Hezbollah was using UN post as 'shield'
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Hezbollah was using UN post as 'shield'
Canadian wrote of militia's presence, 'necessity' of bombing
Joel Kom, with files from Steven Edwards, CanWest News Service, The Ottawa Citizen
Published: Thursday, July 27, 2006
The words of a Canadian United Nations observer written just days before he was killed in an Israeli bombing of a UN post in Lebanon are evidence Hezbollah was using the post as a "shield" to fire rockets into Israel, says a former UN commander in Bosnia.
Those words, written in an e-mail dated just nine days ago, offer a possible explanation as to why the post -- which according to UN officials was clearly marked and known to Israeli forces -- was hit by Israel on Tuesday night, said retired Maj.-Gen. Lewis MacKenzie yesterday.
The strike hit the UN observation post in the southern Lebanese village of El Khiam, killing Canadian Maj. Paeta Hess-von Kruedener and three others serving as unarmed UN military observers in the area.
Just last week, Maj. Hess-von Kruedener wrote an e-mail about his experiences after nine months in the area, words Maj.-Gen. MacKenzie said are an obvious allusion to Hezbollah tactics.
"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."
Those words, particularly the last sentence, are not-so-veiled language indicating Israeli strikes were aimed at Hezbollah targets near the post, said Maj.-Gen. MacKenzie.
"What that means is, in plain English, 'We've got Hezbollah fighters running around in our positions, taking our positions here and then using us for shields and then engaging the (Israeli Defence Forces)," he said.
That would mean Hezbollah was purposely setting up near the UN post, he added. It's a tactic Maj.-Gen. MacKenzie, who was the first UN commander in Sarajevo during the Bosnia civil war, said he's seen in past international missions: Aside from UN posts, fighters would set up near hospitals, mosques and orphanages.
A Canadian Forces infantry officer with the Edmonton-based Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry and the only Canadian serving as a UN military observer in Lebanon, Maj. Hess-von Kruedener was no stranger to fighting nearby.
The UN post, he wrote in the e-mail, afforded a view of the "Hezbollah static positions in and around our patrol Base."
"It appears that the lion's share of fighting between the IDF and Hezbollah has taken place in our area," he wrote, noting later it was too dangerous to venture out on patrols.
The e-mail appears to contradict the UN's claim there had been no Hezbollah activity in the vicinity of the strike.
The question of Hezbollah's infiltration of the area is significant because UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, speaking Tuesday just hours after the bombing, accused the Israelis of the "apparently deliberate targeting" of the base near Khiam in southern Lebanon.
A senior UN official, asked about the information contained in Maj. Hess-von Kruedener's e-mail concerning Hezbollah presence in the vicinity of the Khiam base, denied the world body had been caught in a contradiction.
Canadian wrote of militia's presence, 'necessity' of bombing
Joel Kom, with files from Steven Edwards, CanWest News Service, The Ottawa Citizen
Published: Thursday, July 27, 2006
The words of a Canadian United Nations observer written just days before he was killed in an Israeli bombing of a UN post in Lebanon are evidence Hezbollah was using the post as a "shield" to fire rockets into Israel, says a former UN commander in Bosnia.
Those words, written in an e-mail dated just nine days ago, offer a possible explanation as to why the post -- which according to UN officials was clearly marked and known to Israeli forces -- was hit by Israel on Tuesday night, said retired Maj.-Gen. Lewis MacKenzie yesterday.
The strike hit the UN observation post in the southern Lebanese village of El Khiam, killing Canadian Maj. Paeta Hess-von Kruedener and three others serving as unarmed UN military observers in the area.
Just last week, Maj. Hess-von Kruedener wrote an e-mail about his experiences after nine months in the area, words Maj.-Gen. MacKenzie said are an obvious allusion to Hezbollah tactics.
"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."
Those words, particularly the last sentence, are not-so-veiled language indicating Israeli strikes were aimed at Hezbollah targets near the post, said Maj.-Gen. MacKenzie.
"What that means is, in plain English, 'We've got Hezbollah fighters running around in our positions, taking our positions here and then using us for shields and then engaging the (Israeli Defence Forces)," he said.
That would mean Hezbollah was purposely setting up near the UN post, he added. It's a tactic Maj.-Gen. MacKenzie, who was the first UN commander in Sarajevo during the Bosnia civil war, said he's seen in past international missions: Aside from UN posts, fighters would set up near hospitals, mosques and orphanages.
A Canadian Forces infantry officer with the Edmonton-based Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry and the only Canadian serving as a UN military observer in Lebanon, Maj. Hess-von Kruedener was no stranger to fighting nearby.
The UN post, he wrote in the e-mail, afforded a view of the "Hezbollah static positions in and around our patrol Base."
"It appears that the lion's share of fighting between the IDF and Hezbollah has taken place in our area," he wrote, noting later it was too dangerous to venture out on patrols.
The e-mail appears to contradict the UN's claim there had been no Hezbollah activity in the vicinity of the strike.
The question of Hezbollah's infiltration of the area is significant because UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, speaking Tuesday just hours after the bombing, accused the Israelis of the "apparently deliberate targeting" of the base near Khiam in southern Lebanon.
A senior UN official, asked about the information contained in Maj. Hess-von Kruedener's e-mail concerning Hezbollah presence in the vicinity of the Khiam base, denied the world body had been caught in a contradiction.
