Resolved: United Nations peacekeepers

should have the power to engage in

offensive operations.
UN Peacekeeping website:
http://www.un.org/en/peacekeeping/

What is peacekeeping?
http://www.un.org/en/peacekeeping/operations/peacekeeping.shtml
Peacekeeping is flexible and over the past two decades has been deployed in many
configurations. There are currently 16 UN peacekeeping operations deployed on four
continents.
Today's multidimensional peacekeeping operations are called upon not only to maintain
peace and security, but also to facilitate the political process, protect civilians, assist in
the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of former combatants; support the
organization of elections, protect and promote human rights and assist in restoring
the rule of law.

Principles of UN peacekeeping
http://www.un.org/en/peacekeeping/operations/principles.shtml

There are three basic principles that continue to set UN peacekeeping

operations apart as a tool for maintaining international peace and security.
These three principles are inter-related and mutually reinforcing:

Consent of the parties

Impartiality

Non-use of force except in self-defence and defence of the mandate

Consent of the parties

UN peacekeeping operations are deployed with the consent of the main groups in the
conflict. This requires a commitment by the parties to a political process. Their
acceptance of a peacekeeping operation provides the UN with the necessary freedom
of action, both political and physical, to carry out its mandated tasks.
In the absence of such consent, a peacekeeping operation risks becoming an actual
part of the conflict; and being drawn towards enforcement action, and away from its
fundamental role of keeping the peace.
The fact that the main parties have given their consent to the deployment of a United
Nations peacekeeping operation does not necessarily imply or guarantee that there will
also be consent at the local level, particularly if the main parties are internally divided or
have weak command and control systems.

Impartiality (neutrality)
Impartiality is crucial to maintaining the consent and cooperation of the main parties, but
should not be confused with inactivity. United Nations peacekeepers should be impartial
in their dealings with the parties to the conflict, but not neutral in the execution of their
mandate, which is to stop violence from occurring.
Just as a good referee is impartial, but will penalize infractions, so a peacekeeping
operation should not condone actions by the parties that violate the undertakings of the
peace process or the international norms and principles that a United Nations
peacekeeping operation upholds.

Non-use of force except in self-defense and defense of the

mandate
UN peacekeeping operations are not an enforcement tool. However, they may use force
at the tactical level, with the authorization of the Security Council, if acting in selfdefense and defense of the mandate.
In certain volatile situations, the Security Council has given UN peacekeeping
operations robust mandates authorizing them to use all necessary means to deter
forceful attempts to disrupt the political process, protect civilians under imminent threat
of physical attack, and/or assist the national authorities in maintaining law and order.

Robust peacekeeping involves the use of force with the authorization of the
Security Council and consent of the host nation and/or the main parties to the
conflict.

A UN peacekeeping operation should only use force as a measure of last resort. It

should always be calibrated in a precise, proportional and appropriate manner, within
the principle of the minimum force necessary to achieve the desired effect, while
sustaining consent for the mission and its mandate. The use of force by a UN
peacekeeping operation always has political implications and can often give rise to
unforeseen circumstances.
Judgments concerning its use need to be made at the appropriate level within a
mission, based on a combination of factors including mission capability; public
perceptions; humanitarian impact; force protection; safety and security of personnel;
and, most importantly, the effect that such action will have on national and local consent
for the mission.

Case Positions
Pro (they should be able to use offensive power)
1. Military peacekeeping requires offense Defensive measures will
never maintain peace. True peace requires the aggressor to be defeated.
Therefore, in order to truly carry out their directive, U.N. peacekeepers
should have the power to carry out offensive operations.
2. Preemptive attacks In order to be most effective in protecting
themselves, peacekeepers must be able to preemptively strike. Currently,
they must wait until they are attacked (even though they really dont have
to) in order to defend themselves. If the attacks could be prevented in the
first place, UN casualties could be lowered.
Con (they should not be able to use offensive power)
1. Abuse of Power U.N. peacekeepers are not a military force and should
not be allowed to be one. The U.N., effectively ruled by the five nations on
the Security Council, should not have a military which carry out offensive
operations. That opens the door to vast potential for abuses of power.

2. Peacekeeping Mission Conducting offensive operations takes away

resources and attention from other peacekeeping operations like providing
aid. Even though the directive of the peacekeepers would change, the
resources available to them would not. Sacrificing vital operations for the
sake of offensive ones is not an appropriate direction to go.

UNITED NATIONS AUTHORIZES OFFENSIVE

OPERATIONS IN THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC
OF THE CONGO
http://www.newsrecord.co/united-nations-authorizes-offensive-operations-in-thedemocratic-republic-of-the-congo/
The United Nations recently authorized peacekeeping forces in the Democratic
Republic of the Congo (DRC), to perform offensive military actions against a variety of
rebel groups located in the east of the country. The newly formed Force Intervention
Brigade (FIB), authorized by the U.N. Security Council in March, began arriving in force
earlier this month. Composed of elite troops from South Africa, Tanzania and
Malawi, FIB may be able to tip the scales of the battles in favor of the U.N. and
the DRC military.
However, with the introduction of FIB comes many new and complicated issues. This is
the first time in the United Nations 68-year history that peacekeeping forces have been
deployed offensively against a particular group. Most U.N. peacekeeping missions are
neutral and impartial, merely present to maintain peace, rather than alienate and attack
a particular party within a conflict. Furthermore, if the operations are unsuccessful, it
could only aggravate the already complex configuration of the eastern DRC and
relations with neighboring Rwanda.
As a result of continuous conflict, the United Nations Security Council approved
Resolution 2098 on March 28, 2013. The resolution granted U.N. peacekeepers
permission to begin offensive actions. In addition to routine actions, such as extending
MONUSCOs mandate for peacekeeping operations, the resolution also called for the
creation of the Force Intervention Brigade (FIB), a military unit within MONUSCO, to
perform offensive and preemptive actions against rebel groups if they refuse to disarm.

According to the actual resolution, FIB is tasked with the responsibility of neutralizing
armed groups. Unlike past U.N. peacekeeping missions, restricted to defensive
operations, Resolution 2098 allows forces to carry out targeted offensive operations
through the Intervention Brigadeeither unilaterally or jointly with the FARDC, in a
robust, highly mobile and versatile manner.
South Africa, Tanzania and Malawi, have sent forces from their militaries to create the
Force Intervention Brigade. The force will consist of approximately 3,000 troops,
organized into three infantry battalions, one artillery and one Special force and
Reconnaissance company as listed in Resolution 2098. Currently, troops are arriving in
the DRC and have begun patrolling the eastern region. They have yet to begin offensive
military actions against the rebels.
Members of FIB will target a number of different rebel groups. Resolution 2098
identified, among others, the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR)
and, the most dangerous rebel group, the March 23 (or M23) Movement.