Today, peacekeepers are given more flexible mandates, which often authorize reconstruction of lands ravaged by war, repatriation of refugees, and restructuring of local governments. Peacekeeping missions often include civilian technicians, reporters, and engineers. United Nations sanctions on Iraq, as well as many other nations, have produced mixed results. Often employed frivolously as a bargaining chip in negotiations, sanctions have become much more common in recent years. Unfortunately, sanctions can have unforeseeable side effects as far reaching as direct Security Council intervention.
Unilateral sanctions can create hardship both for innocent citizens and innocent third party states.
The Lessons Learned program was established to help prevent the mistakes that peacekeeping missions have made in the past. In Rwanda we learned that missions should not be limited to a single task, but should be equipped with a broad and flexible mandate. A detailed assessment of the crisis situation should be compiled by reporters, military experts, agency staff, and non-governmental organizations. All peacekeeping officers should be well informed of the situation before international soldiers are put at risk. However, despite the Lessons Learned program, the 14 peacekeeping missions active today still run into problems.