The Use of Force in UN Peacekeeping

Description

This edited volume provides a detailed and nuanced analysis of UN peacekeeping and the use of force, to inform a better understanding of the complex and interconnected issues at stake for the UN community. Peacekeeping is traditionally viewed as a largely passive military activity, governed by the principles of impartiality, consent, and the minimum use of force. Today, most large UN Peacekeeping Operations are only authorized to use force in defence of their mandates and to protect civilians under imminent threat of physical violence. Recently, with the deployment of the Force Intervention Brigade in the DRC, the UN has gone beyond peacekeeping and into the realm of peace-enforcement. These developments have brought to the fore questions regarding the use of force in the context of peacekeeping. The key questions addressed in this book examine not only the utility of force, but also the dilemmas and constraints inherent to the purposive use of force at a strategic, operational and tactical level. Should UN peacekeepers exercise military initiative?Is UN peacekeeping capable of undertaking offensive military operations?If so, then under what circumstances should peacekeepers use force?How should force be wielded? And against whom? With chapters written by experts in the field, this comprehensive volume will be of great use and interest to postgraduate students, academics and experts in international security, the UN, peacekeeping and diplomacy. Cover Half Title Title Page Copyright Page Table of Contents List of illustrations Acknowledgments List of contributors Non-UN acronyms UN acronyms Introduction Questions of doctrine Questions of practice Conclusion Notes PART I: Questions of doctrine 1. The case of East Timor: Ancient history or the shape of things to come? Deployment of InterFET From InterFET to UNTAET Resurgence of violence The legal debates Brahimi and HIPPO on the use of force Politics and the use of force Jakarta elites Indonesian military leadership Former East Timor militia Role of international institutions Conclusion Notes 2. Action adapted to circumstance: Peacekeeping doctrine and the use of force The nature of military doctrine Prodding the middle ground Peace support operations (PSO) doctrine UN peacekeeping doctrine Joint Doctrine Note 5/11 Conclusion Notes 3. Between absolute war and absolute peacekeeping: The question of the use of force in peacekeeping Peacekeeping and the importance of the notion of the enemy The use of force in peacekeeping: From traditional peacekeeping to robust peacekeeping and the responsibility to protect Going beyond Clausewitz: Theoretically coping with the question of the use of force in peacekeeping The question of the enemy The dialectic between absolute peacekeeping and absolute war The use of force as a function of the political objectives of the international community The tertiary trinity Friction and other intangibles The theoretical framework: A synthesis Conclusion Disclaimer Notes 4. Is stabilization the new normal? Implications of stabilization mandates for the use of force in UN peacekeeping operations What does stabilization mean in the UN context and why does it matter? Characteristics of UN stabilization missions How does stabilization in the UN context differ from stabilization used in the US and UK doctrines? Implications for the use of force in UN peace operations Conclusion Notes 5. The utility of military force to protect civilians in UN peace operations The utility of military force to protect Categorizing threats to civilians in UN peace operations Genocide Ethnic cleansing Regime crackdown Post-conflict revenge Communal conflict Predatory violence Insurgency UN protection operations in Africa (1999–2014) Geographical distribution Protection scenarios Success or failure? Matching perpetrator strategies The utility of military force to protect Conclusion Notes 6. Protecting civilians with force: Dilemmas and lessons from the UN stabilization mission in Haiti The United Nations takes on the gangs in Haiti Collateral (civilian) damage and aftermath Ethical dilemmas and challenges explored Mandates—set not too high, not too low, but just right? Conclusion Notes 7. The unintended consequences of the use of force by UN peacekeepers The evolution of the use of force in peace operations: A “robust turn”? The unintended consequences of the use of force Conclusion Acknowledgments Notes 8. The logic of force in UN peacekeeping: A policy primer Is the use of force a requirement of UN peacekeeping? Why is the use of force problematic? What needs to change? Are asymmetric environments different? Recommendations Conclusion Notes PART II: Questions of practice 9. Leadership in UN missions Leadership at the UN The mission leadership team (MLT) Mission implementation The importance of leadership preparation Reform of peace operations processes Peacekeeping principles and doctrine The mission atmosphere Leading by example Use of force Protection of civilians (POC) Robust peacekeeping Command and control Conclusion Notes 10. The use of force and the civil–military dimension Peacekeeping and conflict resolution The UN, civil–military cooperation, and robust peacekeeping: A delicate balance? Civil–military cooperation with the local population The use of force in peacekeeping: Multiple approaches Challenges of robust peacekeeping Changing the practice of peacekeeping: Training peacekeepers and realigning structures? Conclusion Notes 11. Generating the ability: The challenges of force generation Reimbursement The force generation processes and marketplace Performance standards Weapons proficiency Operational skills Preparation and approach Epilogue Conclusion Notes 12. UN peacekeeping and international law Peacekeeping and the UN Charter The fundamental principles of peacekeeping Use of force The Responsibility to Protect doctrine and peacekeeping Conclusion Notes Conclusion Recommendations Final thoughts Notes Select bibliography Index