Posted on 08/17/2006 4:18:42 PM PDT by elhombrelibre
UN force put in doubt as French reveal militia fear From Charles Bremner in Paris
PLANS for a 15,000-strong United Nations force in Lebanon were cast into doubt yesterday when France demanded guarantees that Hezbollah forces would first be disarmed and Germany said it would not send combat troops.
President Chirac’s office announced that France would add immediately 200 troops to its contingent of 200 serving with the existing UN force in south Lebanon (Unifil), which France commands.
The statement, after a telephone conversation between M Chirac and Kofi Annan, the UN Secretary General, dismayed UN officials, who had hoped for a much larger contribution.
In Berlin Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, said that her country was not prepared to contribute ground troops to a UN peace-keeping force in Lebanon but would consider navy support.
Paris dug in its heels hours before 49 nations were to meet at the United Nations in New York to agree on the structure and rules of engagement of the much-expanded Unifil, which is to monitor the demilitarisation of northern Lebanon.
France has offered to command the UN force that will join 15,000 Lebanese troops in the Shia-dominated zone. French forces were expected to provide its backbone.
The Government is worried that they could become a target for the Hezbollah militia or Iran and Syria, its sponsors. France is the former colonial power in Lebanon.
M Chirac’s aides said that the French position remained unchanged because Paris had cautioned all along of the need for guarantees before the insertion of a new peacekeeping force.
Michèle Alliot-Marie, the Defence Minister, said that failure to spell out the expanded force’s exact mission could lead to disaster. France wanted many European and Muslim countries to take part. Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, Turkey and Australia had already agreed in principle.
The immediate danger springs from Hezbollah’s reluctance to hand over its arms in the buffer zone, which the UN resolution 1701 requires to be free of weapons except for those of the UN and Lebanese forces.
The organisation’s leaders yesterday implied that they interpreted the UN resolution as simply requiring that they did not use or display their weapons. M Chirac has said since the outset that no UN force should be expected to disarm Hezbollah.
The French are hilarious. Some way to lead.
The organisation’s leaders yesterday implied that they interpreted the UN resolution as simply requiring that they did not use or display their weapons.
Oh lovely...........
So 15,000 rockets can be restocked in Southern Lebannon. But just hide them better.
Brilliant.
Euro-Pussy alert
Well that is certainly a shocker. As is this classic line "
France has offered to command the UN force that will join 15,000 Lebanese troops in the Shia-dominated zone."
I assume that means they get to handle the checkbook (yea, I trust them)
The Axis of Weasels is back
This time they're trying to save Nasaralah or whatever the evil little twit's name is.
PLANS for a 15,000-strong United Nations force in Lebanon were cast into doubt yesterday when France demanded guarantees that Hezbollah forces would first be disarmed .
Euro-Pussy alert
well thats a new angle
surrender before you get to the battlefield
This isnt really a great surprise and I cant blame France too much.
Is there any damn thing on Earth that the French ain't afraid of?
200 Generals to start and 200 Generals later.
Wow. Now they've surrendered before a shot was fired.
I can see it now......Israel will have to go in and rescue the F'ing French! Can't we find a country will some courage and balls to run this thing?
Time for the war to continue then........
I think that may be a violation of the Geneva Conventions. Let me check my NY Times stylebook ...
The guy's not human.
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