Posted on 09/24/2009 2:30:36 PM PDT by La Enchiladita
Right now, more than 90,000 U.N. peacekeeping troops are stationed in conflict zones around the world—more than at any other moment in history. Though U.N. peacekeeping missions are financed largely by the U.S. and European countries, most soldiers on the ground come from the developing world. In 2008, the top five troop contributors for these operations were Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Nigeria, and Nepal, with Ghana, Jordan, and Rwanda close behind. Some critics of the current system are calling for the U.N. to create a standing army—like NATO has—to improve response time and increase professionalism of troops. The U.S. remains opposed to that idea, but the current administration has promised additional support for U.N. peacekeeping missions.
Why do developing nations contribute disproportionate numbers of troops? First, they are considered less likely than U.S. or European soldiers to engender resentment from locals—Eritrea, for example, demanded that European troops be excluded from peacekeeping missions in its ongoing conflict with Ethiopia. Poor countries also have an economic motive. For every peacekeeper a country provides, the U.N. pays their government each month: $1028 for salary and allowances; $303 supplementary pay for specialists; $68 for personal clothing, gear, and equipment; and $5 for personal weaponry. (The governments, in turn, pay the soldiers.) The training and equipment the U.N. provides also allow these countries to keep larger standing armies than they would otherwise be able to afford.
“Some would use the word ‘mercenary’ to describe this setup,” says James A. Paul, [Haha, good one, James] the executive director of the Global Policy Forum. “Rich countries send money, poor countries send troops.” Recent U.N. Security Council meetings have emphasized the need to improve efficiency and civilian protection, and members are hopeful that bigger contributions from countries like the U.S. will allow them to reach those goals. President Obama has pledged to help the U.N. secure more troops and to provide additional training and equipment.
Oh, yeah. What is the "Global Policy Forum?"
And to aid the CHILD MOLESTERS posing as “peace keepers”.
He’s an EVIL pacifist that coddles ou enemies and pisses off our allies.
It’s all good as long as they all register , dont’ carry guns, and stay 1000 feet away from schools. (sarc)
I remember this, also. Convenient how the article omits the many such problems of “peacekeepers” as predators.
Yesterday’s speech was a new low, if that were possible, scary from beginning to end. I would think even our staunchest enemies were startled by the degree to which the Terrorist-in-Chief hates this great nation, the U.S.A.
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