Posted on 07/18/2006 10:14:30 AM PDT by SmithL
Urging the international community to "end the fighting and the killing," UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan backed a Lebanon stabilization force Tuesday stressing it must be bigger and better armed than the UN's current force of about 2,000.
Speaking to reporters after discussing the Middle East at the European Commission, Annan said the UN Security Council would have to work out the proposed force's size and rules of engagement.
He said such a force should be "larger than the 2,000-man force we have there (and) have a different concept of operation and, hopefully, a different mandate from the Security Council that will allow them to operate" in southern Lebanon.
He said that would "help stabilize the situation whilst it gives the government of Lebanon time to organize itself (and) extend its authority throughout the territory, including the south" where Hizbullah militants have built up their military capabilities.
The deployment of the stabilization force would also give the government in Beirut time to "sort out the question of disarmament of the militia" in south Lebanon, Annan said.
He said he expects European and other countries to supply troops for the force, saying "It is urgent that the international community acts to make a difference on the ground."
Standing next to Annan at a news conference, Javier Solana, the EU's foreign and security chief, said, "We will be ready to help."
The current UN force in South Lebanon, known as UNIFIL, was created in 1978 to boost the Beirut government's authority there, but it proved to be powerless.
Annan said a new UN force would have "different capabilities," suggesting a much more powerful military presence.
Israel and the Lebanon-based Hizbullah oppose a new force.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair first mentioned such a force at the G-8 summit in St. Petersburg Monday as the "only way we're going to get a cessation of hostilities" between Israel and Hizbullah terrorists in Lebanon.
Hey Kofi, how's that Haitian thing working out for you?
Too late Kofi.....should have been done in 2000 when Israel pulled out of Lebanon. Why dont you send in the blue helmets to help Israel root out and destroy Hezbollah once and for all instead of this useless peace-keeping crap that fails miserably.
Do you know anything about past UN "peacekeeping" efforts or are you a troll?
All those other UN peacekeeping forces have done so well, haven't they? I can see it now. Once again, the "peacekeepers" will get out of the way to allow Hamas and Hezbollah to attack Israel. There will be a steady stream of UN vehicles to hotels and bars in Damascus.
That is the UN spin on the situation. I've heard their officials at least three times claim the rapes happened because "that's what soldiers do".
No outside forces until hezbullah are all dead. What's the point of leaving the obstacle to peace alive?
We will support this as long as Kofi is leading the troops personally.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1428556/posts
The problem is that with the UN it is systematic and tolerated. They deserve to be scorned and ridiculed after what they have done to host nationals.
The US has had over a million troops roll through Iraq, with just one rape accusation that I am aware of.
So because the UN admits they have had troups there and have been failing abysmally there since 1978, we should just throw more money down Kofi's "power me up" rat hole to hims him build his infastructure even further.
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The UN has had 2,000 troops there since 2000 helping Hizbollah establish themselve.
the Blue Helmets are coming!
the Blue Helmets are coming!
Lebanese parents....send your daughters abroad NOW!!!
The US has spent the last 60 years 'calming the situation' by holding Israel back & allowing them to be the victims of terror.
As for the UN forces raping women in the Congo, ect, take a look at US forces raping women in Iraq, Vietnam, Europe, and basically ever war we've ever fought. The point isn't that the US is evil. The point is that atrocities inevitably happen when a forgein army is occupying a country.
I'd rather have US troops guarding me & mine than UN troops. I will put the entire US record (200+ years) of both leadership & military actions on & off the battle field against the UN's dismal 60 year record any day!
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