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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| Bolton casts doubt on Lebanon force |
| 2006-08-15 |
| The Pentagon has sent a single military planner to the United Nations to begin preparations for an enhanced Lebanese peacekeeping force, a top official said. U.S. involvement in a peacekeeping force is likely to be limited to just logistics support, and U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton suggested to reporters Tuesday that other nations are not eager to commit troops to the 15,000-man force. "I think that obviously the decisions have to be made by individual countries and their taking into account the circumstances of the mission, the extent of the mandate, the operational difficulties. I did see a story from -- I suppose I should say one wire service from Rome today quoting an Italian military official as being rather skeptical of being involved in a U.N. force. But in any event, this really is a responsibility of the Secretariat. We're doing everything we can to help support the generation of new contributions, but that's what the Department of Peacekeeping Operations really is there to do," Bolton said. The international force would supplement a Lebanese force of 15,000 meant to control Lebanon's borders and the southern swath of the country now being occupied by Israeli forces. Although France spearheaded the effort to get international agreement for a peacekeeping force, it is not clear that the country will command the unit, as has been posited, Bolton said. "I think the decision on who the force commander will be will depend in large part on what country makes the most significant troop contribution. And my understanding from various parts of the French government is they have not yet made a decision on whether and at what level their force contribution will be made," Bolton said. "This is really a test for -- for the Secretariat in getting the enhanced UNIFIL in place and the decisions that have to be made by the government of Lebanon," said Bolton. |
| Posted by:lotp |
| #13 I think it will go hot again before the UN force hits the beach and they will cry they can't go in. The 22nd is right around the corner. At first I thought the 22nd crap was bogus but after seeing the Iranian president interview I am not so sure. He just gave me the impression of someone who prepared mentally to do something really stupid. What exactley I don't know. But his eyes mixed with Assad and the Hezbollah braging this week convinced me that we had reached the point were things were not going to cool off just get worse and worse and worse until something breaks US or them. They can't destroy US all but I think they believe they can bluff US into surrender. |
| Posted by: C-Low 2006-08-15 23:21 |
| #12 Document means nothing to UN... means nothing to me. The world has failed in totality. |
| Posted by: newc 2006-08-15 23:17 |
| #11 Gives me great comfort to have Bolton at the UN during this particular juncture. |
| Posted by: Classical_Liberal 2006-08-15 22:40 |
| #10 "This is really a test Another one of George W. Bush's tests? *crosses all her fingers and toes in hope* |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2006-08-15 22:29 |
| #9 Lets see in how much time 15000 troops will be formed. |
| Posted by: Clerert Uneamp2772 2006-08-15 20:58 |
| #8 It wouldn't hurt to have one of our guys "inside" the tent. Some of what he hears would undoubtedly be helpful to the IDF. |
| Posted by: Crusader 2006-08-15 20:08 |
| #7 this will the an historical blunder of big proportions by whom? I think I know where Bolton's bet is placed. |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2006-08-15 19:55 |
| #6 slip sliding away |
| Posted by: Captain America 2006-08-15 19:37 |
| #5 Precisely lotp. The French will call upon their friends, those nasty colonial Ameerikans as they did in 'Operation Leopard,' Katanga Zaire 1978. French Foreign Legion Para Rgt (2 Rep), heros all. They jumped from 5 C-130's and two Frog C-160's using US Army T-10C's into 10 foot high elephant grass and termite hills at 16h00, in clear skys. One jumper became towed but was cut lose and landed safely. Corporal Richard Arnold, a Brit was the only casualty that first day. He survived tghe jump but was killed by a head wound, his body mutilated. The fuzzie wuzzies pretty much ran from the Legion and hid, which was all in all, good for them. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2006-08-15 19:33 |
| #4 I bet those Hizbollah fighters cringe at the thought of French troops. The French (after decades of training) can run faster from a fight than Hizbullah. That means they can't provide human shields for the terrorists. |
| Posted by: Cyber Sarge 2006-08-15 19:25 |
| #3 this will the an historical blunder of big proportions |
| Posted by: Clerert Uneamp2772 2006-08-15 19:24 |
| #2 Oh, probably also just getting troops TO Lebanon. France has no airlift capability. Neither do Italy and the other countries who've been mentioned. Takes a long time by train and ship. |
| Posted by: lotp 2006-08-15 19:12 |
| #1 U.S. involvement in a peacekeeping force is likely to be limited to just logistics support Read that USAF airlift, helo MEDIVAC, hospitals, etc. Watch the bastards use a Ruskie MANPAD to try and shoot down the first plane. We need to stay the phuech out of it altogether. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2006-08-15 19:10 |