Blue Helmet - by Edward H Carpenter (Hardcover)

About the Book

Blue Helmet tells the story of a U.S. Marine working to translate the words of his UN leaders into actions capable of protecting civilians in South Sudan.

Book Synopsis

Blue Helmet: My Year as a UN Peacekeeper in South Sudan tells the story of a country, a conflict, and the institution of peacekeeping through the eyes of a senior American military officer working on the ground in one of the most dangerous countries on the planet. South Sudan is rich in natural resources, and its fertile soil could make it the breadbasket of East Africa. Yet it remains the poorest and most corrupt country in the region, plagued by disease, famine, and ethnic strife. Abductions, sexual violence, death, and displacement affect tens of thousands of people each year.

Edward H. Carpenter pulls readers into his world, allowing them to experience the powerful, poignant realities of being a peacekeeper in South Sudan. In the process, the author reveals how the United Nations really conducts its missions: what it tolerates and how it often falls short of achieving the aims of its charter--equal rights, justice, and economic advancement for all people--with the use of armed forces limited to serving those common interests by keeping the peace and preventing the scourge of war. It is a story that is eye-opening, unsettling, and always compelling.

Global leaders may fairly claim that they have done everything they can to help South Sudan help itself: they've dispatched thousands of peacekeepers and provided billions of dollars in aid. So why is the UN still struggling to fulfill its mandate to protect civilians and safeguard the delivery of humanitarian assistance? What could be done better? Bringing the reader to the forefront of action, Blue Helmet answers these questions and raises others about how modern peacekeeping missions are organized and overseen, shedding light on some of the contradictions at the heart of peacekeeping.

Review Quotes

"Carpenter writes vividly and passionately about that country, which clearly touched his heart in the months he served there. . . . The final chapters of the book are poignant, with the author reflecting on the country's ongoing turmoil. The result is a singular, personal account of being on the cutting edge of U.N. peacekeeping efforts."--Kirkus Reviews, starred

"Edward Carpenter has painted a rich and incisive portrait of what it means to be a warrior on a mission of peace in Africa. Carpenter draws on the personal details of his own experience to demonstrate what kind of individual is inclined to work in such contexts and the impact that the mission has on the person. I learned a lot about South Sudan but also a great deal about how peacekeeping operations function and how those who keep the peace also keep their sanity."--Robert Farley, senior lecturer at the Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce and senior editor at Lawyers, Guns, and Money

"Edward Carpenter's Blue Helmet is an insider's story about a world that most of us will never know. He has written a shocking, informative, at times hard, and yet very entertaining memoir: a human-sized portrait of a UN peacekeeper in South Sudan. This book is a bridge between cultures, an action-packed tour, and a wise look at how countries--and the people in them--become themselves."--Elisabeth Sharp McKetta, author of She Never Told Me about the Ocean and Awake with Asashoryu and Other Essays

"Blue Helmet reveals the inside story of the challenges of protecting civilians in conflict. . . . If you are passionate about the protection of civilians, this book will prove an invaluable resource--because Carpenter doesn't just show what is wrong with existing civilian protection measures; he offers practical advice on how to fix them."--Marc Garlasco, division chief for the U.S. Department of Defense Civilian Protection Center of Excellence

About the Author

Edward H. Carpenter is a retired lieutenant colonel, a veteran of America's "Long Wars" who served in the U.S. Army and Marines for a total of twenty-nine years, from Afghanistan to Japan, Indonesia to Saudi Arabia. He has written for the Washington Post and is the author of Steven Pressfield's "The Warrior Ethos" One Marine Officer's Critique and Counterpoint. Carpenter is the founder of the nonprofit organization World Without War, to which he is donating his royalties from Blue Helmet.