Military organizations are often subject to intense debate these days. Many believe that military operations in various parts of the world are detrimental to the goal of world peace. Conversely, there is also the view that the military and military entities can actually help to facilitate and foster peace around the world. This view may seem counter intuitive to some, but unfortunately, the world can be a very scary and dangerous place. All throughout human history, people of all races, nationalities, religions and creed have sought to advance their own power and influence. In most cases, this cannot be done without the use of force. This raises difficult and intriguing moral questions. Many will claim that the U.S. military and its allies,
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Not every peace operation has ended successfully of course, but overall, the long term benefits of peace operations are well worth the risk and the cost. However, according to a research paper written by Lisa Hultman, it has been shown that peace operations can actually intensify violence against civilians in the short term. This is mainly because warring factions are constantly trying to fight for power over the other, and when peacekeepers get involved, the warring parties know that a peace deal will come soon. This may cause one side to fight dirty, and commit violence against enemy civilians, in order to attain more control over territory, so that they may claim it as their own at the negotiating table. While it is impossible to prevent all atrocities from occurring, research has shown that with more strident mandates to protect civilians in place, peacekeepers can actually provide safe haven for civilians until a peace deal can be arranged. “In the long run, peace operations might be the only way to help belligerents come to an agreement and subsequently respect a post-war peace.” (Hultman, …show more content…
By using military force to intervene in conflicts, more lives get spared as a result. The Somalia peace operation, for example, cost 18 American lives, but ultimately resulted in saving the lives of most Somali people from starvation. Not only are lives of people in conflict zones spared and often times improved, but the nations that participate in peace operations have a unique opportunity to work with one another and relate with each other. This helps bridge the divide between people of different nationalities, faiths and races and build more understanding and tolerance in the world. For these reasons, I feel it is safe to say, that peace operations are
Not every peace operation has ended successfully of course, but overall, the long term benefits of peace operations are well worth the risk and the cost. However, according to a research paper written by Lisa Hultman, it has been shown that peace operations can actually intensify violence against civilians in the short term. This is mainly because warring factions are constantly trying to fight for power over the other, and when peacekeepers get involved, the warring parties know that a peace deal will come soon. This may cause one side to fight dirty, and commit violence against enemy civilians, in order to attain more control over territory, so that they may claim it as their own at the negotiating table. While it is impossible to prevent all atrocities from occurring, research has shown that with more strident mandates to protect civilians in place, peacekeepers can actually provide safe haven for civilians until a peace deal can be arranged. “In the long run, peace operations might be the only way to help belligerents come to an agreement and subsequently respect a post-war peace.” (Hultman, …show more content…
By using military force to intervene in conflicts, more lives get spared as a result. The Somalia peace operation, for example, cost 18 American lives, but ultimately resulted in saving the lives of most Somali people from starvation. Not only are lives of people in conflict zones spared and often times improved, but the nations that participate in peace operations have a unique opportunity to work with one another and relate with each other. This helps bridge the divide between people of different nationalities, faiths and races and build more understanding and tolerance in the world. For these reasons, I feel it is safe to say, that peace operations are