The United Nations and Lebanon : What a Farce !
(click on photo to enlarge)
If this is what is going to happen to the United Nations’ forces in Lebanon (pl read below), then I am afraid its presence in Iraq would be of no use .
However, I continue to believe that diplomacy based on consensus is more likely to succesd than a solo power performance in the world’s tough and complex regions.
We need to improve the U.N. functioning so that its forces become effective – in this the U.S. and the U.K. have a major role to play. So it is important that the new Secretary General of the U.N. has the vision, as well as support of the big players.
“Buried in the rubble of one of the homes demolished in Israel’s relentless bombardment of southern Lebanon was a stark illustration of why the United Nations’ peacekeeping efforts have been seen as ineffective, says The New York Times..
“A Ghanaian member of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, known as Unifil, was killed along with his family here on Sunday by an Israeli bomb. And more than 24 hours later, peacekeeping troops could not even leave their base to dig out his body, because the short trip to his house was too dangerous.
” ‘They are barely able to take care of themselves,’ said Timur Goksel, who spent 20 years as an official with Unifil, and now lectures at American University in Beirut. ‘How can you expect them to do their work? It’s a mini-force with small engineering capacity and a narrow area of operation right along the border. What can anyone expect them to do?’
(click on photo to enlarge)
“The saga of the troops, who are charged with keeping the peace and observing the border, offers a sobering reminder of the grueling realities of peacekeeping to politicians hoping that a new United Nations contingent might be the solution in Lebanon.
“And, peacekeeping experts say, it offers lessons on how to shape a more effective force.”
11 Responses to “The United Nations and Lebanon : What a Farce !”
Once again illustrating why putting in the Walrus as our UN ambassodor was such a piss poor decision.
Putting a guy who hates and wants to gut the UN in as our ambassedor makes about as much sense as putting people who hate the goverment in charge of the goverment.
Had enough?
The righties must be ecstatic that a UN peacekeeper was killed by a bomb stamped “made in the USA”
Its like a wet dream come true!
Military Forces are one thing, relief is another.
UNIFOR has been successful in Africa and was successful with the Iran Iraq war. However I doubt any UNIFOR will be sent into Lebanon with a United States/Israeli STATED mandate of eliminating Hezbolla. I also find it a bit hypocritical that Israel expects the United Nations to do what apparently it cannot.
My opinion is, that when this “war� is over, Hezbolla will still be there and Israel will have accomplished nothing but killing a lot of people, destroying what the Lebanese have built, and, created more enemies.
Hezbolla is merely a surrogate force for Iran and Syria. Israel cannot occupy Syria and cannot project power far enough to wage war with Iran. Their only hope is if we do it for them. After our quagmire in Iraq and things turning bad in Afghanistan, I doubt we will be seeking any more adventures in Syria and Iran. If anything is to be done, the rest of the world will have to become involved.
Perfect scenario for the creation of a proper UN military. Such a military could be manned with soldiers from the UN security council, if there was the will. Unfortunately the world does not have the will, and, the UN can only have as much will as the countries that support it.
Swaraaj, it has never been the UN’s fault. Rather it has been a lack of will among the International Community.
Swaraaj, it has never been the UN’s fault. Rather it has been a lack of will among the International Community.
Here here, well said. A good strong American President could do much here. Unfortunatly, we have GWB.
Snarky
Johm Bolton said: “Never been a cease fire with a terrorist organization before”.
Stupid man he is. Basque Separetists and the Madrid Government lasted many years.
Hezbolla itself with Israel for several years.
Hamas/Israel for about a year.
I’m sure with a little research many more could be found.
This Bolton is really getting nowhere with the UN.
This Bolton is really getting nowhere with the UN.
That was the plan.
So they came up with what with Menachem Began and the stern gang? An accomedation?
Arrafat and the PLO?
More re-writing of history, Orwell style.
Over the past 40 years I’ve seen U N force presence as just about as useful as tits on a man, more decorative than utile and quite unattractive to most local and international observers when exposed.
Short and sweet, the U N, even more vascillating and indecisive than our own U S governors…..sucks!.
Cyprus…Serbia….Korea.
Depends on what the world leaders do. Strong as the weakest link and all that.
Do you think UNICEF is a waste of time?
from the UN website:
If the next batch of UN “peacekeeping” soldiers is as pointless as UNIFIL, then the world is just wanking off, and calling it an accomplishment.
Bolton and Daniel Pipes are Neocon identical twins. It is these idiots who counsel and represent our ChimpinChief. Maybe Horowitz should head the Ministry of Truthiness for Georgie, he can recess him into the new ministry.
Adam Haaretz
The UN was not created to protect Israel or hunt down Terrorists.
The UN did exactly what is was supposed to do in South Lebanon. Quite succesfully I might add.
Th UN is not an Israeli toy.