I am relieved to hear that the Italian Government has decided to keep its peacekeepers on the Israel-Lebanon border despite the sporadic attacks on the UN bases along the Blue Line.
When I was based in Cyprus, we saw a lot of the Fijians who made up the bulk of the 4,000 UN peacekeepers in Lebanon. Much has changed since then, with the UNIFIL mission size increased to over 10,000 and 50 countries contributing troops. France, Spain and Italy are among the top military contributors, but it is noteworthy that Britain is not involved.
As we approach the 79th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations in October 1945, the situation in Lebanon seems to be the most important test for UN Peacekeeping since Srebrenica in 1995. The mandate is failing because the civilian population is not being protected. We need to remember Kofi Anan’s advice about what works well: “In Eastern Slavonia, we deployed a [UN] force of heavily mechanised infantry and helicopter gunships. We went in with such strength that we didn’t have to use force and we successfully fulfilled the mandate.”
This is something I hope the Government addresses in their UK Strategic Defence Review. It really is time that we honour Sir Marrack Goulding and dedicate an over the horizon capability to respond to UN peacekeeping emergencies.
UN Peace Support Operations
Rupert Wieloch 