Lebanon (Superthread)

[tomahawk6]

If the French run UNIFIL then the odds are great that Hizbollah will have free reign.

 

[GAP]

If the French run UNIFIL then the odds are great that Hizbollah will have free reign.

Then the French need to be very careful, becasuse I don't think Israel will hesitate even if they get in the way.

 

[Smurfjet]

...yet we should do this for a family who rarely lived here...

Octavianus you care to back you statement up with facts please?

 

[Scoobie Newbie]

I have a feeling the Israel is crazy/desperate enough to go through the States given enough provocation.  I can't wait for the cries from the NDP and Liberals as to when we are commiting assets to such a noble and worthy cause.

 

[tomahawk6]

The only way I see UNIFIL working is if a couple of US brigades were part of the force under a US commander.

 

[vonGarvin]

The only way I see UNIFIL working is if a couple of US brigades were part of the force under a US commander.

Militarily, yes.  Politically, no.  For in the eyes of many "over there" Israel=USA and USA=Israel. 
Personally, I don't see UNIFIL working.  The only force that can stop Hezbollah from launching rockets is the IDF.  Were it up to me, I would NOT put UNIFIL on the job.  I feel that this will only give Hezbollah "more time" to regroup: I'm sure that that IDF took a chunk out of them, but they aren't defeated.  If anything, our Birkenstock Brigades (over here) have conveniently forgotten that Hezbollah deliberately targets non-combatants whilst the IDF kills non-combatants due mostly in part to Hezbollah parking their launchers next to Baby Milk Factories, etc.

 

[tomahawk6]

Israel has asked for an immediate shipment of M26 rockets for their MRLS. This will be the best counterbattery response to future rocket attacks. These grenade size sub munitions will probably cause collateral damage but will also get the rocket launcher before it can scoot.

 

[armyvern]

Which is exactly why, politicly, a couple of US brigades being involved in this will not work in the long run. Any 'honest brokers' involved have to be impartial to both sides if anything that happens is ever going to succeed for the long term.

 

[jt_medic]

http://video.google.ca/videoplay?docid=-7828123714384920696&q=peace%2C+propaganda

A friend sent me this this link, watch this video. It might be long but it gives you alot of info, don't trust everything you see in the news...

 

[paracowboy]

Octavianus you care to back you statement up with facts please?

you care to fill out your profile, please?

 

[paracowboy]

http://video.google.ca/videoplay?docid=-7828123714384920696&q=peace%2C+propaganda

A friend sent me this this link, watch this video. It might be long but it gives you alot of info, don't trust everything you see in the news...

it's been/being discussed elsewhere on these boards. Same damn forum, in fact. Attention to detail is good.

 

[tomahawk6]

I dont see the French as honest brokers. They have run UNIFIL right ?

 

[paracowboy]

I dont see the French as honest brokers.

they are not. Not in any way when dealing with the Middle East. If anything, I see them acting as enablers for Hezbollah, rather than merely continuing to act as cheerleaders.

 

[Infanteer]

Personally, I don't see the US as being effective either; yet another US force deployed to a Muslim country would only get the AQ machine running on full blast about crusader invasions and turn South Lebanon into Al-Anbar II (again, since that's what happened their 1982-2000).

Despite all the French foreign policy expertise here which seems willing to write a French military committment off before it gets off the ground, it may be our only recourse.  Who else can undertake this?  A US would most likely inflame the situation.  The British seem quite extended right now, and I think they'd get pegged with Iraq as well.  This seems like a mission in which a Canadian or Australian force would be great for, but both are small and deeply committed elsewhere.  I'm sure we can put Banglesdishis, Nigerians, and Estonians there, but how effective are they going to be, especially against an organized force like Hezbollah?

American military presence isn't going to be the only thing to solve the regions problems; as far as "eurorentals" go, France is probably the best bet....

 

[honestyrules]

OP12. Acting in support of a request from the government of Lebanon to deploy an international force to assist it to exercise its authority throughout the territory, authorizes UNIFIL to take all necessary action in areas of deployment of its forces and as it deems within its capabilities, to ensure that its area of operations is not utilized for hostile activities of any kind, to resist attempts by forceful means to prevent it from discharging its duties under the mandate of the Security Council, and to protect United Nations personnel, facilities, installations and equipment, ensure the security and freedom of movement of United Nations personnel, humanitarian workers, and, without prejudice to the responsibility of the government of Lebanon, to protect civilians under imminent threat of physical violence;

I didn't see any mention of a "chap.7" in the resolution. Is there such thing as a "robust" chap.6?
Or would it be a new Golan height? What previous mission this one seems to compare to (if both parties agree)?

 

[Scoobie Newbie]

Turkey?
Germany?

 

[armyvern]

to take all necessary action in areas of deployment of its forces and as it deems within its capabilities, to ensure that its area of operations is not utilized for hostile activities of any kind, to resist attempts by forceful means to prevent it from discharging its duties under the mandate of the Security Council

This statement right here shows that, at least on paper, it's not going to be another Golan Heights. We were not authorized any of the above "capabilities" to discharge the UN mandate in the Golan.

 

[tomahawk6]

Correct no Chap 7 authority. I think this resolution is designed to smoke out Hizbollah. No way they are going to abide by the resolution. In fact Nasrallah wants the resolution modified. Not going to happen. Lebanon is not radicalized, outside the Shia community, against the US. In fact a US presence may be seen as a good thing for the Sunni,Druze and Chritian communities. I think the US is stretched pretty thin but we could sustain a couple of brigades as we drawdown forces in Iraq.

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1154525858147

 

[cplcaldwell]

Seems to me, talking about the French, and talking about UNIFIL, that the Commander of UNIFIL is currently a chap by handle of MGen Alain Pellegrini.

Perhaps some Bosnia vets will remember this fellow from 95'ish in Sarajevo and Mostar.  :

 

[paracowboy]

no, I agree with Infy that the US has to stay out of it, beyond CSS. Any American soldiers on the ground would just play into the enemy's hands on the global scale. France would be the best bet, IF they're honestly going to enforce a neutral stance.

But they won't. There were hundreds of French citizens fighting against Israel in the '80s. Their pay? A pack of smokes and a meal a day. The French government is vehemently anti-Israel, and pro-Anybody-But-Western-Democracies in the Middle East power struggle. This ain't gonna end well. I see Israeli soldiers killin' French soldiers, the UN further damning Israel, and setting back the entire war against whatever-title-we've-decided-to-give-the-Islamonutjobs.