Should the UN/Nato msn in Afg become a "Blue Beret" mission?

[TCBF]

Just think of how that would kick the legs out from under the 'not a Canadian type of mission' dolts out there.  If they and their media slaves keep ignoring the fact that it is a UN and NATO mandated mission, what about having the mission  adopt the Blue Beret?  As long as there is no change in Command Authority (in other words, UN NY does NOT call the shots), what - other than our collective gagging at the very idea - could be wrong with this as a public affairs coup?

 

[Edward Campbell]

We (the big 'we', not me, personally) fought the entire Korean War as members of a UN force; baby blue flags fluttered, etc.

 

[McG]

If they and their media slaves keep ignoring the fact that it is a UN and NATO mandated mission, what about having the mission  adopt the Blue Beret? 

It is not a UN mandated mission.  It is a NATO mission with UN endorsement

 

[Gunner]

http://daccessdds.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N06/517/70/PDF/N0651770.pdf?OpenElement

UNSCR 1707

"...

1.  Decides to extend the authorization of the International Security Force (ISAF) as defined in resolution 1386 (2001) and 1510 (2003) for a period of twelve months beyond 13 October 2006.

2.  Authroizes the Member States participating in ISAF to take all necessary measures to fulfil its mandate.

...."

Sounds pretty clear to me it is a Security Council mandated mission.

 

[McG]

I think the words "authorization" and "authorizes" show this is approval from the UN.  It is not a mandate (ie. direction for a coalition of the willing to execute on behalf of the UN).

Either way, this does not take away from the importance or legitimacy of the mission.

 

[Gunner]

man·date (mndt)  Pronunciation Key  Audio pronunciation of "mandate" [P]
n.

  1. An authoritative command or instruction.
  2. A command or an authorization given by a political electorate to its representative.
  3.  a. A commission from the League of Nations authorizing a member nation to administer a territory.
        b. A region under such administration.

au·thor·ize (ôth-rz)  Pronunciation Key  Audio pronunciation of "authorizes" [P]
tr.v. au·thor·ized, au·thor·iz·ing, au·thor·iz·es

  1. To grant authority or power to.
  2. To give permission for; sanction: the city agency that authorizes construction projects.
  3. To be sufficient grounds for; justify.

 

[McG]

"A commission from the League of Nations "

Gunner,
How old is your dictionary?

In any case, I see that if you look past the most typical usage for the word "mandate" (at least as it was used back in 1929  ;D) then it does fit as an equivalent to "approve".  However, Afghanistan is not a UN mission.

 

[Gunner]

 

[Teddy Ruxpin]

Here's the original resolution

http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2001/sc7248.doc.htm

ISAF was established under UN authority in response to a request as part of the Bonn Agreement and a request from the Afghan Government.  The difference between "mandated" and "authorized" are mere quibbles in terminology in this context.  You could argue that the Afghan Goverment mandates ISAF's presence, while the UN authorizes it...  How's that for diplomacy?

As for blue berets in Afghanistan:  *retch*

 

[geo]

To the majority of the NDP and PC population, UN Blue Beret ops would remove Canada from Security operations out of KAF.  We'd be expected to park the LAVs & LEOs & put a stopper in our M777s

To them, a UN mission is something like the Germans, French & Dutch are doing in Northern Afghanistan...........

People forget about Korea & how the "police action" was fought

 

[youravatar]

Ahaha. Would they notice if we just slipped them on without telling them  :.

 

[geo]

you can paint your helmet blue (under the cammo cover) if you want, I guess
though the CF may make you pay for damaging gov't property

 

[youravatar]

you can paint your helmet blue (under the cammo cover) if you want, I guess
though the CF may make you pay for damaging gov't property

I thnk the QR&Os describes it as " willfully destroying her majesty's property."

 

[midget-boyd91]

Wearing anything blue wont matter at all when people are determined to shoot at you.. the Taliban wont cut back on their attacks just because we've got pretty hats on.
Just look back at Medak Pocket, Canadians put massive UN flags on their APCs when they started being shot at, and only got shot at more once the big flag was up.
A blue flag/beret/helmat are not bullet repellants when you get into the middle of a combat zone, they just make you easy to see.

 

[youravatar]

Wearing anything blue wont matter at all when people are determined to shoot at you.. the Taliban wont cut back on their attacks just because we've got pretty hats on.
Just look back at Medak Pocket, Canadians put massive UN flags on their APCs when they started being shot at, and only got shot at more once the big flag was up.
A blue flag/beret/helmat are not bullet repellants when you get into the middle of a combat zone, they just make you easy to see.

That wasn't so in Bosnia.

 

[vehtech129]

I don’t believe going in wearing blue Berets is the way to go. Afghanistan is a combat mission which is being proving from day to day, wearing a blue beret is not at all tactical. It give's the enemy a very distinctive target for them to shot at.

 

[aesop081]

wearing a blue beret is not at all tactical. It give's the enemy a very distinctive target for them to shot at.

In my experience, that would be the least of our problems if we went there in UN colours !!!!!

 

[Good2Golf]

Personally, I think that any intended benefit from the press or left-leaning organizations' perceptions would be more than negatively outweighed by just how badly the mission could become messed up if the UN were to attempt to "control the mission."

Maybe the UN could bring back Koffi Annan as a special advisor to the UN's Undersecretary for Peace Keeping Operations?  You know, since he did such a stellar job in the early '90s... :

 

[geo]

NATO is in Afghanistan under a UN mandate at the request of the UN AND the gov't of Afghanistan.  We are a UN mission.... just like we were on a UN mission in Korea back in 1950.

The general public sees UN mission as soldiers providing relief assistance and helping rebuild the country. 

What the media and the people they are to inform don't understand adequately is that, for relief and reconstruction to happen, peace and stability must be present - otherwise, the TB will continue to steal the money we distribute, burn the schools we build and masacre the Afghans we have helped

 

[George Wallace]

NATO is in Afghanistan under a UN mandate at the request of the UN AND the gov't of Afghanistan.  We are a UN mission.... just like we were on a UN mission in Korea back in 1950.

The general public sees UN mission as soldiers providing relief assistance and helping rebuild the country. 

What the media and the people they are to inform don't understand adequately is that, for relief and reconstruction to happen, peace and stability must be present - otherwise, the TB will continue to steal the money we distribute, burn the schools we build and masacre the Afghans we have helped

As such it is "Green Helmets" until such time that the Peace and Stability have been restored and then it becomes "Blue Helmets".