Keeping It Close To Home

July 29, 2009: Europe currently has nearly 27,000 peacekeepers deployed worldwide. Most of these personnel are stationed in Europe, with most of those in the Balkans. Most European peacekeeping operations are small observer type operations. All but two of the peacekeeping operations Europeans were involved in were the result of the breakup of the Soviet Union and communist rule in East Europe. Worldwide, there are currently 60 peacekeeping operations, involving 187,000 troops and support personnel. Operations in Afghanistan and Iraq are not peacekeeping, since there is not much peace to keep.