Peacekeeping is a process that involves military operations aiming to provide a buffer between warring parties. The principal objective of a peacekeeping mission is to halt armed conflict or prevent its reoccurrence. This is achieved by peacekeepers acting as a physical barrier between hostile parties and monitoring their military movements. Peacekeeping techniques are applied to both interstate and internal conflicts.

The Nature of Peacekeeping

Peacekeeping is based on the principle that an impartial presence of foreign troops on the ground can ease tensions and allow the achievement of a negotiated solution to a conflict. A critical first step before peacekeepers are deployed is for the United Nations (UN) or another intergovernmental body to obtain an end to fighting and to gain the consent of both parties in the dispute.

The term peacekeeping...