Preliminary Observations about the US Process for

Deciding to Support UN Peace Operations

Briefing for Committee on International Relations

US House of Representatives

October 4, 2000

UN troops in

Cambodia

UN patrol

in Bosnia

GAO -0 1 -100T
U.N. Peacekeeping Operations

15 active worldwide as of October 2000

Source: United Nations Department of Public Information, Cartographic Section and GAO.

US has supported a dramatic

increase in the size and scope

of UN peacekeeping since

June 1999

• Authorized number of troops

and police increased from

15,000 to 48,000.

• UN operations undertook

complex, new tasks in

Kosovo and East Timor.

• Annual UN peacekeeping

costs increased from about

$800 million to estimated $2.7

billion for 2001.

GAO-01-100T
Introduction

•Concerned about these developments, the Chairman

asked GAO to examine how Presidential Decision

Directive 25 was applied in deciding to support new or

expanded UN operations.

•Our study is focused on US decisions to support new or

expanded UN operations in four locations.

•Kosovo, East Timor, Sierra Leone, and the Democratic

Republic of the Congo.

•Decisions made between January 1999 and June 2000.

GAO-01-100T
Questions You Asked Us to Discuss at this Briefing

•Does GAO have sufficient access to agency records to

conduct the study requested by the Chairman?

•How was Presidential Decision Directive 25 used when

deciding to support new or expanded UN operations?

•How did the executive branch consult with Congress

during the Directive 25 decision process?

GAO-01-100T
Does GAO have sufficient access to agency records

to conduct the study requested by the Chairman?

•GAO lacks full and independent access to agency

records needed to complete its work.

•No access to key records that would show whether

Directive 25 factors were considered when deciding to

support some operations.

•No independent access to records. Compromises 

the integrity and reliability of GAO’s work.

GAO-01-100T
Status of GAO’s Access to Agency Records

Documents agency officials

identified as relevant to study

Current

access

Date of

access

Access

needed

Congressional notification letters All identified June 1 None

Congressional contact logs Substantial Jul 29 DOD

Decision memorandum Substantial Aug 3 DOD

Directive 25 analyses All identified Sep 8 None

Political-military plans Substantial Sep 18 State

Summaries of conclusions Partial Aug. 17 NSC

Discussion/options papers None None NSC

GAO-01-100T
How was Presidential Decision Directive 25 used

when deciding to support new or expanded UN

operations?

Intent Ensure selective and effective use of peacekeeping

as a tool for advancing US interests.

Help ensure coherent and disciplined choices made

about which operations to support

Process Establish factors to help assess whether US support

for an operation is appropriate:

•operations are finite and advance U.S. interests;

•have clear objectives and realistic endpoints;

•have the means necessary for success, including

appropriate forces, financing, and mandate.

GAO-01-100T
Preliminary Observations About the Use of Directive

25 in Deciding to Support Operations

•Directive 25 factors considered in deciding to support

initial operation in East Timor.

•Cannot determine whether factors were considered in

deciding to support two subsequent operations.

•US supported operations in East Timor, Sierra Leone,

and the Congo despite lack of some factors.

•Factors used to highlight shortcomings and develop

plans to address these risks.

GAO-01-100T
How did the executive branch consult with Congress

during the Directive 25 decision process?

•Briefings, notification letters, testimonies, and other

communications provided extensive information about

•situation “on the ground”

•proposed operations’ cost, size, mandate, and

relationship to US interests

•However, communications provided little information

about (1) the risks and weaknesses of operations

identified by Directive 25 analyses and (2) plans for

addressing these risks and weaknesses.

GAO-01-100T
Remaining Work to Complete Study for Committee

•Obtain full and independent access to records .

•Complete review of decision process.

•Analyze documents; align with decisions

•Interview decision makers about process

•Complete work on consultation process.

•Analyze executive branch consultation with Congress

•Interview Congress and executive branch officials

about consultation requirements and concerns

GAO -0 1 -100T 

(711568)