Saturday, April 12, 2008

What's the exit strategy for the UN?

The UN has been involved with peacekeeping in Haiti off and on since 1993. The latest force, MINUSTAH, has been there since 2004 (this is the Canadian Forces' contribution, this that of Canadian police forces). The Security Council has extended MINUSTAH's mandate to October 15, 2008. I don't think the force will be leaving for some time after that:
U.N. soldier killed in Haiti's riots over food
Senators fire PM over turmoil; rising price of rice led to crisis and cost cut
Almost all leftists in Canada oppose Canadian participation in military/peacekeeping missions that are not UN-run--even if, as with our Afghan mission, they are authorized explicitly by the UN Security Council. Most leftists in Canada, indeed most Liberals, demand a firm "exit strategy" for our mission in Afghanistan. So what is one to make of the UN mission in Haiti, and Canada's participation therein? I guess missions can go on in a country interminably, with no discernable chances of success, as long as Canadians are not engaging in "combat" and suffering fatalities.

Now that's a principled, pro-UN position.

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

<< Home