More on the UN Peacekeepers

There was a point in history that the introduction of multinational United Nations peacekeeping into a world hotspot would solve the majority of countries problems. In the past Peacekeeping forces have given their lives to insure the safety of the areas they are sent to protect and even been the recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. They also have been under investigation many times for their unprofessional conduct with allegations running the entire criminal code gauntlet including murder, rape, theft, and so on.

I have mentioned before that their presence in Africa has resulted in charges of rape and assault of hundreds of small female African children. There have been many television news investigations into their actions over the past year with some showing their penchant for trophy photos, photographic evidence of the illegal act.

One story broadcast by Dateline news dwelled into this practice as well as the dark side of the soldiers assigned to these peacekeeping missions. One paragraph stands out among the rest, “Other Italian peacekeepers took photos as they bound a woman to an armored truck and allegedly raped her with a flare gun. Peacekeepers from Belgium were photographed roasting a boy over an open fire. A witness said the boy went into shock after his clothes caught on fire. The soldiers were acquitted of torture after the child could not be located. The peacekeepers claimed it was just a game to discourage the boy from stealing.”

This is the caliber of some of the human being the United Nations sends to safeguard countries and insure the peace is kept. The countries are better off fending for themselves then opening their borders to the criminal acts of these individuals. One other incident which most of you are already aware of was the lack of participation by the peacekeepers when our Ranger and Delta forces were involved in the infamous Blackhawk down incident which took place in the Battle of Mogadishu, part of the U.S. military's 1993 campaign to capture Somali warlord Mohamed Farrah Aidid. Their unwillingness was discussed within the book but portrayed to a small degree in the movie.

The United Nations needs a complete management overhaul, from the leadership all the way down to the soldier on the ground if it is to once more be an effective multinational tool. If that fails to correct the problems then it is high time for America to step away and disassociate itself from its further use in the world.