The Impossible Mandate? Military Preparedness, the Responsibility to Protect and Modern Peace Operations

Is the world prepared to use military force to protect civilians from mass violence? In 2001, the International Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty argued that when nations failed to protect their citizens from large-scale violence and genocide, the international community should take on that "responsibility to protect." As policymakers embrace the idea of such a responsibility, more attention is needed on how military missions should protect civilians and what multinational organizations and national armed services are doing to prepare for such operations. This study looks at these tough questions, examines various concepts of civilian protection and identifies the challenges. It considers likely international actors and the tools used to prepare forces - mandates, rules of engagement, doctrine, and training - to support their missions. Key issues confronting peacekeepers mandated to protect civilians are examined in the case of the Democratic Republic of Congo. This book identifies clear gaps that must be addressed if aspirations to protect civilians are to transcend rhetoric and translate into effective action in the field.