Forsvarskommissionen forstår ikke konflikthåndtering

Under den kolde krig handlede sikkerheds- og forsvarspolitik ikke om at løse konflikter eller forebygge vold. Konflikten mellem Øst- og Vestblokkene blev bevaret gennem at balancere, afskrække og forberede sig for det tilfælde at krig skulle blive en realitet. I næsten 50 år betragtede politikere, intellektuelle, diplomater og medier derfor konfliktanalyse, mægling, konflikthåndtering og -løsning, voldsforebyggelse og emner som forsoning og tilgivelse som stort set irrelevante. Ikkevoldelige, civile indsatser derfor en beskeden rolle. Øst-Vestkonflikten blev da heller ikke løst; hvad der skete var at Østblokken gik i opløsning.

Nu er det anderledes. Der er ikke to blokke og et sæt veldefinerede spilleregler; der er sammenbrud i en række stater, opløsning af spillleregler og udvikling af paramilitære hære og private krigsherrer. Der er én supermagt, USA. Der er alt andet end orden. Vi har oplevet krig i Europa og Danmark er med langt fremme i udviklingen af det ekspansive, såkaldt nye NATO, der af USA er udset at blive “fredsbevareren” par excellence, mens FN udsultes, misbruges og agtersejles.

Det er da pikant at hele denne udvikling ikke er objekt for egentlig analyse i den nyligt udgivne danske Forsvarskommission. Udviklingen beskrives, den problematiseres ej.

Kommissionen bygger på en enestående illusion om at konflikter som dem i Jugoslavien eller Somalia, Irak eller Mellemøsten er isolerede, skabt udelukkende af parterne selv og ikke af hverken EU-landene eller USA. Sidstnævntes rolle er at komme ind som dem, der dysser gemytterne ned og eventuelt bomber de onde og støtter de gode, mægler, skaber fred og giver penge til genopbygning.

Virkeligheden er dog en anden. I disse konflikter har der uden undtagelse været tale om at Vesten har været delagtig i de historiske forløb og har større eller mindre økonomiske, politiske, strategiske eller ressourcemæssige interesser. Vestlige lande har haft deres sikkerhedstjenester i områderne, stukket fingre i interne magtspil og leveret våbnene, ammunitionen og træningen, der har skullet til for at starte krigene og holde dem gående.

Kommissionens perspektiv er fuldstændigt groteskt i en tid hvor det overalt påpeges at verden blir stedse mere “interdependent” – at alle hænger sammen med alle andre. Men just når det gælder konflikter og krige så er vi selv – de gode – ikke involveret. Vi er uskyldige, ædle fredsskabere. Til almindelig oplysning tegner de fem permanente medlemmer af FNs sikkerhedsråds (USA, Rusland, Frankrig, England og Kina) sig for 85% af verdens våbeneksport og de har været ude i flere krige end nogen anden gruppe.

Dertil kommer at de, der har forsøgt at håndtere krigene udefra, har gjort ondt værre – fordi der ikke har været nogen adekvat analyse men en skjult målsætning om magtpolitik netop i tiden efter den kolde krig. Eksempelvis har Balkan, der siden 1990 også har været kastebold i magtspillet mellem EU-landene indbyrdes og mellem USA og Europa.

Kort sagt, i Forsvarskommissionens verden findes der ikke magtpolitik, og vore egen kreds af lande har kun gode motiver – hvilket illustreres af at vi udelukkende har “humanitære” eller “fredsbevarende” eller “fredsstøttende” og “fredsskabende” forpligtelser og opgaver. Hvad NATO og EU hidtil har gjort i disse konfliktområder analyseres overhovedet ikke – det er per defintion godt fordi det er NATO og EU, der har gjort det.

Konflikthåndtering og voldsforebyggelse er altså de centrale elementer i en tidssvarende politik. Der er fem typer af aktører, der kan det – FN, OSCE, folkelige organisationer, professionelt uddannede konflikteksperter og mæglere samt små lande, der kan stå neutralt mellem stridende parter og lytte, analysere, mægle og hjælpe dem til at undgå vold eller få stop på den hvis den er brudt ud.

Det er da pikant at ingen af disse fem aktører eller typer af sikkerhedspolitiske “interventioner” tillægges nogen betydning i Forsvarskommissionens rapport. Den behandler end ikke hvad konflikter er – holderninger, adfærd og grundproblemer – eller hvorledes man skal sætte ind i “konfliktkredsløbet” – fra det begynder at ulme et sted over analyse, tidlig varsling, forebyggende diplomati, facilitering, mægling, fredsbevarelse, fredsskabelse (forhandlinger m.m.) og fredsbygning (efter vold) frem mod normalisering gennem forsoning, tilgivelse og ny-udvikling.

For nu at sige det rimeligt brutalt: På og mellem linjerne i Forsvarskommissionen skal Danmark og NATO under USAs ledelse ikke satse på tidlig intervention med civile midler og uvildige råd. De skal – som gribbe der venter på forrådnelsen – først gribe ind når den militære “løsning” er blevet “nødvendig,” påtvinge parterne en “løsning” i form af deres egen fikse fredsplan for siden at kunne omskabe konfliktområderne til egen fordel med privatisering, Verdensbankslån, investeringer, demokrati, frie medier og lignende standardvarer, vi kender fra den såkaldte Dayton-aftale.

Måske nogen synes det er en overdrivelse, en tarvelig beskrivelse? Men find så først fuldgyldige svar på: Hvorfor gjordes intet i Somalia i tide; allerede da jeg arbejdere der 1977-81 var der tydelige tegn på sammenbrud, men da var landet en brik i spillet mellem USA/Vesten og Sovjetunionen. Hvorfor var Saddam Hussein længe en sådan god ven af Vesten indtil sin famøse invasion af Kuwait? Hvorfor hjalp EU ikke parterne i det tidligere Jugoslavien allerede i 1980erne, da opløsningen tydeligt var på vej, til at finde fredelige måder at dele landet på? Hvorfor ventede USA i tre år med at gøre noget i Bosnien? Hvorfor gjorde ingen det mindste for at forebygge volden i Kosovo, hvor serberne optrappede undertrykkelse og kosovo-albanerne opbyggede deres hær(e) allerede fra 1992? Hvor har vestlge våben flydt ind først og hjulpet dem til at forgøre hinanden?

Overalt venter man så længe med at “gøre noget” så militære indsatser kan præsenteres som løsningen for en hjemmeopinion, der er blevet fyldt med propaganda eller krigsrapporter om de klart gode og onde parter i disse konflikterne.

Hvorfor har Danmark og andre civiliserede, fredelige lande ikke et beredskab af professionelt uddannede konfliktektløsere, mæglere, forhandlere og områdeeksperter, der kan sættes ind før alle disse frygtelige ting sker? Hvorfor satser vi ikke på voldsforebyggelse som en integreret del af dansk forsvarspolitik? Så ville vi kunne opfylde FN-erklæringens norm om at alle ting skal være prøvet før der indsættes militære midler i konflikterne.

En Forsvarskommission, der i dagens konfliktfyldte verden end ikke tager sig for at se på disse ting, har begrænset relevans for Danmarks sikkerhed. Men den forsvarer naturligvis de danske militære budgetter og dansk NATO-fundamentalisme. Alternativet? Nedsæt en ny med bredt kompetente deltagere – civile og militære – et andet mandat, en åben holdning til fremtiden og verden, med mennesker der har erfaringer fra konkrete konflikter og tilknyt en multidisciplinær og multikulturel international rådgivergruppe.

PhD, Peace & future researcher + ‌Art Photographer, Professor Emeritus and media commentator

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