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Edited by Mrph1 on Nov 30th 2023 at 11:03:59 AM
If we're sending international peackeepers into a situation then generally something has gone wrong, that's why we're sending them in. The peacekeepers being unable to prevent people from killing other people rather undermines their ability to do their job.
“And the Bunny nails it!” ~ Gabrael “If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we.” ~ Cyran![]()
Many times you are getting shot at by the people you are trying to protect simply because you are in the middle of a war zone trying to protect both sides.
A lot about Peacekeeping is to interfere with everyone's ability to organize and their ability to make war, jamming and or monitoring communications and such is a must and hopelessly out of date.
edited 26th Sep '15 3:37:09 PM by Memers
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It depends on the situation, if it's 5 guys stealing the food aid that just got handed out it's rather hard to defuse it peacefully, especially if the thieves know that you aren't allowed to hurt them.
On a level part of avoiding a situation getting violent is the fact that it can, it's a lot easier to convince someone to put down a gun if you point out that you've got one as well, if you haven't it's a lot harder to convince them.
X4 Sure but part of that interfering is giving people alternatives, if gangs are running rampant stealing all the food aid then there is no alternative.
edited 26th Sep '15 3:48:19 PM by Silasw
“And the Bunny nails it!” ~ Gabrael “If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we.” ~ CyranI'm all for peaceful resolution, but when insurgents start overrunning your base or armed gangs start capping refugees, peacekeepers should be allowed to use a (proportionate) level of deadly force.
The current ROE is what gives us stuff like Srebrenica.
Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.Nonviolence only works when there is a limit to the amount of violence the other side is willing to apply to you. The kind of people Peacekeepers need to deal with start at "shoot the guys the people in blue hats are trying to save" and only get worse from there.
So... are we going to volunteer any of those fancy microwave lasers we've been working on the last 2 decades?
edited 26th Sep '15 4:22:32 PM by Canid117
"War without fire is like sausages without mustard." - Jean Juvénal des UrsinsMicrowave weapons cleared for battle.
Because you need a cargo plane sized powerplant to power the laser.
edited 26th Sep '15 4:40:31 PM by AngelusNox
Inter arma enim silent legesForget lasers, when can we expect an ER PPC?
Of course, chances are anything like that won't be practical for decades...but it'll get funded anyway. You know, because some has to be paid to make the thing (hint hint).
Expergiscēre cras, medior quam hodie. (Awaken tomorrow, better than today.)@ Jovian:
Up to a point
.
So I saw an interesting meme on Facebook that has me wondering how well it would work. It's a simple logic bit: IF a Citizen must pay to get an ID, AND a Citizen must have an ID to vote, THEN a Citizen must pay to vote, violating the 14th amendment as per Harper v. Virginia Board of Elections - aka, the "no poll tax" decision.
Now as far as this goes, I find it persuasive, but at the same time I'm left wondering why this has never been brought up through the courts, especially with how many places have implemented repressive ID requirements in the last 10 years. I also worry that, with the current layout of the court, it would be shot down on a 5-4 decision, leaving states free to require outright poll taxes for voting again.
That’s the epitome of privilege right there, not considering armed nazis a threat to your life. - Silasw

Up to date radar systems, ground based detection systems, personal armor, non-lethal weaponry, interference systems etc could be greatly improved from my understanding.
A lot of gear is vintage 70s / 80s surplus stuff from the looks of me googling around.
edited 26th Sep '15 3:31:48 PM by Memers