The Looting Machine: Warlords, Tycoons, Smugglers and the Systematic Theft of Africa's Wealth
recalls that he 'had not come wagging his finger His way is to present the problem the peace process is in danger of failing and gather everyone together to think about how we boys can solve the problem together, even though the generals themselves were part of the problem' (The Mediator, p. 301) Taken together, these books reveal some timeless truths about peacemaking: the need to balance moral principles with political reality; the need for multilateral coalitions that work in the same direction; and the primacy of political strategy in all forms of conflict resolution. TheMediator is an intensely personal account of mediation, with meaty doses of strategy and high politics. For a reader seeking a deeper understanding of the strategic and tactical challenges of conflict mediation, it is essential reading. The Fog of Peace is by its nature a broader survey almost a polemic and provides a more direct conclusion on the threats to peace and security today. Guehenno rightly stresses the importance of multilateralism and political coalitions of the willing.Where there is international co ordination and effective pressure, then peacekeeping, and the use of force, can help resolve conflicts or at least create worthwhile political processes. But Guehenno worries whether the current bargain on peacekeeping, and its new emphasis on protecting civilians, is sustainable that today, 'There is a certain tragic irony in the fact that the countries in which the debate about the responsibility to protect is most active are those least likely to actually deploy troops in conflicts Meanwhile, the countries that actually provide the troops and offer a modicum of protection are often those that are the most suspicious of the concept' (Fog of Peace, p. 305) For him, this is indicative of a deeper problem: the declining currency of international institutions. And as states and people cling to sovereignty while challenges become increasingly international, 'The political space that the UN is allowed to occupy is thus shrinking as the challenges it faces move further away from those its creators had in mind in 1945' (The Fog of Peace, p. 306) The implication therefore is that the UN and member states must adapt to the changing configuration of global power and the cross border nature of many threats. The destruction of Syria serves as a warning about what happens when themultilateral architecture fails.