Message to the UN: Stop pretending to have principles.

One of the UN's founding principles is to prevent genocide. Obviously, the UN failed miserably in Rwanda (1994), and its bureaucrats swore "never again". As it turns out, that didn't mean they would intervene to prevent a future genocide. Rather, they simply wouldn't utter the g-word at the UN; if they did they would be legally bound to stop the genocide. This was the UN "solution" to the Sudan crisis a year ago.

Unfortunately, it just got worse. 200,000 civilians have already been killed, and the crisis has spread into neighboring Chad. This time around, the UN has promised to do what it was created to do:

"The United Nations Security Council has agreed to send troops to protect civilians, but they will take months to arrive."

Pending the imminent failure of the delayed UN response to accomplish anything of significance, we might continue wondering how we can really improve life in Africa. Well, I don't believe in being cynical without offering solutions, so here is one that I strongly advocate.

In 1989 there was a private mercenary company that was formed in South Africa called "Executive Outcomes". One example of their accomplishments was their being hired by the government of Sierra Leone to restore order in their country. For 20 million dollars/year, Executive Outcomes sent a force of 300 mercenaries (who had a combined battle experience of 5000 years or so). This force quickly pushed the rebels back into a corner of the country, restoring order. Elections were then able to take place.

The UN threw a fit and pushed Sierra Leone to cancel their contract with Executive Outcomes, and sent in a UN peacekeeping force in its place. The UN force was 18,000 strong, and costed 1 billion/year to maintain "order". According to Wikipedia, here is what the UN peacekeepers accomplished:

In terms of effectiveness, the UN peacekeeping force allowed the RUF to retake the capital twice while committing atrocities in its wake, and also stood helpless while a military coup led by Colonel Johnny Paul Koroma deposed the democratically elected Kabbah.

A private mercenary company, for 2% of the cost, was able to accomplish what the UN could not.

I know there will be concerns about having such powerful private enterprises in existence. It would be unsettling to think that a private company could overthrow small governments. However, legalized mercenary companies could easily be held in check. Mercenary companies such as EO could be required to act only under UN authorization. They could be banned from having weapons of mass destruction, and other powerful weapons of war. Other checks could be in place that would prevent a mercenary company from ever abusing its power.

The bottom line is that the UN needs some teeth. The problem with the UN is that it is inefficient and that it held in check by politics. Even when the UN does send military units, the soldiers from a given country are under that nation's control, and not under UN control. Further, there are political costs to UN intervention. For example, Americans don't want to see the bodies of American soldiers dragged through the streets, as in Somolia.

The only solution that I can see for the serious problems that Africa faces is to allow mercenary companies to operate under UN sanction. These private forces are cheaper and more effective. Further, they would not be constrained by the politics of command and logistics that the UN armed forces face. Finally, the UN would not be concerned with the political strains associated with loss of life for the soldiers. Mercenaries would be hired to restore order and allow elections to take place. If mercenaries are killed, people aren't really going to mind.

The Rwandan genocide was perpetrated by men armed with machetes and small arms. The Darfur genocide is being perpetrated by armed men riding camels. The solution is not to send in neutered UN forces at great cost to try to restore order. The solution is to hire a highly trained private company to go in under UN authority. These forces would make short work of the genocidal maniacs rampaging throughout the land, with none of the costs; monetary or political, associated with a UN force.

The principles of the UN oppose the use of armed mercenaries. Well, the UN is also principally opposed to genocide. Its time for the UN to get its priorities straight.