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Post Witnessing the UN Peacekeepers, Balkans (from Gary Moore)
Created by John Eipper on 01/07/19 2:33 PM

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Witnessing the UN Peacekeepers, Balkans (from Gary Moore) (John Eipper, USA, 01/07/19 2:33 pm)

Gary Moore writes:

Seconding Brian Blodgett's (January 7) enlightening run-down on UN peacekeeping economics in the Balkans, I remember marveling, in my year at the UN Mission in Kosovo, that every single day seemed to bring some magnificently loony new UN absurdity, which people back home might be hard-pressed to believe.

On the other hand, writing the area manual I got to take one of those spiffy white minivans (or occasionally a pickup) all over the country, and in one provincial boondock I found myself facing the UN administrator for that town--who seemed a veritable super-robot of efficiency. He was from the Philippines, and seemed to have every answer, know every nuance, and always with a cheerfully diplomatic smile, while doing several things at once.

The UN does not prove there is no hope for the human race; it just points up the mystery.

JE comments: Does the UN show the best and the worst of humanity? Or at least it's a testament to the best and worst of behemoth institutions.

(Gary, this is the first time I've seen "boondock" in the singular. But it fits. Next up--the singular "smithereen"...)