I’ve been pretty critical of the U.S. occupation in Iraq, but it sounds like there are other stories of occupation/peacekeeping gone bad.

On Friday a UN helicopter gunship fired a rocket at supporters of former rebel commander Col Jules Mutebusi.

The UN Peacekeepers involved have at least some American involvement, as the spokesperson is American.

My point isn’t to excuse the problems the US is having in Iraq, but to dampen any expectation that a Kerry victory and UN involvement will stop the killing and deaths overnight–or possibly at all. Once people get used to killing other people as a solution to their problems, it is very hard to get them to stop.