Zero Tolerance For UN Zero Tolerance Policy

I'm having a real tough time accepting the zero tolerance policy implemented by the UN relating to the sexual abuse/harassment/assault cases that continue to pop up wherever the UN engages in 'peacekeeping operations.'

"The policy — as you have certainly heard — is zero tolerance. That's really the policy," said M'Hand Ladjouzi, the program chief of the U.N. Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (search) in the city of Goma. "Measures were taken by the military themselves, the commandant of those forces and the leadership of the United Nations, both locally and in New York."

But the world body's pledge to crack down appears to be having little effect. When night falls in Goma, U.N. peacekeepers can still be seen leaving their base in search of sex.

Zero tolerance by day, 100 percent chance of violating policy by night.

Why is this the case when the 'world' is supposedly cracking down on this kind of action? Because the UN doesn't particularly care to train its peacekeepers since it's damn lucky that anyone volunteers their military to serve in the first place. Those that do come into the peacekeeping corps are ill equipped and ill prepared to deal with the horrors that they are supposed to be dealing with. Then, there's the fact that the peacekeepers can do little to stop violence because of limited mission statements. None of that excuses the horrible behavior. It just reinforces a culture at the UN that is permissive and overlooks rampant sexual misconduct.