Given the decision cited below, and a justified one it is, effectively, the UN has no real number of troops amassed to act as peace keepers in Southern Lebanon. That puts us right back to square one as regards the recent UN resolution, which is basically nowhere. The positive in that is as we move forward on confronting Iran over their nuclear ambitions, the war in Lebanon will be far from resolved.
Sunni states hammered Assad in editorials this weekend, demonstrating their distrust and distaste for the regime and, by default, Iran, who is behaving the same way. A military strike against Iran's nuclear facilities by the US could set the stage for a regional war against Syria, Iran, Hezbollah and even Hamas, with the US and some European countries taking on Iran, while Israel would be free to take out Hezbollah and Hamas without drawing all of the world's attention.
If moderate and Sunni Arab states signed onto such a confrontation, it could work. Of course, it will likely all be lost in more inane drivel at the UN ... but one can hope.
PM rejects UNIFIL troops from countries without relations
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Israel would not accept the presence of peacekeepers in Lebanon from countries that don't have diplomatic relations with the state, officials said on Sunday.
The decision complicated efforts by the United Nations to form a 15,000-strong peacekeeping force to help enforce a truce that ended 34 days of fighting between Israel and Hizbullah.
The decision was made at a meeting of Olmert's inner Security Cabinet, meeting participants said.
The masters of war perfect their psyops behind the scenes. All going according to plan. A people who live by the sword die by the sword. How cool to let them do themselves in and save us some money for the fall campaign ads.
Posted by: Phoenix | Sunday, August 20, 2006 at 06:13 PM
"No UN Tourists and Pensioners" (a Benjamin Netanyahu quote)
No enforcement of another useless UN Resolution. Just goes to show ya...the UN is All Hat and No Cattle. Nothing to see here folks, move along.
NATO stopped the Murder and Mayhem of Muslims in Bosnia and Kosovo. I spent 3 years there.
Meanwhile the genocide continues in Darfur, Sudan, Somalia and other resort areas. 1701 is another useless UN Resolution, both unenforced and ignored. It should be abundantly clear to anyone that the UN has become both irrelevent and corrupt.
The UN should relocate to Mogadishu, where it can see the issues every hour of every day. Somalia has lovely beaches. Been there done that.
Posted by: old trooper | Monday, August 21, 2006 at 12:06 AM
Old Trooper,
Were you there when the Marines landed on the beach to a entourage of reporters with camera, action and lights?
Ridiculous.
Posted by: Phoenix | Monday, August 21, 2006 at 01:03 PM
Netanyahu for Kofi Annan's position in 2007?
:} ow.
Posted by: Phoenix | Monday, August 21, 2006 at 05:32 PM