The UN currently oversees 16 peacekeeping operations with nearly 125,000 personnel, constituting the largest deployed military force in the world. UN peacekeepers work to stabilize conflict zones and prevent the collapse of fragile states by protecting civilians from violence, disarming, demobilizing, and reintegrating former combatants into society, facilitating the delivery of humanitarian assistance to populations in need, training and building the ca- pacity of national police forces to protect law and order, and supporting free and fair elections.
Given its position as a permanent, veto-wielding member of the Security Council, no UN peacekeeping operation can be deployed without U.S. con- sent, and in fact, both Republican and Democratic Administrations have used U.S. influence at the Council to champion new missions with more complex mandates. This bipartisan support stems from the fact that countries undergo- ing conflict threaten U.S. national security, risk becoming safe havens for ter- rorist and criminal organizations, and feature levels of deprivation and abuses of human rights that are an affront to American values. Some of the benefits of UN peacekeeping are described below.
UN PeacekeePiNg:
a Force For Peace &
Stability aroUNd the World
Peace &
SecUrity iSSUeS
EffEctivE:
A 2013 study found that deploying large num- bers of UN peacekeepers “dramatically reduces civilian killings.” To support their hypothesis, the authors examined monthly civilian death tolls from intrastate armed conflicts in sub-Saharan Africa between 1991 and 2008. Their findings were striking: in instances where no peacekeeping troops were deployed, the monthly average of civilian deaths was approximately 106. however, in instances where at least 8,000 UN troops were present, the average monthly death toll fell to less than two. The study concluded that ensuring UN peacekeeping forces “are appropriately tasked and deployed in large numbers” is critical to their ability to protect civilians.
cost-EffEctivE:
UN peacekeeping is, relatively speaking, a cost-effective endeavor compared to other mil- itary options. While UN peacekeepers currently constitute the largest deployed military force in the world, the UN’s annual peacekeeping budget only makes up around 0.5% of total annual global military expenditures. Moreover, according to a study by the Government Accountability office (GAo), UN peacekeeping operations are eight times less expensive than a comparable U.S.
force. This point was backed up by former Secre- tary of State Condoleezza Rice, who said that UN peacekeeping “is much more cost-effective than using American forces. And of course, America doesn’t have the forces to do all of these peace- keeping missions…”
intErnational BurdEn-sharing:
While the U.S. possesses the strongest and most capable military in the world, it cannot—and should not—have to assume the risks and burdens associated with maintaining peace and security around the world alone. When conflicts in DR Congo, Mali, or South Sudan require boots on the ground to defuse conflict, peacekeeping is often the best instrument we have. Peacekeeping oper- ations ensure that other countries help shoulder the burden, both by contributing troops and shar- ing the financial costs of operations. indeed, ac- cording to U.S. Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power: “The multilateral nature of peacekeeping helps address the free-rider problem we see to- day in so many matters of international security – from the spread of ebola, to the rise of iSil, to the recruitment of foreign terrorist fighters – whereby countries with vested interests in addressing threats rely on the United States to do the lion’s share of the work. Peacekeeping gets other coun- tries to stand up, rather than stand by.”
While the U.S. pays a larger share of the UN’s peacekeeping budget than any other country, it plays a pivotal role in the decision to send peace- keepers into the field in the first place. Meanwhile, other UN member states—including countries like Bangladesh, Ghana, Nepal and Jordan—contrib- ute the vast majority of uniformed personnel that serve on UN peacekeeping operations. Currently, less than 100 U.S. soldiers and police are de- ployed to UN missions, constituting less than 0.1%
of all uniformed UN personnel, who hail from 122 countries overall.
a 2013 study found that deploying large numbers of
un peacekeepers ”“““““dramatically
reduces civilian killings.””
qUick FactS
Peacekeeping gets other countries to stand up, rather than stand by.”
Samantha Power
U.S. Ambassador to the UN
“
According to a study by the Government Ac- countability Office (GAO), UN peacekeeping operations are eight times less expensive than a comparable U.S. force.
Currently, less than 100 U.S. soldiers and police
are deployed to UN missions, constituting less
than 0.1% of all uniformed UN personnel, who
hail from 122 countries overall.
over the past two decades, UN peacekeeping has experienced a number of important shifts:
the number of personnel serving in the field is nearly 50% higher today than 10 years ago;
approximately 98% of all uniformed peacekeep- ing personnel currently serve under a mandate to protect civilians from violence; and two-thirds of peacekeepers are deployed to active conflict zones, where they are sometimes viewed as legitimate targets for attack. These factors—the growth in the size of missions and the complexity of their mandates, paired with the evolving threat environments facing peacekeepers and con- cerns over whether missions are adequately re- sourced to meet these challenges—have placed the UN peacekeeping system under increasing strain, and are driving a reassessment of how the international community carries out peace operations. in late 2014, UN Secretary-General Ban ki-moon appointed a high-level Panel to undertake a comprehensive assessment of the current state of UN peace operations. Their final report, issued in June 2015, put forward a number of important recommendations for the UN, mem- ber states, and the Security Council on improving UN peacekeeping operations. Now, UN member states—including the U.S.—are discussing how to put some of these recommendations into practice.
