Fresh off their successful effort to get the United Nations to authorize ground raids by foreign militaries to combat piracy in Somalia, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice pressed a much more difficult proposition, calling for a UN “peacekeeping” force to be sent to Somalia quickly.

French Ambassador Jean-Maurice Ripert called the proposal “not feasible” and “not desirable,” as the deteriorating situation in Somalia made a deployment dangerous. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon added that “if there is no peace to keep, peacekeeping operations are not supposed to be there.”

Ban also pointed out that he has spent the past four months fruitlessly looking for a nation to lead such a mission, and only “one or two” nations even expressed willingness to commit troops. The US has offered funding for the mission, but they appear unwilling to supply troops either.

In addition to authorizing ground troops to attack pirates in Somalia, the US State Department says they believe the resolution will also authorize nations to launch air strikes into Somali territory.

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