I’m off to southern Lebanon for a couple weeks in order to check up on the U.N. force (including the bad-ass at left) that’s supposedly keeping an eye on Hezbollah and intercepting Syrian infiltrators and Iranian weapons. With pro-Hez demonstrations only growing in Beirut, it seems that the U.N. force is at best ineffective and, at worst, an irritant to local Shi’ites. My job is to check out the U.N. forces’ weapons and technology for Defense Technology International, but I’ll be keeping my eyes open for other stories too. And I’ll blog the trip once my boss at DTI, the fabulous Sharon Weinberger, gives me the all-clear. You can help underwrite my travels by buying my new book, ARMY 101, coming soon from University of South Carolina Press. Okay, enough whoring. Wish me luck!
–David Axe
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Axe Does LebanonLeave a Reply |
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“and intercepting Syrian infiltrators and Iranian weapons.“
That is not the task of UNFIL. Before you call them ineffective you probably want to make sure that you know what UNFIL is supposed and allowed to do.
http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unifil/mandate.html
According to Security Council resolutions 425 (1978) and 426 (1978) of 19 March 1978, UNIFIL was established to:
* Confirm the withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon;
* Restore international peace and security;
* Assist the Government of Lebanon in ensuring the return of its effective authority in the area.
According to Security Council resolution 1701 (2006) of 11 August 2006, UNIFIL, in addition to carrying out its mandate under resolutions 425 and 426, shall:
* Monitor the cessation of hostilities;
* Accompany and support the Lebanese armed forces as they deploy throughout the South, including along the Blue Line, as Israel withdraws its armed forces from Lebanon;
* Coordinate its activities referred to in the preceding paragraph (above) with the Government of Lebanon and the Government of Israel;
* Extend its assistance to help ensure humanitarian access to civilian populations and the voluntary and safe return of displaced persons;
* Assist the Lebanese armed forces in taking steps towards the establishment between the Blue Line and the Litani river of an free of any armed personnel, assets and weapons other than those of the Government of Lebanon and of UNIFIL deployed in this area;
* Assist the Government of Lebanon, at its request, in securing its borders and other entry points to prevent the entry in Lebanon without its consent of arms or related materiel.
By this resolution, the Council also authorized 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.
“…that’s supposedly keeping an eye on Hezbollah and intercepting Syrian infiltrators and Iranian weapons.“
BWAAHHA HAHA HAHa hahahahahahahahah. Ah hah hah. Oh, my side. HAh hah hahahahah!
Three words: seventh of never.
But seriously, good luck David… try not to embarass them to badly. At least the nightlife in Beirut hasn’t been intercepted yet.
V
PS– saw the FRONTLINE doc “Iraq’s Lost Year” the other day, a good piece that underscores that L. Paul Bremer and the rest who thought de-baathifying the country overnight was teh awesome were — and still are — fools who decided it would be cool to throw a little coleman on the ashes.
come on start posting already.. im fascinated.. how will you source the information you are seeking..
just about your comment about the “bad-ass” in the picture. It’s a french soldier, you know the little country who did not want to create chaos in irak, the little people who do know what an army has got the right to do ! your comment about UN rules in lebanon make me think of that: isn’t it strange that it is a president who has never been to war (the bad-ass Bush) who tries to solve all with bullets? President Chirac was a soldier during algerian war, he respects our soldiers and guess what? He understand what united nations mean, aren’t you?