Flarelatedad 0 #1 February 15, 2005 Now I've seen everything. The UN SG wants to send police to Congo to keep the peacekeepers out of trouble: QuoteAnnan last Wednesday urged the Security Council to add at least 100 military police to the peacekeeping mission in Congo to help prevent sex abuse by the U.N. forces. http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/africa/02/14/un.congo.peacekeepers.ap/index.html The UN has shown again that it is an in-effective organization. BTW these crimes have gone on for over two years and they are JUST NOW getting attention. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mr2mk1g 10 #2 February 15, 2005 Remember they're not UN soldiers; they're soldiers from whatever member nation sent them. The UN has not been given the power to discipline soldiers belonging to its member nations. The choice to not give the UN that power was made by the member nations themselves. The US is a member of the UN... the US helped make the choice that the UN should not have this power. What is the US going to do about this abuse? [of course I'm not saying this is the US fault. It is an issue that needs to be addressed by all members of the UN and dealt with through their own justice systems.] Shouting that the UN has screwed up is ridiculous – control over the actions of the troops on the ground is down to their commander – a commander from the member nation, NOT a UN employee. That’s why the commander has been relieved – he didn’t control his troops The headline could read “Moroccan soldiers arrested – UN welcomes this move thanking the member nation for finally controlling its troops as it is required”. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nacmacfeegle 0 #3 February 15, 2005 "The UN has shown again that it is an in-effective organization." Thats a wee bit like saying Tony Blair is reponsible for the actions of his troops in recent prisoner abuse scandals. Oh yeah, its also a bit like saying the Whitehouse is responsible for all that stuff at Abu Ghraib.-------------------- He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AggieDave 6 #4 February 15, 2005 Giving complete control of a nations troops to another organization/quasi-nation is freak'n scary. I for one am glad the US stood up for our troops and didn't let that pass. As for the other nation's undicisiplined troops...WTF does the US have to do with those guys? In one breath yall are quick to condem the US for doing something for the good of the world and then condem the US for not acting on what you think should be acted on around the world. NICE.--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mr2mk1g 10 #5 February 15, 2005 QuoteGiving complete control of a nations troops to another organization/quasi-nation is freak'n scary. Exactly - my post is essentially asking the first poster why this is the UN's fault - they have no powers to control the troops in country. Member nations wouldn't like them having such control for many good reasons. If the UN's not been given control of the soldiers... how in the world can it be considered at fault for their actions? Quote As for the other nation's undicisiplined troops...WTF does the US have to do with those guys? In one breath yall are quick to condem the US for doing something for the good of the world and then condem the US for not acting on what you think should be acted on around the world. Don't worry - I wasn't trying to indicate that it was the US's fault. Just pointing out the difficulties of holding the UN at fault for the actions of an individual member nation. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AggieDave 6 #6 February 15, 2005 QuoteDon't worry - I wasn't trying to indicate that it was the US's fault. I was also pointing about the world's attitude, so it seems...not replying directly to what you wrote.--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mr2mk1g 10 #7 February 15, 2005 Well... I'm gonna have to let the world take the rap for that one... no matter what my girlfriend says, not everything is my fault. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
markd_nscr986 0 #8 February 15, 2005 Maybe the UN should have it's own force.......have the Legion Etrangere train them say about Division strength?Have garrisons around the world?What do you think?Marc SCR 6046 SCS 3004 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tkhayes 348 #9 February 15, 2005 sure, even Canada years ago had a big scandal in Africa - they sent 'peace-keepers' Trained killers and special forces guys sent it to do 'security and police work' What happened? They got out of hand, a 16 year old kid was captured, tortured and eventually dies from it. black marks on the regiment, whcih was brought up on charges and disbanded eventually. very bad for the peacekeepers in general. So yes, they need to be overseen in a big way no matter where they go. TK Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nacmacfeegle 0 #10 February 15, 2005 A wee bit more detail on this story from the Beeb.. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/4262743.stm "Last month a team investigated 72 allegations of abuse by UN peacekeepers and civilian staff. Twenty-six of these, involving soldiers from Pakistan, Nepal, Tunisia, South Africa and Uruguay, were substantiated. In response, the UN introduced a non-fraternisation policy, banning its peacekeepers from having sex with local people. But UN officials stressed they had no power to discipline peacekeepers." "Maybe the UN should have it's own force....... What do you think? " Help a civvy out, how many is 'division strength'? I don't think it would be enough, least ways, they would probably be pretty busy. There are about 11,000 UN personel in Congo alone. Bad idea, much better to have countries 'donate' resources for this sort of thing. This keeps an element of flaxibility and independence from national interests. And who would pay them? Besides, if you 'privatise' the peacekeeping elements, would all the other arms of the UN follow suit? Can you imagine the IMF or the world bank as a corporate body? There's a whole heap of other organisations too.... http://www.un.org/aboutun/chartlg.html Oh, and Dave, I wasn't ragging on the US either!-------------------- He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jimbo 0 #11 February 15, 2005 Quote Maybe the UN should have it's own force.......have the Legion Etrangere train them say about Division strength?Have garrisons around the world?What do you think? Bad idea. - Jim"Like" - The modern day comma Good bye, my friends. You are missed. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnRich 4 #12 February 16, 2005 Quotethey need to be overseen in a big way no matter where they go. Who oversees the U.N.? To whom are the accountable? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tkhayes 348 #13 February 16, 2005 they are accountable to their members.....just like GWB is accountable to his people. Obviously there is no 'higher' authority as you continue up the chain, unless you are terribly religious..... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mr2mk1g 10 #14 February 17, 2005 QuoteWho oversees the U.N.? To whom are the accountable? You. And me. And everyone else here... that's why I find it so odd that people keep bashing the UN. There are some MAJOR problems with the UN and the way things have been run in recent history. There needs to be a big, change - starting at the top. The problem with simply sitting here on line bashing the UN is that it's our own fault that things aren't changing. The UN is accountable to everyone here, if we don't like what's happening we need to put pressure on our domestic political institutions. They pass this pressure onto our national governments who are each represented in the UN. The UN is nothing more than the sum of its constituent parts. You and I are voting members of its constituent parts. If enough of us want something to change, it changes. The fact that nothings changing fast is testament only to people's ignorance of the method in which the UN is accountable. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
