Introduction: The Phoenix of Peacekeeping

In: Small wars & insurgencies, Band 15, Heft 2, S. 1-4

Abstract

An introduction to a special issue on, "Small Wars and Insurgencies," calls attention to shifts in attitudes toward peacekeeping & peace operations following events like the fall of the Berlin Wall, the first Gulf War, street fighting in Mogadishu, & genocide in Rwanda. It is noted that the failure of traditional peacekeeping to end the conflict in Bosnia-Herzegovina led to a more forceful approach to intervention. Peace operations save lives by stabilizing crisis areas & separating hostile neighbors; however, many lessons can be learned from the past. The articles in this issue examine challenges that have emerged in former operations, including the missions in Somalia & Bosnia-Herzegovina, & joint Palestinian-Israeli patrols in the territories between 1994 & 2000. The diverse group of contributors includes scholars & practitioners who present practical as well as theoretical views of peacekeeping/peace operations. Emphasis is placed on the critical need for a more effective approach to intervention in light of the massive operations to rebuild Afghanistan & Iraq. J. Lindroth