in tandem with this UN-led assessment, the U.S.
has been working to enhance its own support and encourage other countries to provide more troops and equipment to UN peacekeeping missions. in September 2015, the U.S. organized a leadership Summit on peacekeeping on the sidelines of the annual opening of the General Assembly, during which more than 50 countries pledged some 40,000 additional peacekeepers for possible deployment, as well as key force
enablers such as helicopters, engineering and medical units, and counter ieD capabilities.
That same month, President obama issued a new Presidential Policy Memorandum direct- ing federal agencies to take actions related to strengthening and modernizing U.S. assistance to UN peace operations. This is the first Presi- dential guidance on multilateral peace opera- tions in more than 20 years.
coUNteriNg
VioleNt extremiSm
Terrorism and violent extremism pose a grave, persistent threat to international peace and security. As has been learned over the past two decades, terror networks operate in countries frequently beyond the reach of American ac- cess and influence – and with recent attacks in france, lebanon, Turkey, Mali, and indonesia, this problem requires a comprehensive, multilat- eral solution.
The UN is an important partner in global efforts to fight terrorism and stamp out violent extrem- ism, helping amplify and broaden the reach of our nation’s own counterterrorism initiatives.
for several decades, the UN system has played a central role in efforts to build an international legal framework to combat terrorism, including the elaboration of multilateral treaties crim- inalizing specific terrorist acts and terrorism financing, as well as the creation of binding international sanctions regimes by the Security Council targeting iSiS, Al-Qaeda, and the Talib- an. The UN has also served as a critical forum for information sharing, the provision of tech- nical assistance, and other cooperative activi- ties to support global counterterrorism efforts.
Provided below is a selection of recent actions taken by the UN on this issue.
multilateral Sanctions: for more than 15 years, the UN Security Council has had in place ro- bust, legally-binding sanctions—including asset freezes, travel bans, and arms embargoes—tar- geting individuals, groups, and entities associ- ated with al-Qaeda. in an effort to strengthen these measures, in December 2015, U.S.
Treasury Secretary Jacob lew chaired a special meeting of the Council to discuss ways to im- prove international efforts to curtail various rev- enue-generating activities—including oil smug- gling, kidnapping for ransom, human trafficking, and trade in stolen antiquities—undertaken by
[United Nations] peacekeepers help promote stability and help reduce the risks that major U.S. military interventions may be required to restore stability in a country or region. Therefore the success of these operations is very much in our national interest.”
admiral mike mullen
former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under Presidents Bush and obama
“
iSiS. This unprecedented session—the first-ever meeting of the Security Council at which mem- ber states were represented by their finance ministers—resulted in the unanimous adoption of a resolution requiring UN member states to:
criminalize all financial transactions related to terrorism; improve communication and informa- tion-sharing between government agencies on terrorist financing; enhance engagement with the private sector, particularly financial insti- tutions, to better identify activities related to terrorist financing; report to the Council within 120 days describing what steps they are taking to prevent iSiS, al-Qaeda, and related groups from making money, including through interdic- tions of oil sales.
Security Council resolution on Foreign ter- rorist Fighters: The rise of iSiS and other ex- tremist groups in iraq and Syria has pushed the issue of foreign fighters—and how to suppress the recruitment and travel of these individuals to conflict zones—to the forefront of global pol- icy debates. in late September 2014, President obama chaired a Security Council meeting to discuss this issue. At the conclusion of the meeting, the Council unanimously adopted a le- gally-binding resolution—strongly supported by the U.S.—compelling all countries to put in place domestic laws to prosecute those who travel abroad to join terrorist organiza- tions and those who help them, including by raising funds.
Counterterrorism Committee executive direc- torate (Cted): in the wake of the September 11 attacks, the Security Council adopted Res- olution 1373, requiring countries to criminalize terrorism financing, freeze funds related to persons involved in terrorist acts, and coop- erate with other governments to arrest, pros- ecute, and extradite terrorism suspects. The resolution also established a Counterterrorism Committee, made up of all 15 members of the Security Council, to help UN member states im- plement the terms of the resolution. As part of these efforts, the Committee and its executive Directorate (CTeD) have facilitated technical assistance to more than 60 countries to help address terrorism financing, border and cus- toms controls, arms trafficking, transportation security, and a number of other issues. follow- ing up on the Security Council’s resolution on foreign fighters, the CTeD is helping member states, other UN agencies, and aligned organi- zations such as NATo confront the challenges posed by the influx of foreign fighters to places like Syria and iraq.
qUick FactS
For more than 15 years, the UN Security Council has had in place robust, legally-binding sanctions—
including asset freezes, travel bans, and arms embargoes—targeting individuals, groups, and entities associated with al-Qaeda.
