Pak may send troops to Lebanon
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Tiki Tam Tam
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They are UN Forces on the Lebanese Border which are to be withdrawn.
No troops are to be sent to Israel but into the buffer zone only right?
You should have been a politician Sir!Possibly because we support both side!
TexasJohn
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Tiki Tam Tam
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New Delhi, Aug. 24: India will ask its troops with a UN force in southern Lebanon to return if new rules of engagement call for forcibly disarming the Hizbollah, a highly placed official said here today.
A total of 673 Indian troops are currently serving with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil) whose mandate expires on August 31.
The UN-brokered ceasefire through the Security Council resolution 1701 has called for a more robust deployment on the Blue Line in the Israel-Lebanon border where Indian troops stayed camped through the 33-day war.
Union defence minister Pranab Mukherjee said yesterday that the government is considering pulling out its troops.
However, to the surprise of army headquarters here, India has not received any request from the UN department of peacekeeping operations for troops despite New Delhiââ¬â¢s ââ¬Åimpressiveââ¬Â track-record with missions for the world body.
ââ¬ÅIt is a little like saying we will turn down the invitation to the party even if we are not on the guest-list,ââ¬Â one officer said. But the Unifil, with a strength of about 1,900 troops, is likely to be dovetailed into the enhanced UN force when it comes into being.
The current Unifil contingent is commanded by a French officer with an Indian deputy.
Delhi is awaiting further clarifications on the rules of engagement ââ¬â a draft of which was leaked by the French newspaper Le Monde today ââ¬â and also an assessment by its special representative to West Asia, Chinmaya S. Gharekhan.
The Le Monde report said the rules call for use of ââ¬Ådeadly forceââ¬Â in the event of ceasefire violations.
The current Unifil deployment is under Chapter VI ââ¬â peacekeeping ââ¬â of the UN charter. But resolution 1701 charts a path for a Chapter VII ââ¬â peace-enforcement ââ¬â mandate that India is unwilling to be party to.
India currently has soldiers on a Chapter VII mandate in only one UN assignment in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
A possible way out of the conundrum is the use of the Lebanese army that was currently being deployed in southern Lebanon in limited number. If the responsibility of ââ¬Ådisarming the Hizbollahââ¬Â ââ¬â on Israeli insistence ââ¬â is taken up by it, UN troops will have to support the moves.
But Lebanon itself does not recognise the state of Israel.
If India announces it will not participate, the ââ¬Åsecurity vacuumââ¬Â in Lebanon that UN officials in New York are worrying about will not only be enlarged, it will also send wrong signals to other potential troop-contributing countries.
The choice of countries is already limited by Israel. Tel Aviv said yesterday that it does not want troops from countries that have no diplomatic relations with Israel.
This leaves out large UN troop-contributing countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia and Malaysia.
Most of these Islamic countries would not want to be seen going against the Hizbollah for domestic compulsions of their own.
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1060825/asp/nation/story_6655668.asp
A total of 673 Indian troops are currently serving with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil) whose mandate expires on August 31.
The UN-brokered ceasefire through the Security Council resolution 1701 has called for a more robust deployment on the Blue Line in the Israel-Lebanon border where Indian troops stayed camped through the 33-day war.
Union defence minister Pranab Mukherjee said yesterday that the government is considering pulling out its troops.
However, to the surprise of army headquarters here, India has not received any request from the UN department of peacekeeping operations for troops despite New Delhiââ¬â¢s ââ¬Åimpressiveââ¬Â track-record with missions for the world body.
ââ¬ÅIt is a little like saying we will turn down the invitation to the party even if we are not on the guest-list,ââ¬Â one officer said. But the Unifil, with a strength of about 1,900 troops, is likely to be dovetailed into the enhanced UN force when it comes into being.
The current Unifil contingent is commanded by a French officer with an Indian deputy.
Delhi is awaiting further clarifications on the rules of engagement ââ¬â a draft of which was leaked by the French newspaper Le Monde today ââ¬â and also an assessment by its special representative to West Asia, Chinmaya S. Gharekhan.
The Le Monde report said the rules call for use of ââ¬Ådeadly forceââ¬Â in the event of ceasefire violations.
The current Unifil deployment is under Chapter VI ââ¬â peacekeeping ââ¬â of the UN charter. But resolution 1701 charts a path for a Chapter VII ââ¬â peace-enforcement ââ¬â mandate that India is unwilling to be party to.
India currently has soldiers on a Chapter VII mandate in only one UN assignment in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
A possible way out of the conundrum is the use of the Lebanese army that was currently being deployed in southern Lebanon in limited number. If the responsibility of ââ¬Ådisarming the Hizbollahââ¬Â ââ¬â on Israeli insistence ââ¬â is taken up by it, UN troops will have to support the moves.
But Lebanon itself does not recognise the state of Israel.
If India announces it will not participate, the ââ¬Åsecurity vacuumââ¬Â in Lebanon that UN officials in New York are worrying about will not only be enlarged, it will also send wrong signals to other potential troop-contributing countries.
The choice of countries is already limited by Israel. Tel Aviv said yesterday that it does not want troops from countries that have no diplomatic relations with Israel.
This leaves out large UN troop-contributing countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia and Malaysia.
Most of these Islamic countries would not want to be seen going against the Hizbollah for domestic compulsions of their own.
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1060825/asp/nation/story_6655668.asp
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