Cote d’Ivoire: How Much Can the U.N. Take?

As international attention and resources continue to be diverted to Libya, conditions are deteriorating in Cote d’Ivoire. Alongside outbreaks of fighting between Gbagbo forces and Ouattara supporters, Gbagbo and his supporters’ ire is being directed toward the UN. In one incident, Gbagbo supporters kidnapped U.N.staff. In a separate one, Gbagbo forces fired on and successfully prevented U.N. staff from investigating claims that Belarus had shipped attack helicopters to Cote d’Ivoire, breaking the arms embargo.

Without the U.N., who has so far refused to leave despite demands from Gbagbo, Ouattara would likely leave Abidjan for the north of the country and Cote d’Ivoire would split.

The question is how much violence directed at it can the United Nations stomach?