Comments on: Hope in Burundi?

By: Eddie

Eddie — Thu, 01 Sep 2005 14:26:06 +0000

That is a very real concern and ongoing problem. Not every nation is like Rwanda (with a military force that to a man is dedicated to preventing another series of mass murder). I don’t have an acceptable answer for how to promote loyalty and reliability, other than to promote the common training methods utilized by the US military for years with great success, a combination of teamwork, punishment and grueling physical and mental testing through a training period. Somehow, out of this crucible, an army, a navy, an air wing.. they are born. Raising the professionalism of the officer and NCO corps would help though I believe, and that is where more professional education in the US could help at our service academies and military colleges.

By: Chirol

Chirol — Thu, 01 Sep 2005 12:17:07 +0000

Agreed, small groups of special forces training indigenous forces to control their own country have indeed been successful in cases such as Georgia and are truly better than having to send in significant troop numbers. However, while I think we should increase our efforts at training local forces to do the job themselves, their loyalty and reliability aren’t always up to par so regardless of their skills, if they have little connection to the cause or belief in the system, our efforts would be wasted.

By: Eddie

Eddie — Wed, 31 Aug 2005 23:45:42 +0000

If peace in Burundi, Liberia, Uganda and other war-torn nations is to have a real chance to succeed, we must utilize our special forces and private contractors (such as MPRI) to train their militiaries not be to merely peacekeepers, but peacemakers. Otherwise, unless this rampant lawlessness and violence is met with swift, decisive force, Africa will remain a disaster area.