The UN Takes Sides in Lebanon [bombed UN outpost was probably tipping off Hizbollah]

Strategy Page ^ | July 28, 2006

[John Jorsett]

The UNIFIL Observer outpost that was "accidentally" targeted by Israeli firepower on July 25th, leaving four UN troops dead, was probably a victim of its own chatter. The unarmed observers, with a clear view of the fighting between Hizbollah and the Israelis, were apparently reporting whatever they saw, with other UNIFIL locations, over unencrypted ("in the clear") radio frequencies. This chatter could be picked up by Hizbollah. Since the Israelis have control of the air, and use aircraft and UAVs to gain an information advantage over Hizbollah, this UNIFIL chatter was giving the Hizbollah fighters information they would not otherwise have. That was endangering Israeli soldiers. Then again, the UNIFIL post was right in the middle of a battlefield. There was a furious firefight going on around the UNIFIL position, and the Hizbollah gunmen were using the UNIFIL position for cover from Israeli fire (an old Hizbollah tactic.) The Israeli damage to the UN bunker may well have been accidental.

Then again, Israeli troops have complained to UNIFIL about this sort of loose talk, and inadvertent shelter for enemy troops, before, but such complaints have been brushed aside. The Israelis have caught some UNIFIL actually working for Hizbollah, and many more of the UN troops developed very friendly relations with Hizbollah. There was always a practical reason for this. When UN troops give Hizbollah a hard time, Hizbollah is not bashful about threatening the UN troops with violence. But the UNIFIL/Hizbollah cooperation goes beyond idle chatter. At about the same time the UNIFIL troops were killed, other UNIFIL troops were repairing roads in the area that had been bombed by the Israelis. UNIFIL engineers were making the repairs so UNIFIL vehicles could use the roads again, but UNIFIL was not going to do anything to keep Hizbollah off the newly repaired roads.

The UN is insistent that the Israeli bombing was deliberate. If the UN military officials put themselves in the situation the Israelis were facing, they would have probably given the same orders. That is, if the UN officers cared about their troops. UNIFIL has shown a keen sense of self-preservation during past encounters with Hizbollah. Now the UN is discovering that the Israelis will play for keeps as well. Despite what Israeli and UN diplomats (and their spin doctors) do over the next few weeks, UNIFIL has apparently received the message.

[Clara Lou]

apparently reporting whatever they saw, with other UNIFIL locations, over unencrypted ("in the clear") radio frequencies. This chatter could be picked up by Hizbollah.
Now, I ask you--how dumb is that?

[Paloma_55]

The UN is as supportive of Hezbollah as the government of Lebanon. They are both paying the price for that support.

[tbeatty]

I believe it was an accident.

And with no knowledge of whether this was done, Israel should tell UNIFIL to leave. UNIFIL failed. Only harm can come to them now. Israel will now do the job that UNIFIL was supposed to do: disarm Hezbollah.

[HAL9000]

If the intention was to stop UN chatter, wouldn't an EMP or soft bomb would be the preferred devices?

[kindred]

(...radio frequencies. This chatter could be picked up by Hizbollah. Since the Israelis have control of the air, and use aircraft and UAVs to gain an information advantage over Hizbollah, this UNIFIL chatter was giving the Hizbollah fighters information they would not otherwise have.)

I thought there was more behind this story when the anti semite Kofi Anan was making false charges against Israel. This explains the truth. Israel was getting rid of the pro Hizbollah U.N. terrorists who were aiding and abetting the enemy.

[Gritty]

[cripplecreek]

I think they were innocent men working for a corrupt organization. The UN may have wanted Hezbollah tipped off and their personnel to act as human shields but I don't believe the men on the ground were guilty of anything beyond following orders.

[kesg]

I would love Israel to announce that they will begin putting the lives of their own soldiers and citizens ahead of everyone else, and act accordingly. And with no apologies to anyone except themselves for not doing this sooner.

[John Jorsett]

And with no knowledge of whether this was done, Israel should tell UNIFIL to leave.

No need. The UN has wised up and ordered "its" troops out of the war zone.

[John Jorsett]

I don't believe the men on the ground were guilty of anything beyond following orders.

Very likely. They were issued unencrypted radios and told to report what they saw. Their superiors and the UN are the ones to blame for what happened. It's unconscionable to put unarmed troops in the middle of a war zone, especially one occupied by the vile Hizbollah, which has no compunctions about using the UN for cover.

[cripplecreek]

Personally I think it's a clear violation of the geneva convention rules regarding human shields. Hezbolla has a share of guild for hiding behind them and the UN is guilty of keeping unarmed men at the front line.

[crazyhorse691]

Little pieces here and there keep popping up about the behavior of the UNpeacekeepers. And it ain't exemplary behavior.
Along the same vein, it was announced at the beginning of the week that a company of Oregon National Guardsmen were being assigned to Mongolia to train Mongolian soldiers for UN peacekeeping duties.

[tessalu]

I believe that the UN outpost in Southern Lebanon was as usless as the teats on a boar hog to the cause of peace.
I have searched and I can find no good reason for it's existance.

[FlyVet]

Remember the UN's world conference on racism a few years ago, which turned into an open JewHateFest for the whole world to see, then 'splain to me why any UN outpost on the battlefield should be trusted or tolerated.

[jocko12]

The IAF should target all UN Outpost

[verbal voter]

Thanks for your old reply. Funny how the American sheep ignore the UN. We fund this organization to the tune of 500 million dollars per year---and they just spit on us and a few real allies.
We must have the UN leave the USA and then we must leave the UN. They just held a three week conference that attacks the 2'nd amendment.
Our dues supports the high-on-the-hog lifestyle of many of the diplomats to the UN. Breaking the UN into 4 or 5 parts, distributed by world population and poverty, would go a long way to solving world problems and getting rid of the talk only anti-US bums.