Departing from conventional wisdom which addresses factors such as mandates, spoilers, which ignores political factors, the author explores the Cambodian conflict and peace operations as a complex and interactive situation in which local political conditions were paramount and directly challenged UN peacekeeping principles of neutrality. He observes that UN peacekeeping missions can be too tied to theory and doctrine while ignoring reality, and argues for missions that understand the inherent complexity of peacekeeping, recognize emerging realities, and adapt accordingly.

"February 2011."

Summary -- Introduction -- The complexity of the peacekeeping mission -- The mandate -- Civil-military integration -- The use of force and rules of engagement -- Spoilers -- The complexity of the peacekeeping mission in Cambodia -- The Cambodian civil war in overview -- Background of the conflict -- The UNTAC arrives and departs -- The aftermath -- Analysis: between politics and procedures -- The importance of context -- The role of leadership -- A spoiler perspective -- The Khmer Rouge -- Prince Sihanouk and the SOC -- The limits of intervention -- The role of impartiality -- Length of mandate -- Conclusion.