Occasional Paper #26:OP:1
by Robert C. Johansen

                              Abstract

Three recent developments threaten to undermine peace and weaken the tools of peacebuilding: (1) the danger of terrorist attacks similar to those of September 11, 2001; (2) the U.S. endorsement of pre-emptive war to maintain U.S. global dominance; and (3) the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Despite difficulties, the United Nations remains the most legitimate institution for developing a global grand strategy to address all these problems and respond to humanitarian emergencies. Those seeking to strengthen the tools of peace and the effectiveness of U.N. peace operations should: (1) encourage political leaders and civil societies to revive and respect international legal constraints on the use of collective violence by both states and non-state actors and (2) increase U.N. capabilities for peace operations, particularly by establishing a permanent, highly professional U.N. civilian police force to help address new security issues.

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