German cabinet authorises Lebanon mission

[tocqueville]

by Emsie Ferreira
Wed Sep 13, 9:43 AM ET

BERLIN (AFP) - The German cabinet has decided to send up to 2,400 troops to lead the naval component of the expanded UN force in Lebanon, Chancellor Angela Merkel revealed.

"The cabinet has approved sending navy troops to patrol Lebanon's seaways. We are no longer only a spectator in the region," Merkel told reporters Wednesday.

"Our mission is to prevent weapons or parts of weapons being smuggled into Lebanon by sea."

The mission, which is expected to be approved by the lower house of parliament next week, will mark Germany's first military foray into the Middle East since World War II.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060913/wl_mideast_afp/mideastconflictun

[lebkuchen]

1. What happens if Israel sends weapons to Lebanon "airmail?"

Will Germany fire on Jews, for the first time since WWII?

[tocqueville]

2. I don't see where the problem is

If the Israeli attack the UN forces, they have a right to retaliate. If the Israeli break the cease-fire, action can be taken to prevent it, even the use of force. The same applies to the other side (Lebanese).

the troops under blue helmet are under UN command, thus representing the world community. They are from different nationalities, but when under UN command they "lose" their nationality (but not their responsability in case they wouldn't behave according to rules of engagement). Basically regarding the Germans the question is if the world accepts Germany now as a responsible, democratic nation or not. I know that Europeans do. Anyway it's obvious that German troops are acceptable under UN command in a multi-ethnic region full of conflicts and that applies to other European troops, while US forces are not acceptable. Says a lot. Sadly.

Besides Germany will be in charge of the naval part. If there are theoretical intermezzos with the IDF airforce, the French Crotale ground-air missiles are now set up to deal with it, together with Italian Harriers. The two French air-defense frigates can deal with it too, while the Germans will mostly have patrol boats.

Israel has always complained that the UNIFIL was "doing nothing". Now it can do something. You can't have both.