Global Security

When the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, signaling the end of the Cold War, Americans rejoiced and some questioned the need for a continued strong American military presence around the world. With hindsight, we now realize the world was entering a new and dangerous period marked by genocidal civil wars in hot spots like Haiti, Somalia, Bosnia, and Rwanda. America's political and military leaders had to rethink old policies while assuming the role of peacekeepers separating traditional ethnic and political enemies. Troubling new questions were raised, such as when to commit troops and when to use force. Global Security is a two-part video set which examines America's role as the only surviving superpower charged with monitoring and securing world peace. Part 1 (seen) discusses how the U.S. military is redefining its mission and retraining forces to maintain an uneasy peace in volatile global arenas. The program points out that humanitarian operations have their pitfalls, as America discovered in Somalia when "mission creep" changed the objectives of a relief and rescue operation, leading troops into a messy, prolonged civil war. Part 2 (not seen) dissects the new reality of a splintered former Soviet Union and the Balkan republics, showing how this may complicate future U.S. peacekeeping duties. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (S. Rees)