[Smacle]

Well it would seem that a majority of the lower ranks of Taliban fight for the purpose of protecting their family crops which our side was trying to get rid of for a while there. They don't like haroine really but don't have any other means of making as much cash.

[Guy_Fawkes]

Yes in the south harvesting opium and weed are part time jobs for the local Taliban. This is why so much money is being pumped into infrastructure projects (ie roads, dams, schools...). This is all being done with the hope that a real economy will take route. That eventually it will not worth risking your life to feed the family, its cheaper and safer to work on the road crew or be a warden at a national park.

[sandorski]

Akhenaten Akhenaten:

$1:

Cyprus is an example of a successful Peace Keeping mission.

I disagree 100%. Cyprus is a prime example of peacekeeping perpetuating a conflict instead of ending one. Cyprus already had a peace agreement, remember? But the UN said "that's not good enough" and went in there to establish a new one. result? We're still there and the conflict that was resolved remains unresolved. In the same vein as Kashmir and the Golan Heights

Cyprus is not an example of peacekeeping done right, it's an example of peacekeeping keeping a conflict going long past it's due date.

Rwanda is not an 'exception', Rwanda is only one of many examples. How about Somalia?

Somalia was a Humanitarian Mission. Delivering Aid.

[OldChum]

Canadians have a false image of the word peacekeepers, the title is wrong , but it sold the missions back when .

[ridenrain]

Canadians simply weren't told nor was anyone interested in telling them.
Read Carol Off's book on Candians in Croatia. Canadians got into a shooting war and we killed people but it took over 10 years for the story to get out.
The CBC and the governments of the day were too busy selling Canadian boy-scouts and the UN dream.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-AvcKJnx9I
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NaqIYPnJZ4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6z4pD4jvM8

[Public_Domain]

[ridenrain]

Another example of Canadians not being told about what their troops were doing was US operation Anaconda in 2002. This was where the Canadian sniper teams made record breaking shots, but they also accounted for some 30 enemy kills, making a big difference in an already flawed mission.
Canadians heard almost nothing about it and when they did, it was through our US allies.

[putz]

sandorski sandorski:

Akhenaten Akhenaten:

$1:

Cyprus is an example of a successful Peace Keeping mission.

I disagree 100%. Cyprus is a prime example of peacekeeping perpetuating a conflict instead of ending one. Cyprus already had a peace agreement, remember? But the UN said "that's not good enough" and went in there to establish a new one. result? We're still there and the conflict that was resolved remains unresolved. In the same vein as Kashmir and the Golan Heights

Cyprus is not an example of peacekeeping done right, it's an example of peacekeeping keeping a conflict going long past it's due date.

Rwanda is not an 'exception', Rwanda is only one of many examples. How about Somalia?

Somalia was a Humanitarian Mission. Delivering Aid.

Gotta love wiki...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Operation_in_Somalia_I

$1:

United Nations Operation in Somalia I (UNOSOM I) was the first part of a United Nations (UN) sponsored effort to provide, facilitate, and secure humanitarian relief in Somalia, as well as to monitor the first UN-brokered ceasefire of the Somali Civil War conflict in the early 1990s

[martin14]

Akhenaten Akhenaten:

The underlying reason why most people are cynical of peacekeeping missions is that at the end of the day peace is either done through talking or fighting. The reason people are hopeful for peacekeeping is precisely because it presents that illusional third choice that doesn't really exist...mostly because it doesn't really work. It's not the first time it's been tried either.

The very look of a blue helmet is an oxymoron. Iterally in cases, it's like a rifle without a bullet. A carrot and stick without the carrot.

And, many times, without the stick as well.

[ShepherdsDog]

Peace has to made in order for the role of peace keepers to be relevant.

[Akhenaten]

sandorski sandorski:

Akhenaten Akhenaten:

$1:

Cyprus is an example of a successful Peace Keeping mission.

I disagree 100%. Cyprus is a prime example of peacekeeping perpetuating a conflict instead of ending one. Cyprus already had a peace agreement, remember? But the UN said "that's not good enough" and went in there to establish a new one. result? We're still there and the conflict that was resolved remains unresolved. In the same vein as Kashmir and the Golan Heights

Cyprus is not an example of peacekeeping done right, it's an example of peacekeeping keeping a conflict going long past it's due date.

Rwanda is not an 'exception', Rwanda is only one of many examples. How about Somalia?

Somalia was a Humanitarian Mission. Delivering Aid.

It was a UN humanitarian mission true....and it failed, also true. Just sayin'.

[ridenrain]

How did I miss this one...

[sandorski]

Akhenaten Akhenaten:

sandorski sandorski:

Akhenaten Akhenaten:

I disagree 100%. Cyprus is a prime example of peacekeeping perpetuating a conflict instead of ending one. Cyprus already had a peace agreement, remember? But the UN said "that's not good enough" and went in there to establish a new one. result? We're still there and the conflict that was resolved remains unresolved. In the same vein as Kashmir and the Golan Heights

Cyprus is not an example of peacekeeping done right, it's an example of peacekeeping keeping a conflict going long past it's due date.

Rwanda is not an 'exception', Rwanda is only one of many examples. How about Somalia?

Somalia was a Humanitarian Mission. Delivering Aid.

It was a UN humanitarian mission true....and it failed, also true. Just sayin'.

Mainly because it was derailed.

PK missions always seem to be a hot button issue here. Without all the various PK missions over the decades, our Forces would have had nothing to do, so the question becomes: Should Canada sit at home or get involved in more Wars?

[ridenrain]

What.. You didn't like my video? Looks to me like Iggy is for more wars.

[Akhenaten]

$1:

Mainly because it was derailed.

Derailed by what? Somali war lords who attacked the convoys? C'mon. This is the key thing people who favour peacekeeping just don't want to admit: sooner or later to get your objective done you might have to shoot at someone. The moment that happens the idealistic wishful thinking disappears and you're right back to peace making. If you don't shoot -- or in some cases shoot back -- the mission will still fail.

Do you think the UN couldve saved Rwandian refugees without firing a shot? Again: c'mon. Be real here.

$1:

PK missions always seem to be a hot button issue here. Without all the various PK missions over the decades, our Forces would have had nothing to do, so the question becomes: Should Canada sit at home or get involved in more Wars?

Look if the PK missions are going to have a hope in hell of working then send them on both...or either...or none. Sure. Why not?