After launching a counteroffensive against Islamist forces in Mali earlier this year, French President François Hollande is eager to transfer ownership of the mission to the African International Support Mission (AFISMA) under the direction of the United Nations. While the United States should continue to support French efforts to stabilize Mali, history shows that the…
Those seeking to downsize U.S. foreign policy like the idea of outsourcing more and more peacekeeping missions. It might not be a bad deal if America got value for money, but that is not always the case. Even as the White House looks more to punching the UN peacekeeper “easy button,” there are disturbing signs that Washington isn’t doing nearly enough to distinguish a…
In growing recognition of the mounting budgetary crisis facing the United States, President Barack Obama and Congress reached agreement on a budget to pay for the remainder of fiscal year 2011 that includes significant cuts. Although contributions to the United Nations are not a large part of the U.S. budget, there is no reason to exclude those contributions from the…
It was recently discovered that as many as 1,000 people in Duekoue, Cote d’Ivoire, were killed between March 27–29.[1] It is unclear who is responsible for the killings. The U.N. claims that forces loyal to former President Laurent Gbagbo—who lost the recent election but has refused to leave office, sparking the current conflict—are responsible. However, the area where…
Abstract: In defiance of U.N. financial rules and regulations, the U.N. has retained more than $200 million in unspent funding for closed peacekeeping missions. Instead of returning these funds to U.N. member states as required, the U.N. Secretary-General has used them as a slush fund to cover financial shortfalls in U.N. peacekeeping missions and the regular U.N. budget.…
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The U.N. Security Council has unanimously approved a United Nations peacekeeping force to Mali, the Multidimensional...…
Hollywood actor Ben Affleck brings his star power to Congress today to testify…
Today at 10 a.m. the House Armed Services Committee will host a hearing on the evolving instability in the Democratic...…
On the anniversary of the November 2008 election, it seems appropriate to assess the impact of the Administration on...…