Fighting for peace: Offensive intervention to make peace support possible

This policy brief starts from the premise that offensive military intervention operations will, in some cases, be a critical precursor to peace enforcement and peacekeeping.

It discusses some of the challenges involved in intervention operations in Africa, and then outlines the capabilities the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) will need if it is to be capable of such operations and, particularly, of autonomous intervention to provide the prompt and quick response that is essential to success.

About the author

Helmoed Römer Heitman has written and lectured on defence since 1978, has consulted to South Africa’s Defence Ministry, the SANDF, parliamentarians and defence companies, and edits the SA Army Journal. He served in the SA Army reserve from 1970 to 1996, and worked with the non-statutory forces and political parties from 1991 in the run-up to the 1996 Defence White paper and the 1998 Defence Review. Heitman has since worked with the SA Army Vision 2020 team, advised the South African Navy on the potential of multi-role vessels, and developed a possible structure for the South African Air Force.

He has also served on the Resource Group of the Defence Review Committee since 2011. Heitman holds economics and public administration degrees from the University of Cape Town, an MA in War Studies from King’s College, University of London and management diplomas from Stellenbosch University’s Graduate School of Business, and passed the junior staff course of the SA Army College.