The Committee and its Executive
Directorate (CTED) have facilitated
technical assistance to more than
60 countries to help address ter-
rorism financing, border and cus-
toms controls, arms trafficking, and
transportation security.
SUPPortiNg global
NoN-ProliFeratioN eFFortS
The UN is a key platform for countries to work together to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. The General Assembly, Security Council, and international Atomic energy Agency (iAeA) all provide venues for countries to share resources and information, create frameworks for addressing breaches of international agreements, and build unified fronts against rogue states. As a result, the UN is a critical asset to American nuclear non-proliferation efforts, helping ensure these dangerous weapons do not fall into the wrong hands.
the un’s core nuclear
non-Proliferation Mechanisms
• nuclear non-Proliferation treaty (nPt):
The NPT commits states to preventing the spread of nuclear weapons and weap- ons technologies while at the same time working towards nuclear disarmament. All but four countries are parties to this treaty.
• international atomic energy agency (iaea): The iAeA verifies member state compliance with the NPT and other non-proliferation agreements by mon- itoring and inspecting nuclear facilities and material in more than 140 countries to ensure their peaceful use. These activities can help provide the interna- tional community with advanced warning of and trigger a global response to the existence of an illicit nuclear weapons program, including providing a basis for action by the Security Council.
• Comprehensive nuclear test-Ban treaty (CtBt): The CTBT, ratified by 157 UN member states, obliges parties not to detonate nuclear weapons or support those who do. The United States has signed but not ratified the CTBT.
un action in iran
The UN has played a crucial role in U.S.-led efforts to isolate iran and sharpen the choices of its leadership over its controversial nucle- ar program. in 2010, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 1929, cre- ating the toughest multilateral sanctions ever faced by the iranian government. This action set the stage for stronger bilateral sanctions by the U.S., eU, Australia, Canada, South ko- rea, Japan and other countries – the impact of which deeply affected the iranian economy and helped push the country to the negotiating table. in fact, former iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said the multilateral and bilateral sanctions caused “the heaviest economic on- slaught on our nation in history.”
After several years of diplomatic pressure, the P5+1 (the five permanent UN Security Council members and Germany) and iran struck an agreement on July 14, 2015 to constrain iran’s nuclear program in exchange for phased-in sanctions relief. The agreement (known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action or JCPoA) imposed restrictions on iran’s nuclear program, including requiring iran to ship 97% of its en- riched uranium out of the country; dismantle and remove two-thirds of its centrifuges; and
remove the core of its Arak heavy water reactor and fill it with cement. The agreement also em- powered the iAeA to inspect and verify iranian compliance, allowing international monitors unprecedented access to the country’s nuclear facilities and supply chain. Regardless of one’s view of the JCPoA, the iAeA will play an essen- tial role in verification of the agreement.
on January 16, 2016 – six months after the accord was first finalized – iAeA Director Gen- eral Yukiya Amano confirmed that iran had completed the necessary preparatory steps to begin the implementation of the JCPoA, paving the way for UN, eU, and U.S. sanctions to start lifting. Moving forward, the nuclear watchdog will be tasked with continually verifying iran’s remaining nuclear work is conducted for pure- ly peaceful purposes. in addition, while some sanctions have been rescinded – such as a restriction on iranian crude oil sales – others will not take effect for many years. for example, sanctions banning conventional arms sales will not be lifted for five years and restrictions on ballistic missile sales will remain in place for eight years – each subject to iAeA verification that iran is upholding its end of the agreement.
in order to maintain these continuous monitor- ing activities, the JCPoA Additional Protocol grants the iAeA complementary authority to inspect any site in the country – including irani- an military bases and high-tech factories – that it suspects may be conducting illicit nuclear activity. in addition, the iAeA is leveraging new technologies to enhance its on the ground capabilities. The nuclear watchdog recently installed a high-tech device known as an online enrichment Monitor (oleM) at iran’s Natanz fa- cility to ensure uranium enrichment activities do not exceed agreed upon levels. The device en- ables 24/7 monitoring of the facility and, when paired with expanded traditional investigation mechanisms, allows the iAeA unprecedented oversight of iran’s nuclear program.
Throughout the life of the iran deal – and be- yond – the iAeA will be relied upon by the U.S.
and its allies to independently monitor iran’s nuclear activities and verify that the country is acting responsibly and transparently. As a result, American support for the iAeA, including the financial resources required to maintain these enhanced monitoring activities, will re- main critical to international peace and security.
