Three years ago, the US helped start the formation of a standing African peacekeeping force. US advisors have been teaching the troops non-lethal basics, including such things as how to operate checkpoints and search vehicles. But the Pentagon now wants to teach the troops how to react to hostile attacks, conduct patrols, and operate relief forces to rescue trapped comrades. That's only a half a step from offensive combat maneuvering, and liberal ideologues are concerned that the peacekeepers could launch the kind of coups, invasions, and insurrections they were supposed to prevent. --Stephen V Cole