Vincent D. Kern II

In September 1996 the United States proposed the creation of an African peacekeeping force, trained and equipped by the United States and other nations, that could intervene in conflicts and crisis situations where there was a threat of significant civilian casualties. Beginning in 1997, under a program called the Africa Crisis Response Initiative (ACRI), the United States provided training and equipment to military units of several African nations to help them carry out peacekeeping and humanitarian missions. In the following viewpoint, taken from 1997 testimony before Congress, Vincent D. Kern II argues that American training and support can teach African soldiers respect for civilian rule while enabling African nations to prevent a repetition of events such as the mass killings in Rwanda in 1994. Kern is deputy assistant secretary of defense...