The United Nations appointed Dallaire as the commander of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda (UNAMIR) leading up to and during the genocide. Military is founded on accurate obedience, leading to recruits being taught to obey immediately and without question. Dallaire was no exception to this discipline and has undergone such training since 1960. Dallaire did not press for his plans because it is part of his identity as a soldier, moreover a commander, to only obey the orders given to him. Before flying to Rwanda, Dallaire attended a briefing in New York for details about his mission. For Dallaire, who has no prior knowledge of Rwanda and its social disputes, all the information he received was misleading and deceiving. The briefing was too hasty and was not informative, there were no analysis, and it was said that the Hutu-Tutsi conflict was not a real threat. The United Nations wanted Dallaire’s mission to be small and inexpensive, disregarding the possibilities of losing control over the situation. Nonetheless, Dallaire requested 5000 troops to accompany him in his peace-keeping mission, acknowledging that things could get worse before they could get better; but the United Nations only provided him with 500 troops. As the appointed commander, Roméo Dallaire used the little that the United Nations provided him and did what he could to prepare for his
The United Nations appointed Dallaire as the commander of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda (UNAMIR) leading up to and during the genocide. Military is founded on accurate obedience, leading to recruits being taught to obey immediately and without question. Dallaire was no exception to this discipline and has undergone such training since 1960. Dallaire did not press for his plans because it is part of his identity as a soldier, moreover a commander, to only obey the orders given to him. Before flying to Rwanda, Dallaire attended a briefing in New York for details about his mission. For Dallaire, who has no prior knowledge of Rwanda and its social disputes, all the information he received was misleading and deceiving. The briefing was too hasty and was not informative, there were no analysis, and it was said that the Hutu-Tutsi conflict was not a real threat. The United Nations wanted Dallaire’s mission to be small and inexpensive, disregarding the possibilities of losing control over the situation. Nonetheless, Dallaire requested 5000 troops to accompany him in his peace-keeping mission, acknowledging that things could get worse before they could get better; but the United Nations only provided him with 500 troops. As the appointed commander, Roméo Dallaire used the little that the United Nations provided him and did what he could to prepare for his