Posted on 08/18/2006 9:34:44 AM PDT by areafiftyone
The United Nations appealed to European countries today to contribute troops to an expanded UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon to balance the commitments from Muslim countries, so that both Israel and Lebanon will view it as legitimate.
UN Deputy Secretary-General Mark Malloch Brown said there was promising news from Italy and Finland, but he stressed that more European nations are needed for the vanguard force of 3,500 troops that the UN wants on the ground by August 27.
Italy formally endorsed sending troops to Lebanon but did not commit itself to specific numbers. Finland formally decided to send up to 250 peacekeepers to Lebanon, but said they would not be deployed until November.
At a meeting of 49 potential troop-contributing nations yesterday, the only countries to offer mechanised infantry battalions which will be the front line of the expanded force were three Muslim countries – Bangladesh, Indonesia and Malaysia – and Nepal, which is predominantly Hindu.
Israel’s UN Ambassador Dan Gillerman said today “it would be very difficult if not inconceivable for Israel to accept troops from countries who do not recognise Israel ... to guard Israel’s safety.”
Malloch Brown stressed that the final decision on the composition of the force will be made by the United Nations, but he added: “It’s very important that Europe now steps forward.”
“We want this force that we deploy to have a kind of multinational, multilateral character so that it enjoys the confidence of both sides.”
The United Nations has been seeking “a Muslim-European or European-Muslim force” not only because of the interest of both groups in helping to maintain the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah militants in southern Lebanon but because the combination provides “a legitimacy that satisfies both sides to this conflict,” he said.
France, which commands the current 2,000-strong force known as UNIFIL, had been expected to make a significant new contribution that would form the backbone of the expanded force. But French President Jacques Chirac disappointed the United Nations and other countries by announcing that France would contribute just 200 combat engineers to its current 200-member contingent in Lebanon
Well at least France can supply white flags, and any required cowardice, above and beyond what the Hezzies already have. They will need the white flags if Israel gets the right fighting leader in place with the guts to take down the Hezzie-based, Iran-dictated Lebanese government.
I guess the Muslim troops can use the French white Flags for their headwraps.
No-one but NO-ONE should send a force to serve under Field-Marshal Annan.
The talks leading up to this ceasefire must have been very amusing. Didn't anyone think to ask if nations would participate BEFORE signing the deal to implement a ceasefire based on an international force being a major part of that deal?
DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!
And these sons of Bs were the ones that championed a ceasefire backed up by an international force.
And we suckered for this?
Un-fricken believable!
Stabbed in the back... again.
France CANNOT be trusted. In many ways they are an outright enemy.
Will we ever learn?
"The United Nations has been seeking “a Muslim-European or European-Muslim force” not only because of the interest of both groups"
???
Muslim (in Jews best interest - no)
European (in Jews best interest - no)
So the issue is collective security and the participants aren't going to include the U.S. or Great Britain (at least at the moment). Step up, boys! Who wants to be taken seriously next time the topic comes up?
"The United Nations appealed to European countries today to contribute troops"...confirming what we already knew; the UN is impotent. Also confirming that it only gets anything done when the USA gets things done for it.
Did I miss something? Why are the US and GB not included in this? Are we refusing? Do they not want us? Are we finally implementing some common sense and keeping our distance from the UN?
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