Re: UN Mercs as Peacekeepers

----- Original Message -----
> On Sat, 16 Feb 2002 15:03:48 EST ShldWulf@aol.com writes:
> >I seem to recall from an earlier study of the UN charter, (say about
> >20 years ago I think :o) that the UN was specifically prohibited from
having
> >any integral military forces. The member states had to provide any,
and
> >the UN was basically stuck with what it got.

I did a quick scan of the charter
http://www.un.org/aboutun/charter/index.html
I didn't find a specific prohibition, but a number of provisions for
"immediately available" national forces and a military staff:
--------------

CHAPTER III
ORGANS

Article 7
  1.. There are established as the principal organs of the United
Nations:
a General Assembly, a Security Council, an Economic and Social Council, 
a
Trusteeship Council, an International Court of Justice, and a
Secretariat.

  2.. Such subsidiary organs as may be found necessary may be
established in
accordance with the present Charter.
------------
Don't know if a military force couldn't be established as a "subsidiary
organ" of the UN
-------------
Chapter 7:
ACTION WITH RESPECT TO THREATS TO THE PEACE, BREACHES OF THE PEACE, AND
ACTS
OF AGGRESSION
Article 43
  1.. All Members of the United Nations, in order to contribute to the
maintenance of international peace and security, undertake to make
available
to the Security Council, on its call and in accordance with a special
agreement or agreements, armed forces, assistance, and facilities,
including
rights of passage, necessary for the purpose of maintaining
international
peace and security.
[...]

  1.. Article 45
In order to enable the United Nations to take urgent military measures,
Members shall hold immediately available national air-force contingents
for
combined international enforcement action. The strength and degree of
readiness of these contingents and plans for their combined action shall
be
determined within the limits laid down in the special agreement or
agreements referred to in Article 43, by the Security Council with the
assistance of the Military Staff Committee.

[...}

Article 47
  1.. There shall be established a Military Staff Committee to advise
and
assist the Security Council on all questions relating to the Security
Council's military requirements for the maintenance of international
peace
and security, the employment and command of forces placed at its
disposal,
the regulation of armaments, and possible disarmament.

  2.. The Military Staff Committee shall consist of the Chiefs of Staff
of
the permanent members of the Security Council or their representatives.
Any
Member of the United Nations not permanently represented on the
Committee
shall be invited by the Committee to be associated with it when the
efficient discharge of the Committee's responsibilities requires the
participation of that Member in its work.
------------

Chapter 7 only mentions military forces provided by member states, but I
didn't see an explicit prohibition of UN forces.
I'm not sure the Staff committee was actually established. I never heard
of
it and I can't imagine it having functioned during the cold war.

Greetings
Karl Heinz