De-Mythologizing Peacekeeping
Peacekeeping, one of the major innovations in United Nations history, has been regarded as an activity falling under ‘Chapter Six and a half’ of the un Charter. Many have also urged that peacekeeping be made more robust and to engage with military force against ‘spoilers’. This article questions these two myths – ‘Chapter Six and a half’ and ‘robust peacekeeping’ – and argues that providing ambiguous half-half mandates and expecting peacekeepers to engage robustly has created a lot of confusion. It advocates for clarity and distinction between peacekeeping and military engagement, and recommends to delegate these two roles to two fully separate actors, well equipped and trained to exercise them professionally.