Pity The Peacemakers

Asked to take over as the world's Globo-cop, the U.N. has found no formula for success

A U.S. Marine raised on John Wayne movies and bloodied in Desert Storm's armored romp through Iraq might be perplexed by last week's action in Mogadishu. Under the command of a Turkish general who was advised by a retired U.S. admiral, U.N. Special Envoy Jonathan Howe, troops from five countries set about destroying the power base of Somalia's most notorious warlord, General Mohammed Farrah Aidid, beneath a hail of missile fire and cannon bursts from helicopter gunships overhead. Troops from the U.S., Pakistan, Morocco, France and Italy searched for Aidid. Prodded by Washington, the U.N. wanted to punish him for ordering...

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