A United Nations peace-keeping mission for Central Africa? This is the ultimate question for the US and the international community as a whole as talks launched in New York on March 6 wend their way to a vote.

Fatimatu Yamsa knew that her desperate attempt to flee the slaughter all around her had failed as soon as she saw the Christian anti-balaka militia at a roadblock.

Since overthrowing the government in March, Seleka forces, an alliance of predominantly Muslim armed groups, have ruled through the gun and with terror, attacking and burning down Christian villages, killing and wounding untold numbers of people.

Just last month, it seemed that the African peacekeeping troops in Bossangoa, Central African Republic, did little more than turn a profit selling cold beers to the local population. But today, those same troops courageously came to the rescue of people caught in an intense battle.

The chaos in the CAR has potential to negatively impact its neighboring states further, especially given the region's ongoing conflicts and instability.

The UN must support its own soldiers in Central African Republic and the existing force in Darfur when they try to do their job. Otherwise, why do we bother to extend this false hope to civilians facing ethnic cleansing? The answer, of course, is that sending Blue Helmets makes us feel better.