Teaching Peace

Last week, I visited a class at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Center (KAIPTC). This is one of 3 places in the world where African Union military people come together to train for operations alongside the militaries of the European Union countries, USA, Canada and others.

I sat in last week on a class entitled "Military Ethics in the War on Terror." Just one quote sums up the class's main point. Why teach ethics regarding the war on terror? "Because..." said the American in the instructor team "...this is a war over legitimacy."

The battle over legitimacy means the difference between "terror groups" and "freedom fighters" in the eyes of a population. How do Lebanese view Hezbollah today? How do the actions of other key countries impact that perception?

Work in the foreign service will be trying in situations like this. Whatever Washington decides, it is Foreign Service Officers - our diplomats - who have to go into meetings, go to local newspapers, go to the whole world and deliver the message (even if they disagree profoundly with the policy).