Utopian or pragmatic? A un permanent military volunteer force

Abstract

The idea of a permanent, international military volunteer force, a spectre in international relations which periodically haunted the Cold War, is at the heart of the current debate over the reform of the United Nations. The idea of a military instrument which would not depend on the uncertainty of states’ ad hoc troop contributions for carrying urgent UN missions is indeed attractive. Individuals, commissions of experts and states have made it an integral part of their proposals for improving the UN's rapid reaction capability. Seen by some as a pragmatic solution to emergencies, it has however been rejected by others as Utopian, and has consequently been an ongoing, unresolved, controversy. This article seeks to understand, in a balanced manner, the significance, relevance, and function, of the last recurrence of this cyclic phenomenon for an evolving organization such as the UN.