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2003-06-04 East/Subsaharan Africa
EU Approves Congo Peacekeeping Mission
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Posted by Steve 2003-06-04 08:50 am|| || Front Page|| [8 views since 2007-05-07]  Top

#1 Operation Artemis?! What moron decided that was a ggod name. "Let's go hunting in the jungle, Michel! Let's bag some pygmies!" Oh yes, it sounds very classical, sophisticated, educated. But what a stupid faux pas.

They shouldn't have too much trouble with airlift. There's at least one Ilyushin in the Congo that's eager for business.
Posted by Bulldog 2003-06-04 09:39:43||   2003-06-04 09:39:43|| Front Page Top

#2 Diplomats said the EU force would be well armed, backed by mechanized units and would operate under robust rules of engagement to allow it to defend itself and civilians.

If this is the case and not just diplospeak bullshit, maybe, just maybe, they might accomplish something there.
Posted by tu3031 2003-06-04 09:46:09||   2003-06-04 09:46:09|| Front Page Top

#3 brits and french provide the cutting edge units, IIUC, the others (execpt maybe the Swedes?) are mainly peacekeepers, not peacemakers. Best French unit for stuff like this is the Foreign Legion, no? Are they in?
Posted by liberalhawk 2003-06-04 10:15:18||   2003-06-04 10:15:18|| Front Page Top

#4 Speaking of taking on additional projects like Operation Heart of Darkness Artemis, how are the Frenchies doing in the Ivory Coast?
Posted by Alaska Paul 2003-06-04 10:43:48||   2003-06-04 10:43:48|| Front Page Top

#5 The mission's going to require a catchy acronym in keeping with standard UN nomenclature, e.g. UNMOVIC, UNPROFOR. I propose UN/French-led Artemis: UNFART.
Posted by Bulldog 2003-06-04 11:01:29||   2003-06-04 11:01:29|| Front Page Top

#6 Speaking of air transport, how are they getting there, especially the mechanized units? My tax dollars at work? Ukrainian Tupolevs?

Bulldog: LOL
Posted by Matt 2003-06-04 11:19:21||   2003-06-04 11:19:21|| Front Page Top

#7 Al-Aska, Bulldog: you BOTH crack me up!!! hahahahahh Operation Heart of Darkness it is or UNFART for short
Posted by Anon1 2003-06-04 11:41:46||   2003-06-04 11:41:46|| Front Page Top

#8 Anon1---We are here to help you get through the heavy times. Bulldog lives near Stonehenge and I deal with Federal and State bureaucrats and bears in the neighborhood in Alaska, so we have a deep well to draw from. Heh heh....
Posted by Alaska Paul 2003-06-04 12:40:54||   2003-06-04 12:40:54|| Front Page Top

#9 I have this dream of mechanized units wandering through the jungle...oh wait, it's a nightmare.
Posted by john  2003-06-04 13:05:19||   2003-06-04 13:05:19|| Front Page Top

#10 The Irish are sending troops? Get out! Ireland is actually going to get involved in a fight outside the island? Canada is going to go in? For real? Brazil? I guess it's ok to kill people sometimes, eh boys? And you know, people WILL die, including civilians. Maybe hundreds of thousands of them.

And I ask you, are millions of lives really worth saving if even ONE civilian dies in a war?

The EU better be ready for the blowback from this. Colonial and white powers invading an African country rich in resources? Does anyone really believe this is about ending oppression and civil war? Who has the most to gain? This will be an occupation. A quagmire, I tell ya...

Where is Michael Moore and Noam Chomsky and Jose Bove when you really need them?
Posted by R. McLeod  2003-06-05 00:17:40||   2003-06-05 00:17:40|| Front Page Top

01:17 R. McLeod
00:36 Mike Kozlowski
00:25 R. McLeod
00:17 R. McLeod
23:37 R. McLeod
22:10 Frank G
21:51 Watcher
21:47 Watcher
21:40 Watcher
21:38 Watcher
20:21 Dan Darling
20:20 Dan Darling
20:12 Paul Moloney
19:47 Fred
19:46 Fred
19:29 Dan Canaveral
19:27 Dan Canaveral
19:04 Scott
19:00 tu3031
18:41 tu3031
18:39 tu3031
18:35 Scott
18:30 Frank G
18:21 Steve White









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