Protecting Strangers: Reflections on a Cosmopolitan Peacekeeping Capacity

This chapter examines the emergence of a cosmopolitan military capacity to respond quickly and effectively in cases of violent intra-state conflict and mass atrocity crime. The chapter explores the arguments for the creation of a United Nations Emergency Peace Service (UNEPS), aimed at providing an autonomous capacity for peacekeeping and civilian protection operations. Whilst the UNEPS concept makes an interesting and timely contribution to the debate on a standing UN army, it is weakened by overly optimistic claims about the force’s capabilities and its ability to function independently from national militaries. The chapter suggests that, whilst not necessarily abandoning the focus on autonomous UN peace operations capacity, attention must similarly be dedicated to exploring the scope for cosmopolitan-minded militaries, drawn from UN member states. Whilst problems of political will and the potential souring of relations between key Security Council members are likely to provide significant barriers to more concerted action from national militaries, gradual shifts in national military practice provide encouraging indicators of changing shared ideas about military practice and normative responsibilities to civilians beyond state borders.