Posted by
Silvio Canto, Jr. on Sunday, July 30, 2006 8:55:52 AM
What's the solution? It is a cease fire backed by an international force. Any other "cease fire" is simply a band aid which would give Hezbollah time to regroup and build up its missile inventory. Israel won't accept it and who can blame them?
So will the world step up to the plate? This is a chance for Europe and some of our allies to be relevant. They have an opportunity to send some troops and contribute to peace in the region.
The US is too close to Israel. However, I'm sure that the US will provide critical logistical support, specially helicopters and airplanes. The UK is committed in Afghanistan and Iraq but PM Blair will do something.
What about the other countries? Why can't we come up with a force of 25,000 men to guarantee a cease fire in this region?
On Tuesday, the NYTimes had a headline "U.S. and NATO Balk on Troops for Lebanon Force".
What was the bottom line? No one is ready to commit troops:
"The challenge of creating a viable international force to secure Israel's border with Lebanon was captured by Nahum Barnea, a columnist for the Israeli daily newspaper Yediot Aharonot. The European foreign ministers were enthusiastic, he said.
They only had one small condition for the force to be made up of soldiers from another country, Mr. Barnea wrote. The Germans recommended France; the French recommended Egypt, and so on. It is doubtful whether there is a single country in the West currently volunteering to lay down its soldiers on Hezbollah's fence.
What's the problem?
First, many of our allies do not have troops. Let me repeat. Many of our allies do not have troops. I think that most Americans would be shocked to learn how many of our allies live under the US military umbrella.
Second, most of our allies are in the "peace at any cost" camp. I do not believe that their populations will tolerate casualties. We have soft allies who've grown accustomed to being protected by the US.
Sadly, most of our allies are good talkers but not good at doing anything. Let me repeat. Most of our allies talk a lot about multilateral action but do nothing when called upon to act multilaterally. They love to blast the US for doing something but sit back and do nothing on their own.
So this is a chance for Europe, Canada and some of our other allies to prove me wrong.
If our allies can't put together a military force, then don't blame Israel for defending itself or Pres. Bush for going around the UN.As they say in Texas, put up or shut up.