OK, here's your chance to do something really worth while. I know everyone at AMHD likes to help people so this is your chance to help the world! At $1,028.00 a month I am going to have to pass but if Koffi Annon and his son would split some of that food for oil money with me I might be persuaded to climb aboard! Plus, this could be your chance to watch Armageddon up close! My question to you is this: Would you volunteer for something like this and do you think the UN is helping the people of the world at all? I personally think they are a joke and need to be run off of United States soil today.



explaner
Where's My Blue Helmet?
How to become a U.N. peacekeeper.
By Daniel Engber
Posted Tuesday, July 25, 2006, at 6:19 PM ET


Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice discussed the possibility of a cease-fire with Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora on Monday. Rice proposed using international peacekeepers throughout the country and to guard its borders with Israel and Syria. Siniora said he would consider a deployment of peacekeepers, but only if they came from the United Nations. Who are the U.N. peacekeepers, and where do they come from?

They're soldiers, police officers, and military observers from the United Nations' member countries. Nations are expected to volunteer the members of their armed forces when asked—in general, the developing world does most of the volunteering. As of last month, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and India each had almost 10,000 troops in blue helmets, while American soldiers accounted for just 12.

The contributing countries continue to pay their soldiers, but they get reimbursed by the United Nations at a standard rate of $1,028 per month, plus a few hundred dollars extra for specialists. Troops typically stay for at least six months at a time, with the exact details of the deployment schedule left up to the country that sent them.

Most of the Americans who take part in peacekeeping serve as civilian police officers rather than soldiers. (As of last month, 314 Americans were employed in such positions.) The State Department recruits volunteers for "CivPol" jobs through several private firms—DynCorp International, Civilian Police International, and PAE-HSC. These companies invite cops and recent ex-cops to apply online for yearlong stints overseas.

Aspiring peacekeepers must be U.S. citizens with five years of experience in professional law enforcement. (DynCorp won't take anyone under the age of 26.) Eligible candidates must pass a physical agility test that includes the "low hurdle," the "12-foot tunnel run," the "dummy drag," and the "ladder climb with shotgun."

Those who make it through peacekeeper training get sent to the United Nations for international deployment. The private companies have overseas support offices from which they pay recruits and provide food, lodging, and health care.

Got a question about today's news? Ask the Explainer.

Explainer thanks Mikhail Seliankin of the United Nations Peace and Security Section. Thanks also to reader Josh Martin for asking the question.

Daniel Engber is a regular contributor to Slate.

Article URL: http://www.slate.com/id/2146479/
Copyright 2006 Washingtonpost.Newsweek Interactive Co. LLC

phillysteakandcheese

As ineffective as you may think the UN is, the world would be worse off without them. Consider:

• Basic human rights.
• Development in third world countries.
• The World Health Organization.
• UNICEF.
• And like it or not, there have been no World Wars since the inception of the UN (something the UN's predecessor, The League Of Nations, cannot say).

I understand the frustration - the UN is not always an effecient or effective organization, and it's had some unbelieveable failures, but it's all we got in this world. When you consider failures vs successes, it's not doing all that bad.

To say they are a useless bunch is very narrow-sighted.

magprob

Hummm, I wonder where Wikipedia got their information? Maybe directly from the UN? As far as human rights in third world countries, don't get me started! And the WHO, who in any third world countries are really receiving good medical care? Your information describes what the UN tells gullible people what they are. I am asking what are they really?

phillysteakandcheese

Wikipedia is an encyclopedia written collaboratively by its readers. Anyone can edit it. It's not an absolute authority, but it a good resource to look at.

The UNHCHR has brought atrocities occurring in various parts of the world to public attention.
And what has the WHO done? Well, to start with, how about eradicating small pox?

Again - consider failures vs successes in the broader world view.

CaptainForest

I agree with magprob on this.

Right now, as presently structured, I think the UN is a joke.

I agree with US Ambassador John Bolton and his views on the UN.

The UN needs to be revamped.

In the general assembly, each country gets 1 vote. That is ridiculous. So a country like Canada at 30 million gets the same voting power as a country of 1million? And what about the USA at 450 million?

Sure, some countries are on the security council, but it is not the same. Each country should not be getting 1 vote.


It is also one thing when the UN interferes with 3rd world countries.

What pisses me off is when they start sticking their noises into Canadian political matters.

The most recent example that comes to mind is the BC Teachers Strike last year. Whether or not you agreed with it, the UN had NO business in my opinion to get involved!

talaniman

I would raise the rent and screen the tenants a lot better than they do now. To many secret deals go on for me. Where's the oversight? No I could never see myself signing up for any self-serving group no matter what the pay.