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| Africa: West |
| Bangladesh, Namibia Pledge Liberia Troops |
| 2003-08-09 |
| Bangladesh and Namibia agreed to contribute more than 5,000 troops for a United Nations peacekeeping force for Liberia, U.N. officials and diplomats said Friday. The U.N. force will replace a West African force that has already begun deploying to Liberia. The U.N. Security Council ordered the U.N. force to replace the multinational contingent by Oct. 1, but the proposal given to potential troop-contributing nations at a closed-door meeting Thursday calls for U.N. peacekeepers to start deploying on Nov. 1. "Or December 1, depending how long it takes to gouge the US for the money." Bangladesh’s U.N. Ambassador Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury said Friday his government was prepared ``to send one full strength brigade, with headquarters and all ancillary support services - that would be roughly 3,500 troops.’’ The U.N. officials had said earlier that Bangladesh offered two brigades with 4,800 troops. Namibia’s U.N. Ambassador Martin Andjaba said Friday his country offered two battalions, with about 1,600 soldiers because ``we were concerned about either the unwillingess or inability of the international community to deploy troops to Liberia to bring about peace and stability.’’ ``Our two battalions are ready at any time,’’ he said. Bangladesh will also consider sending an 800-strong engineering battalion, since the United Nations indicated it needs a strong engineering component, said Chowdhury. Jacques Paul Klein, the new U.N. special envoy to Liberia, appealed to diplomats from dozens of countries on Thursday to join the U.N. mission. He called for a robust force of between 12,000 and 15,000 troops to help stabilize the country, demobilize combatants and provide security so democratic elections can be held for a new government. India, Pakistan, Ireland and South Africa may also provide troops for the U.N. force, they said. The U.N. Security Council has authorized a two-month deployment for the multinational force to help end fighting between forces loyal to President Charles Taylor and rebels trying to oust him - and to provide security once Taylor leaves. Chowdhury said developing countries like Bangladesh must promote development in Africa. And who better to teach about development than the Bengalideshis, I ask? ``To put development back on track as an international goal, ethnic conflicts must cease,’’ he said. |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #10 Hmm Laugh and make fun of the Namibians and Bangladeshis--but if you want to be an Imperial power--ya gotta PAY! |
| Posted by: Not Mike Moore 2003-8-9 10:44:37 PM |
| #9 If I remember,the whole country of Bangladesh is less the 15 ft.above sea level. |
| Posted by: raptor 2003-8-9 7:03:36 PM |
| #8 LOL thks (blushing) |
| Posted by: Frank G 2003-8-9 6:58:57 PM |
| #7 Frank G - Boy, you engineers are all alike! Making all your Dennis Miller-ish arcane observations. Boy. (indecipherable mumbling) I like it! ;-> |
| Posted by: ·com 2003-8-9 6:45:30 PM |
| #6 You don't need to know Mannings' Equation - Allah will protect you |
| Posted by: Frank G 2003-8-9 6:17:33 PM |
| #5 Yes, but you're forgetting one important thing. This is a UN mandated effort. So I still won't be suprised if it happens. |
| Posted by: Charles 2003-8-9 5:07:48 PM |
| #4 Perhaps it was a low blow, but it's also probably true. Actually, that's a kind of inside joke about Bangladesh, which encounters cyclones on a routine basis, but never seems to be prepared for the ensuing mayhem, including floods and landslides, which typically kill thousands or tens of thousands. Having Bangladeshis teach anyone about controlling floods is like having Saudis teach people about secularism. |
| Posted by: Zhang Fei 2003-8-9 3:59:55 PM |
| #3 Perhaps it was a low blow, but it's also probably true. This whole Liberia thing is just stupid. Bush is right in letting the African nations handle this. Let them kill eachother off and stop bugging us for money. The only reason we're there is to make sure there isn't a mass slaughter of civilians. I just makes me sick. |
| Posted by: Charles 2003-8-9 3:45:09 PM |
| #2 The Bangaladeshi engineering battalion will instruct the Liberians in flood control. Man, that's a low blow.:) (But they have an advantage - no monsoon season in Liberia).:) |
| Posted by: Zhang Fei 2003-8-9 2:03:11 PM |
| #1 The Bangaladeshi engineering battalion will instruct the Liberians in flood control. Jacques Paul Klein, the extremely confused Franco-German UN Special Envoy to Liberia muttered something about mobilizing this and demobilizing that and quickly slam-dunking some elections to make Liberia appear democratic and stable and civilized. He expects the mission to successfully restore Liberia to perfection in only a few short months because he is seeking a better posting to a country with better prostitutes and more 5-Star hotels and needs a quick win to get it. |
| Posted by: ·com 2003-8-9 12:02:07 PM |