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Comments
You are exactly right my friend. When all this 1st went down, a MASS bombardment of posts on here went bashing Israel, blaming them for this, turning a BLIND EYE on the possiblity of hezbollah using the tactic of "hugging". This has since been proven and all you here is crickets on here!!
Of course it doesn't surprise me at all!
Just like this tragedy that took place today of mass civilian casualties, I believe once again, hezbollah hugged the civilians and of course, media has done cart wheels to show that israel killed these people even tho hezbollah hid behind them, and even kept them from leaving.
typical tactic from terrorists!
Meanwhile, the anti-Israeli threads are going strong at the same time with liberal contempt.
Yes, the used it as a shield. Yes, it's fucked up. But was there any other way to do something about it? Such as Close Quarters Combat or something like that. Help me figure this out.
nothin new....
kudos on this post!!!! and to the poster for putting this up
Close quarters combat??? What, the IDF was just gonna go in and start firing or using hand to hand combat? Sorry, but that is ridiculous!
Yes, it should have been targeted.
I agree. The people in the church should have stood up against Hezbollah since they didn't like them in the first place. When terror groups start working right next to you, you should know that war is going to come at some point. So instead of Israel killing them when the terrorists they allowed to operate in their country attacked Israel, they perhaps should have stood up to Hezbollah.
I posted it a yesterday or the day before, no real replays were near to be seen.
Sorry, I got onto the board late today. But it's okay, you can stop tracking the time now.
Well, we have one since Shiraz started the same thread a day or two ago! Kudos to you sir.
The sad part is, most "innocent" civilians cannot stand up against a terrorist organization such as this. They force civilians to stay by using threats and violence in order to hide behind them and use them! Once a target has been hit, they can report innocent civilians being slaughtered by Israel and using this to win the PR campain, and the many on here BELIEVE IT!
What's even worse, this tactic used by hezbollah is ILLEGAL! but you rarely EVER hear any comdenation over this tactic.
It is sad. But how many died when the US stood up to England? How many died when the Allied forces stood up to Hitler? They died for freedom. They died for safety of the majority. Iranians have historically wanted to overthrow their government, but choose not to. So when it comes time to defend our safety against Iran because the civilians could not stand up to their government like our great ancestors did to their oppressors, it will be sad, but those same civilians may die when their government goes against the will of the people and take up arms in civilian areas.
BTW...Israel could not defend itself in WW2 because its land had been taken away before then, and Jews were being rounded up by the Nazis like cattle. The leader of Iran, who is in charge of Hezbollah, says that the Holocaust was a myth, and roots for the destruction of Israel. Yet the majority on this board root for Hezbollah. Truly sickening.
If there is a ground attack then it may turn out like in Iraq, where there is house-to-house fighting, car bomb attacks, etc.... and civilians still dying. I'd hope there could be talks done, but everytime there have been talks in the past, it seems like Israel is willing to compromise, but the other side isn't. And when Israel unilaterally gives in (ala giving Gaza to the Palestians), they are immediately attacked by Palestinians. Now, it sucks that civilians are dying in Lebanon, and those pictures of the dead children are truly horrific, but I can't put too much blame on Israel.
Edit: I do applaud you for being the only liberal to enter this thread.
See. That's the kinda of explanation and response I fucking wanted. Thank you for not just shrugging your should and labeling my inferior ideas as ridiculous.
Is killing the terrorist worth killing the innocents? I condemn hezbollah for doing this. I think that is one of the worst things you can do but is it worth killing the innocents?
What is the solution then? They fire rockets behind civilians and just take it? Just wondering.....
It is also a Hezbollah specialty.
is that exactly what I thought I read?"
How I choose to feel,...Is how I am.
But OF COURSE, the majority, not all, do not condem this act by hezbollah and just continue to spin it as Israel murdering innocent.
What is Israel to do?
Leave untouched the launch sites thet are purposely
placed in built up areas?
I cannot believe people do not understand this.
is that exactly what I thought I read?"
How I choose to feel,...Is how I am.
-Jean-Jacques Rousseau
I understand that. I just don't like the idea of knowingly killing civillians. I know its war and it happens but still.
i keep reading your post and i respect your thoughts but what do you suggest they do? and please dont tell me to sit down and talk it out or sign a cease fire because how many times have groups like Hezbollah followed thru with these agreements? to sit there and say on this thread people are stupid because they dont think like you is ridiculous and "stupid" on its own account....IMO your way of dealing with this would have our country taken over in no time
hey i dont like innocent people getting killed but if you know your country is at war get the hell out of that area, im not going to sit there and wait for a bomb to land on my lap, or better yet stand up and fight against the terrorist and take your country back!!
Well i think that it's a chain of bad decision that has gone wrong, so now the solutions list is getting shorter.
But, i said what i think they should do in the post you quoted, send ground troops, the only way, OR (but you don't want to hear about it) try to inforce a short ceasefire to make it a war zone, a real one, take the civillians out of there (if they're held hostage take em out, if they can't leave cause of road being destroyed, help them out), then let's go, kill each other, and Israel must stop to bomb everything in Lebanon, that's insane... It's not normal to have an humanitarian crisis in a country, when 2 weeks earlier, tourist were dancing in Beirut nightclub...
-Jean-Jacques Rousseau
And you do not condemn this act by Israel and just continue to spin it as Hizbollah murdering innocents.
I'm not spinning a thing. Hezbollah hides behind civilians and I support Israel 100 percent. Hope that clears it up.
What act by Israel? The thread is about Hizbollah behaviors.