CAR massacre

The creation of the UN 60 years ago has introduced the concept of international peacekeeping into the public lexicon. And yet, both in theory and practice, peacekeeping remains a highly problematic idea.

The distinction between peacekeeping and imposing order is more than mere semantics. What is critical is that political decision makers here and abroad must understand this distinction, because it will make them realise the limitations of the use of military force as well as possible costs..

The use of military force for “peacekeeping” is simply sloppy thinking. Although there were many failures that contributed to the CAR tragedy, including inadequate or ignored intelligence and an unwieldy chain of command, the failure to understand the fundamental requirements for successful peacekeeping is the biggest cause.