Comments Posted By Padraigm
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FRANCE PONIES UP: BOLSTERS UNIFIL
Rushing in would actually have been very detremental, as both sides would have expected the UNIFIL to force a solution, then blame it for not forcing on the other side.
The UNIFIL will never fight Israel and cannot by force disarm the Hezbollah (all Israel's might couldnt in an intense gloves off fight) so getting all parties to understand and accept this has been paramount.
This means putting intense pressure on the Lebanese goverment, the Hezbollah and Israel was, and is, a necessary step and the best way to apply that pressure, as no-one wanted to go back to war (as the cease fire actually holding demonstrates), was to dangle in front of them this prize.
Lastly, going in without a clear cut mission, agreed upon by all the belligerents, is tantamount to success.
This is the Middle East. Strutting around, boasting and believing the ennemy is worthless and can be easily crushed is dangerously naive:
As often in the Middle East, the war starts once its finished. Lately, Afghanistan and Iraq have reminded those who chose to forget this long standing rule.
French diplomacy is playing a very delicate game, where it has much to loose, and franckly, not much to win (no oil in Lebanon) except helping a once beautiful country back up on its feet.
Comment Posted By Padraigm On 25.08.2006 @ 06:12
