Bosnia-Hercegovina: One CF mission finally ends/New Congo one?

For those who want Canada seriously to get back into UN-run peacekeeping, it is worth remembering that the UN start of our mission in the former Yugoslavia was a dismal failure, whilst the successor NATO mission was a comparative success. In any event the CF are now out of Bosnia-Hercegovina after some 18 years in the region (more here). Compare that with what will have been some nine years in Afstan with our planned 2011 withdrawal. What's the big difference? Considerably more dead soldiers, though a very small number in historical context. Draw your own conclusions:

Canadian mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina ends

The Canadian mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina officially ends Monday with a ceremony at NATO headquarters in Sarajevo.

Only six Canadian soldiers are stationed in the country, compared to 2,000 at the height of the operation.

Canadian military personnel began deploying to the region in 1991 after Slovenia and Croatia declared independence from the former Yugoslavia...

About 100,000 people were killed in the war, and more than 1.3 million were displaced.

MacKenzie retired in 1993, and at the time, was fiercely critical of the UN mission. He still maintains the UN mission was poorly-planned.

"While the war was raging from 1992 to 1995 we had a lightly armed peacekeeping force, so don't ask me to explain that," Mackenzie said.

About 40,000 Canadian military personnel have served in the region as peacekeepers since the early 1990s.

According to the Canadian embassy responsible for Bosnia and Herzegovina, 23 soldiers have died in the operation. One died as a result of enemy action, while the rest were killed in accidents...

Earlier:

Peackeeping humbug

And just in case anyone is really thinking about having the CF do the UN Congo bongo, please see:

The bleak calculus of Congo’s war without end

Just say "No" to Congo

If you think the Afghan government is a dicey one with which to be associated, you sure won't love the Congolese regime if you think about it. And if you think there's a major problems with the CF's being in any way associated with Afghan forces that abuse detainees, what about being in charge of a UN force associated with some very unsavoury locals indeed?

Answer, fans of UN peacekeeping for Canada.