 The poor state of discipline of the Congolese forces became apparent again in 1990 . Foreign military assistance to Zaire ceased following the end of the Cold War and Mobutu deliberately allowed the military 's condition to deteriorate so that it did not threaten his hold on power . <unk> low wages and lack of pay , paratroopers began looting Kinshasa in September 1991 and were only stopped after intervention by French ( ' Operation <unk> ' ) and Belgian ( ' Operation Blue Beam ' ) forces . 
