The Canadian Peacekeeping Myth (Merged Topics)

[MarkOttawa]

What Justin Trudeau gov't is interested in--tweet by Canadian UN mission:
https://twitter.com/CanadaUN/status/924024242118774784

Canada Mission @CanadaUN

''We know that by failing to mainstream gender perspectives in peace operations is weak; we will fail to effectively respond to the needs and interests of local women and girls.'' -@CdnAmbUN #PeaceConf17

Mark
Ottaw

 

[Halifax Tar]

What Justin Trudeau gov't is interested in--tweet by Canadian UN mission:
https://twitter.com/CanadaUN/status/924024242118774784

Mark
Ottaw

Seems like the #1 pressing concern when it comes to Peacekeeping

 

[Eye In The Sky]

Priority # 2 for Canada; incorporating unicorn farms and pixie dust sprinklers into peace support ops. 

F&&k me senseless.  :

 

[medicineman]

I guess the keeping people from shooting/blowing up/raping/pillaging each other is an after thought?  I think I'll tweet that...or something a little more polite like "Why don't you ask people that have actually worn blue berets what's important if we want to keep up this white lie facade that peacekeeping really is?"

 

[FSTO]

What Justin Trudeau gov't is interested in--tweet by Canadian UN mission:
https://twitter.com/CanadaUN/status/924024242118774784

Mark
Ottaw

I'm sure that during the actual conference, everyone present will nod respectfully and engage in earnest conversations with the Canadian Delegation in how to carry out this initiative.

After the conference? They will be shaking their heads at the utter fantasyland that is Canadian Policy these days.

 

[Eye In The Sky]

They will be shaking their heads at the utter fantasyland that is Canadian Policy these days.

Which, if it were to be summed up in a picture, is found below.

 

[OldSolduer]

What Justin Trudeau gov't is interested in--tweet by Canadian UN mission:
https://twitter.com/CanadaUN/status/924024242118774784

Mark
Ottaw

WTF is that? Channeling the RSM in me. Freaking ridiculous

 

[dangerboy]

Having done peacekeeping in Croatia, I don't see how the gender of the soldiers guarding the protected area in 1992 would make any difference.

 

[OldSolduer]

Having done peacekeeping in Croatia, I don't see how the gender of the soldiers guarding the protected area in 1992 would make any difference.

Agreed. I don’t think the gender of our troops in Medal would have made any difference at all.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

Imagine the opportunity though. Recruiting at the university for a paid gig with a "peace initiative campaign" and then without telling them, fly all the SJW types into Mali or Sudan so they can show the military types how it's done.   

 

[YZT580]

The number one priority for the folks getting shot at in these places is to go to bed at night with the assurance that they will be able to wake up the next morning and find all members of their family alive.  They really don't care if the folks who provided them with this assurance are male, female, black, oriental, indigenous, or whatever.  The fact that they awoke in the morning is enough.  Until the UN and Canada can agree on that one simple concept we are wasting our money and our resources.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Having done peacekeeping in Croatia, I don't see how the gender of the soldiers guarding the protected area in 1992 would make any difference.

The nationality - and the mettle of that nation's government - is important, however. As the poor sods in Srebrenica found out to their cost.... 

 

[jollyjacktar]

:rofl:

 

[McG]

But, one is making a straw man argument if focusing rebuttal to that tweet on gender diversity of the peacekeeping force.  That is not the argument the government is trying to make (though it may be a small facet of that argument).

The government’s position will include the idea that women are differently victimized by war as compared to men, and they will suggest that women unique “things” toward the solution and prevention of war as compared to men.  They will present the idea that empowering women in politics is necessary to achieving and sustaining peace.  (And remember the civilian and political components to that whole of government concept which is now in our doctrine).

Now, you can agree or disagree with those positions, but if you don’t address those positions in your counter argument then you are either fighting a straw man or you don’t understand what you are disagreeing with.

 

[YZT580]

List of priorities: 1.  stop people from shooting each other
                        2.  stop people from planting IEDs and blowing each other up
                        3.  ensure safe delivery of food and water
                        4.  provide medical and health needs
                        5.  keep going down the list of things that years of relative peace have enabled us to think about and consider as valuable until you come to about 50 years of peace and prosperity at which time you can consider gender issues.  Staying alive is far more important than debating which gender is wearing the pants this week

 

[TangoTwoBravo]

List of priorities: 1.  stop people from shooting each other
                        2.  stop people from planting IEDs and blowing each other up
                        3.  ensure safe delivery of food and water
                        4.  provide medical and health needs
                        5.  keep going down the list of things that years of relative peace have enabled us to think about and consider as valuable until you come to about 50 years of peace and prosperity at which time you can consider gender issues.  Staying alive is far more important than debating which gender is wearing the pants this week

What about stopping rape and other forms of gender-based violence? Isn't that something we should do fairly quickly? Some portions of the population are much more vulnerable than others.

I recently spent a year in an operational environment living on the economy. There were many refugees who were very vulnerable. I had some NGO friends who worked in that field and it opened my eyes.

 

[Eye In The Sky]

And, as a follow-on, can you give some examples of ways, actions, influences we (the military) have to do this?

Because, in many cases, I think we might then be actually talking about changing entire cultures and deeply rooted "norms" (not saying they are right, just what might be reality).

 

[Humphrey Bogart]

What about stopping rape and other forms of gender-based violence? Isn't that something we should do fairly quickly? Some portions of the population are much more vulnerable than others.

I recently spent a year in an operational environment living on the economy. There were many refugees who were very vulnerable. I had some NGO friends who worked in that field and it opened my eyes.

So we are deploying to the nearest Canadian University? 

How do you stop a violent act without being violent yourself?  I don't know what your plan is to stop rape but that's a pretty tall order. 

Kind of reminds me of a certain President who declared war on "terrorism".

 

[Remius]

And, as a follow-on, can you give some examples of ways, actions, influences we (the military) have to do this?

Because, in many cases, I think we might then be actually talking about changing entire cultures and deeply rooted "norms" (not saying they are right, just what might be reality).

Canada is already there as far as I’m concerned.  In many cases the peacekeeping force have been the rapers.  Having women in uniform dealing with a female and in some cases male population that may have been victimized by men in uniform can go along way to help gain trust, build relationships etc.  It’s getting those other countries to think along gender lines but I agree that it is a bit of a pipe dream.

 

[Eye In The Sky]

I'd never considered the "peacekeeping forces are sometimes the problem" aspect, even we don't have a completely blemish free record there IIRC.

Good points and post.