Peacekeeper: The Road to Sarajevo

First, I wonder why it took Smith 6 years to get around to reading MacKenzie's book? That's 6 years of hindsight that the author never had, so any abberations could be seen as dated.

Next, was Smith there in Sarajevo when the Serb artillery was reducing the beautiful Olympic city to ruins? Did he know how it felt to try and communicate with the UN in New York only to have a recording because the staff was home for the weekend?

Canadians have always been rated highly as peacekeepers because they come from a society that is judged as fair and tolerant of all peoples. The accusations of religious and ethnic intolerance are surprising - but maybe because of having to duck bullets and shells one sometimes loses this trait.

I think Smith and his ilk would be happy if Canadians stayed home when the next trouble spot happens in Europe. Then Smith can watch from his Paris address while his EU compatriots try and solve the problem. Because, after two world wars and dozens of peacekeeping campaigns where thousands of Canadians have died, it's time for Europe to handle its own problems.

General MacKenzie probably made a lot of enemies during his command. But outside of ethnic communities, one would be hardpressed to find a person who doesn't think highly of this man.

And next time, Smith, read the book when it comes out.


First hand experience from top UN man in Balkans   January 27, 2005
Aaron Aden (Spain)
16 out of 19 found this review helpful

I would warmly encourage anybody interested in Balkans to read this book. Author was commander of UN forces, first in Croatia and than in Bosnia. Like me, he came with an anti-Serb, propaganda influenced, opinion to serve in Yugoslavia, only to discover situation to be completely opposite from what media reported in the West. He writes objectively at all times, but many muslims from Bosnia (who were the most brainwashed of all sides, by their government) will not agree with him. Fact is that great majority of people who were fighting or who lived under muslim Bosnian government believed that they are fighting for multiethnic Bosnia...However, their government consisted from mostly only muslims, led by a TRUE FUNDAMENTALIST Alija Izetbegovic and their real aim was an independent muslim state in Balkans. Izetbegovic has since 1970's preached fundamentalism, what is easy to check from his books. And generous support that he enjoyed from his friends in Iran, made him feel strong enough to start the war and later break many cease-fires (Lord Owen, Lord Carrington, Cyrus Vence, general Lewis Mackenzie and many more leading westerners in Balkan are witnesses and living proof to this).He joined forces with his traditional friends, CROATS (Izetbegovic himself was a Nazi soldier in Bosnia in W.W.II) who were together fighting for Hitler against Serbs. Add to them another Hitler's ally, Albanians and you slowly getting the picture.....


Interesting insight on the evolution of peacekeeping ops   July 28, 2003
P. J Lambert (United States)
14 out of 14 found this review helpful

Gen Mackenzie has pretty much seen and done it all when it comes to UN peacekeeping operations. From fairly innocuous duty in the Sinai, to a more complex situation in Cyprus and Central America, to the ultimate test for the UN--the Balkans.
Gen Mackenzie's insights also highlight how the UN has adapted (or failed to adapt) to the growing complexities of multinational peacekeeping, in an age where superpower rivalries are no longer able to keep warring factions in check.

Worthy of note is the battle Mackenzie faced dealing not only with the warring factions in Bosnia, but also the warring faction's ability to utilize the omnipresent media to shape public opinion.
Mackenzie's story of the beginning of UNPROFOR should be mandatory reading for those attempting to pursue multinational peacekeeping efforts in a complex, multiethnic environment.

Good anecdotes, and a very enjoyable read


Road to Sarajevo   February 28, 2005
Jumper0401 (Alberta, Canada)
11 out of 11 found this review helpful

Excelent book. Very revealing. Good stories, funny at times and serious at times. Great read.