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Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Denmark: Not sending troops would signal weakness
2006-08-25
The European Union would "signal weakness" if it fails to come up with a sizable contribution to the UN force in Lebanon, Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen warned Thursday. Troop pledges have been meager so far as EU foreign ministers prepare to meet Friday in Brussels to discuss the peacekeeping mission. "It may signal weakness of the foreign and security policy of the European Union if we are not able to contribute on a larger scale to an international military force," Rasmussen said. Denmark has offered to send three navy ships to help patrol Lebanon's coastline, but is not prepared to send troops to the mission.
Posted by:Fred

#10  "When all you've got is a hammer, all your problems look like nails".
The EU (*not* Europe) is a tranzi post-national construct built on "soft-power". Even if the EUcrats have wishes of "european defense", they don't have neither the mean nor the will to project military power, and I suspect most european national armies are not even suited to defending their territory anymore.

But, of course, as their delusions include the idea that the use of force is "obselete", they stick to the tranzi bag of tricks : ngo, "international law", public opionon makers,...
I really, really can picture the algerian army invading France when/if the SHTF between french and migrants (to "restore order" and prevent atrocities against muslim, of course)... also, compare EU militaries with the turkish army.
Posted by: anonymous5089   2006-08-25 17:47  

#9  Yup, charger, I certainly hope this is our last time of "jumping through all the hoops" for the international community. From now on "unilateral" is the word. Fat lot of good all of our supposed allies (save, perhaps, Denmark, Britain and Australia) are doing.
Posted by: Zenster   2006-08-25 16:46  

#8  The next time someone pontificates on the need to bring our European allies along in order to validate an operation, I hope we remember this fiasco.
Posted by: charger   2006-08-25 14:36  

#7  #1: The European Union has been weak for 25 years. These "signals" are simply a reflection of reality.

#2: European troops are too weak to stop either Hezbollah or Israel in the event of new fighting, and their governments would be powerless to either help them or remove them. Putting them in harms way is gambling with their lives.
Posted by: DoDo   2006-08-25 11:22  

#6  They understand it. They also understand isolation. I suspect they're trying to get the rest of EUrope to demonstrate the kind of backbone thee Danes have repeatedly shown.
Posted by: Nimble Spemble   2006-08-25 10:40  

#5  I don't think these guys understand irony.
Posted by: mojo   2006-08-25 10:30  

#4  So, are they going to burn their boat upon arrival?
Posted by: Zenster   2006-08-25 02:47  

#3  Denmark: Not sending troops would signal weakness
but is not prepared to send troops to the mission.
Posted by: ed   2006-08-25 02:01  

#2  Unless the EU troops are prepared to kick Hizb'allah's arse for not disarming they shouldn't be made targets or hostages.
Posted by: Sock Puppet of Doom   2006-08-25 01:27  

#1  Danish troops would likely be targeted because of the cartoon-jihad incident.
Posted by: Snease Shaiting3550   2006-08-25 00:23  

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