Peacekeepers from the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon stand at attention during a ceremony at the mission headquarters, Naqoura, Lebanon, March 19, 2018 (AP Photo by Hassan Ammar).
Despite Appearances, the U.N. Peacekeeping System Is Doing All Right
Richard Gowan Monday, Sept. 17, 2018
Is it time to stop panicking about peacekeeping?
Discussions of United Nations peace operations are always tinged with a sense of crisis. Blue-helmet operations have been through a rough patch in recent years, struggling to stay on top of crises from the Central African Republic and South Sudan to the Golan Heights. As I noted last week, many experts fear that U.N. forces in trouble spots like Mali have stumbled into counterterrorist and stabilization missions that they cannot sustain. This is just one aspect of a broader malaise. The U.N. has endured a long series of revelations about indiscipline, corruption and cowardice among peacekeepers. ...