Five Minutes Of Failure
During a brief five minute meeting last night, the UN found enough time to declare its impotence. The Security Council held a closed door meeting to discuss the implementation, or lack of, Resolution 1559 (Sep. 2004). As a reminder, the main points of UNSCR 1559 are as follows:
1. Reaffirms its call for the strict respect of the sovereignty, territorial
integrity, unity, and political independence of Lebanon under the sole and exclusive
authority of the Government of Lebanon throughout Lebanon;
2. Calls upon all remaining foreign forces to withdraw from Lebanon;
3. Calls for the disbanding and disarmament of all Lebanese and non- Lebanese militias;
4. Supports the extension of the control of the Government of Lebanon over
all Lebanese territory;
5. Declares its support for a free and fair electoral process in Lebanon’s
upcoming presidential election conducted according to Lebanese constitutional rules
devised without foreign interference or influence;
And how does the UN think the implementation is proceeding?
“The Security Council notes that important progress has been made towards the implementation of resolution 1559 (2004), in particular through the deployment of the Lebanese Armed Forces in the south of the country for the first time in three decades, but it also notes with regret that some provisions of resolution 1559 (2004) have yet to be implemented, namely the disbanding and disarming of Lebanese and non-Lebanese militias, the strict respect for the sovereignty, territorial integrity, unity, and political independence of Lebanon, and free and fair presidential elections conducted according to the Lebanese constitutional rules, without any foreign interference and influence".
In other words, Points 1, 3 and 5 need some work. Some will say that a 40% success rate is tremendous for the UN.
Consider the next paragraph:
"Lebanon will have to engage again in a truly national and inclusive dialogue, the Secretary-General continues. The disarming and disbanding of Lebanese and non-Lebanese militias, which lies at the heart of Lebanon’s political transformation and is a necessary element to complete Lebanon’s consolidation as a sovereign and democratic State, can only be achieved through an inclusive process that addresses the political and economic interests of all Lebanese and those living in Lebanon."
The UN hinges the Lebanese "political transformation" and "consolidation as a sovereign state" on the disarming of Hezbollah. Considering that Hezbollah has not been disarmed until now, and considering that UNIFIL claims they will not do so in the future, it appears that any success of Resolution 1559 is dependent on a disarmament that the UN says they will not make happen!! And neither will anyone else. 40% is actually 0%. According to the UN statement, without disarmament, you have nothing.
Even one the biggest UN cronies Terje Roed-Larsen, the top UN envoy for Syria-Lebanon issues, said representatives of the Lebanese government "have stated publicly and also in conversations with us that there has been arms coming across the border into Lebanon." I wonder who the recipient is. Not only is the UN not disarming Hezbollah, they are watching them rearm, and not doing a thing about it.
The UN was able to totally humiliate itself in only a short five minutes. It seems that’s what they do best.
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10 comments:
If there is one issue on where a United Nations could and should be effective, it is helping a nation restore full sovereignty after civil war.
But the UN just doesn't seem to understand how failure to do this results in MORE conflict and requires states to seek other solutions.
But they sure as hell complain when states do seek their own solutions.
Yes, it watches Hezbollah rearm and does nothing. In fact, France has threatened to shoot down Israeli warplanes (a radical departure from shooting unarmed Greenpeace ships) over Lebanon.
So not only does the UN do nothing, some of its members are even aiding and abetting Hezbollah.
The UN has to go.
humiliate themselves and spread as much Jooooo hatred and anti American sentiment as possible !!
Thanks guys,
The UN never disappoints when you need some material for a post. How sad. I just wish the US would finally show some backbone and "just say no" to funding nearly a quarter of their annual budget. All right, kick em out of NY too.
The UN is quite possibly the biggest debaucle and failure of all time...
And we will be a laughing stock in history's eyes for allowing this to continue indefinitely.
The UN is a disgrace and a puppet of the EU. Javier Solana is the one responsible for past and future disasters.
If we pull out of the U.N. who would veto all the resolutions condemming Israel?
Gregdn,
If the US pulls out, the resolutions would be worthless. Without the US financing 25% of the UN budget, the UN would struggle to survive. Many of their programs would collapse. It would be as powerful as the Arab League. Not very.
While a good post, you understate the UN's failure. And of course the UN understates its own failure. While the UN acknowledges its and Lebanon's failure to implement measures 1,3, and 5, it fails to mention its failure on the other 3 points.
On the withdrawl of foreign forces: The UN, in its myopic, anti-Israeli view, of course means "the withdrawl of Israeli forces". But it mentions nothing about, nor has it apparently sought to do anything about, the presence of Iranian forces in Lebanon - Iranian forces who are supplying and training Hezbollah on military equipment sent from Iran, etc. Thousands of these forces remain in Lebanon today. The Lebanese government knows it, the UN knows it, and so does everyone else.
Also, while the deployment of Lebanese forces into southern Lebanon is a significant step in implementing point 4, it in no way implies success in and of itself anymore than sending U.S. troops into Baghdad implies that it now controls Baghdad.
Take Care,
-Ivan
Ivan,
Thanks for making it even clearer. Good points.
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