The Role of a Peacekeeper

(This is an older opinion piece and does not necessarily represent the views of the author but is intended to promote discussion on this issue)

Recently, with the continued instability around the globe, particularly in the Middle East, Canada, as a nation, has been debating what it truly means to be an international peacekeeper. Traditionally, it is the broad umbrella under which every military mission abroad the Canadian Forces has embarked on - since the establishment of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force by former Prime Minister Lester Pearson- has been classified under. Canadians and the rest of the world perceive Canada as a nation that has time and time again put its brave men and women in harms way to protect the peace of those who could not: whether in Egypt, Cyprus, Kosovo, Rwanda and currently in Afghanistan.

With increasing hostilities between Egyptian forces and the British and French forces that controlled the Suez Cannel, the international community established an international force to maintain peace. Consequently, the international force was credited with avoiding an armed conflict. Canada took a foremost role in establishing the force and has ever since been a leading nation in international peacekeeping.

Now Canada is pressed once more to decide if it will continue its operations in Afghanistan. A large section of Canadian citizens see their young men and women dying in a faraway land and say that this is not peacekeeping: peacekeeping does not and should not involve a Combat role. This initial fright is the one downfall of the popular definition of peacekeeping. This is not to say that peacekeeping requires a combat role: it is my strong believe that the fundamental success of peacekeeping historically has been that all forms of mediation and compromise have been attempted. However, when mediation does not work, when one side is unwilling to respect the rights of the other, when one side decides to answer the calls for compromise with lead, sometimes, a combat role is inevitable.

When entering the country with peacekeepers, that country is declaring that we are here to help you; are we helping them if all we do is talk the talk but do not walk the walk? We have seen the consequences when we talk the talk but do not give our troops the ability to walk the walk. Those who do not believe that peacekeepers should have the ability to defend, by force, those who do not have the ability to defend themselves have forgotten the horrors of Rwanda. Canada had peacekeepers on the ground but we did not give them the ability to protect the persecuted. Canadian peacekeepers watched as a genocide of unimaginable horror was committed: because their rules of engagement would not allow them to intervene. However, it seems that Canadians have forgotten or never learnt from the mistakes of Rwanda.

The current government has failed to inform the Canadian populous or even allow the Canadian populous to learn what our brave young men and woman are doing. They promised accountability yet they give us invisibility. They seem scared that if Canadians discovered what our soldiers are doing it will lead to stronger resistance to the mission. Yet, the other political parties say the price is too high, we should pull our troops out; capturing the momentum of the anti-war sentiment fostered by a portion of Canadian society that believes in isolationism and/or humanitarianism; however, they do not understand that they cannot promote isolationism and humanitarianism: as they are polar opposites.

They fall behind the sweeping generalization of "HOMES NOT BOMBS". Yet, it is impossible to provide the humanitarian aid they call for without first providing security; for they seem unaware that building a house, a school or a hospital in Afghanistan is not as simple as building on their lot in the Muskokas: in the heart of cottage country. For if they had trouble with vandals, looters or god forbid militants they simply call the police to maintain their security. They do not understand that as peacekeepers we are and should be the equivalent of police. Providing the security necessary until the country is able to provide its own security. Furthermore, we must provide the logistical and technical experience we have to help train their personal which will in turn decrease the time necessary to return the state’s ability to run autonomously.

There is sacrifice in helping a country to become autonomous; in entering Afghanistan Canada committed to rebuilding Afghanistan. Canadian soldiers are internationally renowned for the professionalism and courage: they did not sign up for the military simply for the dental plan. We must not be afraid of death. It is our soldiers job and duty, which they take great pride in, to complete the missions assigned to them by the government of Canada. Seventy-eight soldiers and one diplomat have sacrificed their lives for the mission. What did they die for if we do not complete the mission? Their sacrifices are in vain if the mission is not completed: they paid the ultimate price. Historically Canadians have never been scared of sacrifice for the betterment of our society and the international community; we must not become scared of sacrifice now by withdrawing our troops or by restricting them to watching idly, as they did in Kosovo.

When the first United Nations Forces casualties in Kosovo were reported almost every nation withdrew all forces from the area and a genocide was allowed to transpire. As the casualties in Afghanistan mount we must bear the brunt of the burden we undertook by accepting the mission. We must understand that in order to be effective peacekeepers, in order for our sacrifices to be made worth while, we must give our soldiers the ability to perform their duty, the ability to walk the walk. We cannot afford to become isolationists as the international community did after World War One: allowing Hitler free range before the international community finally realized they must stop him. We must learn from the mistakes of the past, learn from history, and help the people of Afghanistan rebuild their country for the betterment of all the international community. Canadian must remember that international peacekeeping is a duty that must have our full dedication if it is to succeed. It is our duty and obligation to completing the job that must be done. Peacekeeping takes more than simple mediation; but, also action if we are to make meaningful contributions to the state we are assisting.