UN Jumped the gun, Hezbollah uses UN as shield

[Freethinker]

After the UN initially jumped the gun claiming their was no Hezbollah activity and they were deliberately targeted information surfaces in their own records showing the exact opposite. The initial claim from the UN:

"To our knowledge, unlike in the vicinity of some of our other patrol bases, Hezbollah firing was not taking place within the immediate vicinity of the patrol base,"

Actual information from the Canadian who died:


''What I can tell you is this,'' he wrote in an e-mail to CTV dated July 18. ''We have on a daily basis had numerous occasions where our position has come under direct or indirect fire from both (Israeli) artillery and aerial bombing.

''The closest artillery has landed within 2 meters (sic) of our position and the closest 1000 lb aerial bomb has landed 100 meters (sic) from our patrol base. This has not been deliberate targeting, but rather due to tactical necessity.''

Here is the Link:
http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/story.html?id=b4923801-9def-4606-af6a-bc5eea30b89b

 

[BitWhys]

RE: UN backtracks, Hezbollah uses UN as shield

Its called diplomacy. I just hope for everybody's sake somebody over here besides the opposition has the cajones to press for the truth.

I seriously doubt the UN backroom officials are going to give this one a free pass. Either Canada joins the lead or it doesn't.

 

[BitWhys]

RE: UN backtracks, Hezbollah uses UN as shield

btw, "tactical necessity" includes "softening up the area ahead of a ground assault", which is what the IDF has claimed they were doing.

The bastards were playing horseshoes and somehow managed to "accidentally" score a ringer. When one of my kids "accidentally" breaks something while they're clowning around I still send them to their room.

 

[Freethinker]

RE: UN Jumped the gun, He

btw, "tactical necessity" includes "softening up the area ahead of a ground assault", which is what the IDF has claimed they were doing.

You do realize that this was the Canadian UN observer on site that recognized the tactical necessity. He is not parotting the IDF line, because he is obviously no longer with us.

Here is his complete story posted shortly before he was tragically killed:

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060718/mideast_lebanon_UN_060716/20060718/

 

[BitWhys]

sure

whatever

"tactical necessity". we'll write that on his gravestone if we ever find the body.

primary source

He couldn't report the positions to CTV but it sure sounds like the UN has the pins on the map.

 

[BitWhys]

and if the bombings that day were so necessary why did they contact the IDF 10 times and ask them to knock it off?

 

[Colpy]

Re: RE: UN Jumped the gun, Hezbollah uses UN as shield

and if the bombings that day were so necessary why did they contact the IDF 10 times and ask them to knock it off?

Just a guess, but MAYBE because they didn't LIKE being shelled?

 

[BitWhys]

why did they have to shell if there were no hezbollah in the area?

 

[BitWhys]

Israel was asked to spare UN post

...UN officials said the observation position was well-marked, and a picture the world body released Wednesday showed the three-storey building was painted white with the letters "UN" emblazoned in large black letters on all sides, and a light blue UN flag hung from a nearby flagpole that was roughly 15 metres high...

"We did repeatedly in recent days say (to Israel) that this was an exposed position, that Hezbollah militants were 500 metres away shielding themselves near UN workers and civilians," UN humanitarian chief Jan Egeland said. "That's why it is so inexplicable that what happened happened."

That's a ONE KILOMETER DIAMETER!!!

I'd say that's enough out of the UN for now.

Think the IDF will cough up the communications tapes any time soon?

Think Harper will have the cajones to demand them?

 

[Freethinker]

"We did repeatedly in recent days say (to Israel) that this was an exposed position, that Hezbollah militants were 500 metres away shielding themselves near UN workers and civilians," UN humanitarian chief Jan Egeland said. "That's why it is so inexplicable that what happened happened."

I have to ask: why the hell were they staying there and acting as a shield for Hezbollah? Their mission was observing for incursions over the blue line, now that full blown war has broken out that mission is kind of moot, yet they stay and serve as a shield for Hezbollah.

 

[BitWhys]

They were under orders, doing their job A HALF A KILOMETER AWAY FROM THE ACTION. They weren't shielding anything. Other unfortunates were. You can blame the victim if you want. I prefer to support our troops.

 

[Freethinker]

Re: RE: UN Jumped the gun, Hezbollah uses UN as shield

They were under orders, doing their job A HALF A KILOMETER AWAY FROM THE ACTION. They weren't shielding anything. Other unfortunates were. You can blame the victim if you want. I prefer to support our troops.

From your link:

"UN officials said Hezbollah militants had been operating in the area of the post, a routine tactic to prevent Israel from attacking them."

Fine they were under orders. Why is the UN ordering them to stay in the middle of war zone, when they know they are being used as a shield by one side.

And give me a break on your grand standing about support for our troops. This is a pure UN mission that happened to have one Canadian. Who reported extensive activity by both sides around them and recognized the tactical necessity of the attacks landing near them. Your support seems to be less forthcoming for actual Canadian missions when they don't agree with your politics.

Why can't people support the Afghan Mission.

because its not being done right. Any operation that hasn't found a working solution to the poppy fields after 5 years is off its trolley.

They get my tax money. That's all the support "they" really need from me anyway.

 

[BitWhys]

yeah

well

that was before this came up and all the knuckleheads gave up on one of our fallen to play follow the leader.

Ireland Warned Israel Of UN Outpost In Lebanon (Associated Press)

Ahern noted that Israeli forces had advised Unifil observers to stay within their posts, and not to patrol outside them, for their own safety. This instruction effectively paralyzed the U.N.'s monitoring role, he said.

any other questions?

 

[Freethinker]

RE: UN Jumped the gun, He

And by this you infer that the Israelis told them to stay in the building, so they could have a better chance of killing them?

 

[BitWhys]

what on Earth would make you think that? 8O

 

[Freethinker]

RE: UN Jumped the gun, He

You support the notion that the attack on the UN compound was intentional. If the attack was intentional and the Israelis told them to stay inside, there is a logical inference that they wanted to kill more of them.

I think it was an accident, and telling them to stay inside was just a warning of the danger in the area.

 

[BitWhys]

Re: RE: UN Jumped the gun, He

You support the notion that the attack on the UN compound was intentional. If the attack was intentional and the Israelis told them to stay inside, there is a logical inference that they wanted to kill more of them.

I think it was an accident, and telling them to stay inside was just a warning of the danger in the area.

do I?

I thought I supported seeking justice where justice is due. We lost soldiers in Afghanistan to "friendly fire" and the pilot was charged with manslaughter.

In this instance as well, only Justice should be blind.

 

[Freethinker]

My mistake, you were quick to jump on my every statement so I thought you were part of the crowd that claimed this was an intentional attack.

It definitely warrants an investigation similar to the friendly fire incident in Afghanistan.

I only wanted to point the unlikelyhood that Israel ordered the targeting of the UN. Something that I find ridiculous. I maintain that given the UN knowledge that war had broken out and that one side was using their personel as shields, the UN should have withdrawn.

From the various description I have read, the shelling that UN staff were concerned with was not the culprit and this had been going on to varying degrees for some days. But it sounds like a plane dropped a bomb that did the damage and that pilot does need to be questioned to find out what went wrong.

 

[BitWhys]

no offense to Fuzzy :hello2:

but so much for Logic.