise they'd have nothing to do.

Well there is Switzerland and uhmm... is Switzerland a UN nation??

Barely. *nod*

Well there is Switzerland and uhmm... is Switzerland a UN nation??Probably, almost every country except Taiwan is in the UN.

I would rather countries that are proven to encourage torture and abuse not be considered. not suspected. that would leave a very small and totally ineffective UN force.


Very true.

That begs the question...should countries train special peacekeeping regiments and make them available for UN missions?

Absolutely! I've believed that development of such a force would be immensely beneficial. Not only would they should they be effective soldiers, but they would also be trained for cultural sensitivity and conflict resolution. Providing the negotiators with not only diplomatic skills required to sort out some of the problems they're there to correct, but with the punch to enforce their decisions.

If such a force were to be created, I might even consider joining it. Kinda like the Peace Corps; with guns.

Well there is Switzerland and uhmm... is Switzerland a UN nation??

Switzerland is a UN n00B!!!!111!!!!, interestingly enough. They had quite the debate when the matter came as a possibility.

Actually, a few countries do just that. Poland and Ukraine have developed a permanent Peacekeeping force of thier own that is available to the UN at any time.

Polish Ukrainian Peace Force Battalion (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polish-Ukrainian_Peace_Force_Battalion)

That really is a great idea...