Bush Plans Aid to Build Foreign Peace Forces

Washington Post ^ | April 19, 2004 | Bradley Graham

[yonif]

Facing a chronic shortage of foreign troops for peacekeeping missions, President Bush has decided to launch an international drive to boost the supply of available forces -- a move that if successful could relieve some of the pressure on U.S. soldiers to join such operations, defense officials said.

A plan approved by Bush earlier this month calls for the United States to commit about $660 million over the next five years to train, equip and provide logistical support to forces in nations willing to participate in peace operations.

[John Will]

American Forein Legion?

[MJY1288]

Considering we have 37,000 troops in South Korea, countless thousands on the Sinai Pinnusula, thousands in Bosnia and countless places all over the world. this might be a good idea.

It seems to me that after the end of the Cold War, there is no focus at all by nations other than the USA, Great Britain, Israel and a few others to seriously train and equip forces for the defense of freedom. Nations like China, North Korea, and other oppressive governments can't afford to deploy their troops outside of their borders because of the disertion rates.

[Just Lori]

A plan approved by Bush earlier this month calls for the United States to commit about $660 million over the next five years to train, equip and provide logistical support to forces in nations willing to participate in peace operations.


A bit scary. Take the money and run?

[SevenofNine]

Hey Yonif this is might be good idea
We are stretch to breaking point yeah training other countries handle terrorism
That is good idea

Like American Foreign legion

[swheats]

I'll have to wait to hear this one from the horse's mouth. Seems like someone at the UN and those un-named officials at the Pentagon are smoking that funny stuff if they think the "Global Peace Operations Initiative" has a chance.

Why would President Bush trust the French again and Canadian officials:

"The initiative grows out of the frequent struggle by administration officials to recruit enough foreign forces for peacekeeping missions. In Haiti, the latest case, the administration hopes a force of 6,000 to 7,000 international troops can be cobbled together under a U.N. mandate to replace an interim contingent of about 3,800 led by the United States and including French, Canadian and Chilean soldiers."


This sounds better:
"But it faces stiff opposition from senior Army officials who argue that combat troops can be used for peacekeeping when required and that designating a separate peacekeeping-only force would sap overall U.S. military strength.
"

[optik_b]

What about the funding for Iraq, that must be running low.

[border bud]

Maybe there's still time to contact the 1,500 Spanish soldiers to be the first members of the new force - before they return home in shame, having been pulled back by a politician. If there is anything of the Conquistadores left in them, I should think they would welcome the chance to be the heroes they thought they were going to be, when they were first sent to Iraq.