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Conflict. 270 It is still a year or so away from publication (in 2001, when this
article was written) but shows the complexity of peace support operations
today.
IT Databases and Policekeeping
IT can look at the geographic roots of a conflict, such as natural
resources, land, food, water, high ground, space, the environment, movement
corridors, strategic locations, or cultural and historical objects, in ways more
comprehensive and descriptive than ever before. These methods are of
tremendous use to diplomats and policekeepers. The Geographic Information
System (GIS) offers a number, quality, and diversity of global databases
(routing, criminal analysis, line of sight advantages, monitoring, etc.) that have
peacekeeping/policekeeping implications for combatants (where is the bread,
the mines, the ammo, and so on). Such IT databases shorten the time lag
between collecting and using information, and they both share available
information and put a factor of reality in a reference base. 271
From an international perspective, the United Nations may have the
best IT databases available to diplomats and policekeepers to help in their
planning process associated with conflict management. Two of the most
popular are the Integrated Regional Information Network (IRIN) and
ReliefWeb sites developed by the UN Office for the Coordination of
Humanitarian Affairs. The sites are designed to provide the kind of detailed
information necessary to accurately predict the likelihood that chaos and
violence will break out in a country or region. IRIN focuses on in-country
issues, especially populations at risk (who’s who, where are people going and
what are they doing, etc.). The network produces reports on political, economic,
and social issues affecting humanitarian efforts (information on washed-out
roads, bombed airfields, landmines, disease-infested water, epidemics, or civil
unrest). IRIN’s initial focus has been Africa, although plans for exporting the
model to Asia and the Caucasus are under consideration. It is a value-added
product since it does not duplicate or distribute current news output but
enhances it with further analysis and details, to include the use of email
contacts with the population. In the age of blogging, this could be a very
270 US Army Field Manual (FM) 100-23, Peace Operations (Washington, DC: US
Government Printing Office [GPO], 30 December 1994); FM 90-29, Noncombatant
Evacuation Order (Washington, DC: US GPO, 17 October 1994); FM 100-19,
Domestic Support Operations (Washington, DC: US GPO, 1 July 1993); FM 100-20,
Military Operations in Low-Intensity Conflict (Washington, DC: US GPO, 5 December
1990).
271 Jack Dangermond, Environmental Systems Research Institute, comment made
during his presentation at the Conference on Virtual Diplomacy, 1-2 April 1997,
Washington, D.C..
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