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EU makes military debut in shadow of Iraq war
Reuters
| Monday, March 31, 2003
Posted on 03/31/2003 7:08:44 AM PST by JohnHuang2
EU makes military debut in shadow of Iraq war
SKOPJE, Macedonia (Reuters) - The European Union launched its first military operation Monday, taking over NATO's small peacekeeping mission in Macedonia in a ground-breaking venture overshadowed by the U.S.-led war in Iraq.
EU officials have hailed the operation in the ex-Yugoslav republic, where government forces fought Albanian rebels in 2001, as a bright spot in the development of the bloc's common foreign and security policy, at a time of division over Iraq.
But the launch of Operation Concordia may draw little international attention because of the massive military action in the Gulf, which is backed by EU member Britain but opposed by Union heavyweights Germany and France.
A French general will be in charge of the force of 300 lightly armed peacekeepers drawn from 27 countries, including present and future members of the EU.
The force, known as EUFOR, replaces a NATO mission deployed since August 2001 to help safeguard peace in Macedonia after six months of conflict. EUFOR's main task will be to monitor the situation and show a visible international presence.
The fighting ended in Macedonia with a Western-brokered peace deal under which the guerrillas agreed to lay down arms in return for better rights for the large Albanian minority.
The impoverished country has since been mostly peaceful, despite sporadic violent incidents and reports of a shadowy rebel group, and a moderate Social Democrat-led government came to office last year after September general elections.
TOPICS: Extended News; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: eu; eufor; macedonia; nato; operationconcordia; peacekeeping
To: JohnHuang2
And in related news, the French General in charge of the peacekeeping mission promptly surrendered his command to the Macedonian authorities who had stopped in for a little cognac...
To: JohnHuang2
300 troopies from 27 countries?? What, one platoon per country? That's just dumb.
3
posted on
03/31/2003 7:13:18 AM PST
by
Gefreiter
To: JohnHuang2
THIS JUST IN: "
The terrorist enabling EU will soon arrive
in Iraq to remove evidence of French and German contributions to the Iraq WMD program
and to further hurt the American and UK position in Freedom for Iraq."
4
posted on
03/31/2003 7:15:59 AM PST
by
Diogenesis
(If you mess with one of us, you mess with all of us.)
To: Gefreiter
"300 troopies from 27 countries?? What, one platoon per country? That's just dumb."
The story of the Tower of Babel comes to mind. Or do they all speak Eurbonics, or Eurotrash....?
Breaking news from Macedonia: The french army called home and said that he is fine. He found a hiding place behind some German soldiers....
5
posted on
03/31/2003 7:18:01 AM PST
by
Semper Vigilantis
("We have wakened a sleeping giant, and filled him with a terrible resolve." ADM Yamamoto Dec 7 1941)
To: Gefreiter
"300 troopies from 27 countries?? What, one platoon per country? That's just dumb." That's precisely why they're "lightly armed". If they were "heavily armed", somebody might try settling some old scores...
Diversity, EU-style...
6
posted on
03/31/2003 7:20:53 AM PST
by
okie01
(The Mainstream Media: IGNORANCE ON PARADE.)
To: JohnHuang2
A French general will be in charge of the force of 300 lightly armed peacekeepers drawn from 27 countries, including present and future members of the EU. A French General?? .. why does that not reassure me
7
posted on
03/31/2003 7:35:58 AM PST
by
Mo1
(Can I ask the media stupid questions?)
To: JohnHuang2
A French general will be in charge of the force of 300 lightly armed peacekeepers drawn from 27 countries What a deal.
8
posted on
03/31/2003 7:36:02 AM PST
by
Jeff Head
To: Jeff Head
hehehehe! G'morning, amigo
To: JohnHuang2
The debut of EUFOR:
10
posted on
03/31/2003 7:39:49 AM PST
by
Timesink
(Six hundred and four, Toxteth O'Grady, USA.)
To: attagirl; Carry_Okie; countrydummy; KLT; hellinahandcart; Movemout; redrock; ...
This is an important move by the globalists.
11
posted on
03/31/2003 10:51:38 AM PST
by
sauropod
(If the women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy...)
To: sauropod
How so? Sounds like to me they are sitting themselves up to get killed! Or taken as hostages with the French leading the way!
To: JohnHuang2
Mon Dieu... They didn't ask the UN!!!
13
posted on
03/31/2003 11:59:43 AM PST
by
Carry_Okie
(Because there are people in power who are truly evil.)
To: sauropod
EEEEU!!!
14
posted on
03/31/2003 12:01:15 PM PST
by
Carry_Okie
(Because there are people in power who are truly evil.)
To: JohnHuang2
300 lightly armed peacekeepers drawn from 27 countries... Oh My God! It's the Rainbow Coalition! Racial and ethnic diversity with guns! Lead by a surrender Monkey! LOL!
The Macedonians must be quaking with fear and trepidation.
15
posted on
03/31/2003 12:34:19 PM PST
by
PsyOp
To: JohnHuang2
bump ... with a french general they will morph into the french army ..... never fired, dropped once.
16
posted on
03/31/2003 12:39:16 PM PST
by
Centurion2000
(We are crushing our enemies, seeing him driven before us and hearing the lamentations of the liberal)
To: sauropod
But the launch of Operation Concordia may draw little international attention because of the massive military action in the Gulf Yep--pretty soon we'll hear about them all the time (just like FEMA)! Thanks, Sauropod, for the ping.
17
posted on
04/01/2003 2:23:18 PM PST
by
attagirl
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