A Failing UNIFIL

Noah Pollak of Azure has an informative summary of the problems with UNIFIL, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, whose ostensible mission is the disarmament of Hizballah and the pacification of southern Lebanon. UNIFIL was expanded to 14,000 troops last summer, but, as Pollak writes:

"The new UNIFIL has of course done nothing. Actually, worse than nothing: In the year since the end of the war, Iran and Syria have been rearming Hizballah at a torrid pace, this time with better weaponry than before, and UNIFIL has barely even pretended to be interested in disrupting the arms flow. UNIFIL’s rules of engagement prevent the border with Syria from being patrolled, and UNIFIL blue-helmets have neither the desire nor the means to confront Hizballah."

UNIFIL is but one of many of the United Nations’ failed efforts around the world—which do not need to be elaborated upon for readers of COMMENTARY. But the gravest failure among the U.N.’s initiatives in the Middle East has to be UNRWA, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, which for over five decades has kept the Palestinians in perpetual refugeehood when the vast majority of those Palestinians deemed “refugees” (the children and grandchildren of those who were displaced by the 1948 war) would not actually classify as such by the United Nations’ very own definition.

I pray that the Israelis rid themselves of the pacifist appeasers before it is too late. They should have taken Syria on last summer, failure to do so has emboldened both Syria and Iran. Mr. Olmert, the Persians are at the gate, do not allow Israel to go the way of the 300. Brave and fearsome as they were they in the end succumbed to overwhelming forces.

UNIFIL won’t do what is required to stop the terrorists from getting weapons. That would require taking action the nations participating in UNIFIL won’t dare take.

The Israelis operate as a conventional military. Uniformed, marked vehicles etc. As a consequence, all you’ll hear from UNIFIL forces is Israeli incursions, since those are visible, all awhile terrorists are arming themselves right under their nose.

UNIFIL de facto becomes a worthless force that acts as a sort of shield protecting those operating from the areas they are supposed to control since these elements are asymmetric. UNIFIL will however complain about Israeli military operations that are required since they are to “impotent” to take the needed action to really make difference. If UNIFIL took action the consequence would be car bombs, mortar attacks, drive by shootings against the ground troops there. The situation would become truly dangerous for the blue helmets. The Germans are the perfect example of the problem over all with UNIFIL and many other so called peace enforcement and UN missions. What are two German navy ships going to do to help in this area? This is a ground campaign and the arms smuggled into Lebanon are coming in over land from Syria. However, what risk does Germany have of loosing troops on their ships in the Mediterranean out of missile range? What real commitment have they made that will make any difference? Even the ground component, while exposure is higher is toothless.

One of the surest signs that your government is in serious trouble, is when it acts as if the UN is worthwhile.

Knowing what we do today, it’s impossible to say the UN simply has a few problems. No, it’s corrupt from top to bottom and anyone dealing with it has dirty hands by definition.

I agree with your take.

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