Almost unnoticed, the UN is about to fight its first war
55 replies, posted
[img]http://imgkk.com/i/n1v4.jpg[/img]
[url]http://www.economist.com/news/leaders/21579462-almost-unnoticed-un-about-fight-its-first-war-gamble-worth-taking-art[/url]
[quote]AFRICAN economies are rising steadily, but in the Democratic Republic of Congo life for many is as bad as ever. Armed men rape and plunder with impunity. Rebel groups terrorise vast stretches of land rich in minerals and agricultural potential. Millions have died as a result. And for years the outside world has done little more than shrug. Its main effort—a 14-year-old UN peacekeeping mission—has failed to end “Africa’s world war”, which started as an ethnic conflict sparked by the genocide next door in Rwanda before descending into murderous anarchy farther afield.
Now things are changing. The Rwandan government backed Congolese rebels until recently but, shamed by their cruelty and by international outrage, it has abandoned them. That presents an opportunity too good to waste, so the UN Security Council is trying a new tack (see article), deploying 3,000 troops to fight at least some of the rebels. Soldiers from South Africa, Tanzania and Malawi wearing UN insignia will take on the irregulars who sow mayhem in Congo’s east.
This is the first time that the UN will send its own troops into battle. In the past the Security Council has authorised the use of “all necessary force” but has delegated the fighting to posses from willing nations. In the Korean war the Americans were in command. In Afghanistan and Libya NATO took charge. In Congo, however, the UN itself will be responsible for artillery fire, helicopter gunships—and the inevitable casualties. Should the UN really be doing this?[/quote]
The UN has fought in many wars though. Like when they fought in Korea and Cyprus
It really says something about how bad these rebels are when even Rwanda doesn't want to support you.
Except the Korean war was fought by the UN, the USA just supplied 80 percent of things, they were still under the UN banner though.
[QUOTE=RainbowStalin;41026831]It really says something about how bad these rebels are when even Rwanda doesn't want to support you.[/QUOTE]
Rwandas radical Hutu government was overthrown in the 90s
My dad is from the DRC, he's been waiting for this day for 50 years.
[QUOTE=RainbowStalin;41026831]It really says something about how bad these rebels are when even Rwanda doesn't want to support you.[/QUOTE]
I'll never understand the Rwanda genocide. How 15,000 people with machetes end up massacring up to 1 million people is just beyond me.
Glad something's finally being done... Let's hope it doesn't become another Korean war, though.
[QUOTE=Paul McCartney;41026889]I'll never understand the Rwanda genocide. How 15,000 people with machetes end up massacring up to 1 million people is just beyond me.[/QUOTE]
it's easy when innocents don't have guns to defend themselves.
I just wish that U.N. troops in general were better armed.
They're using guns, vehicles and logistical equipment from the Cold War.
[editline]14th June 2013[/editline]
And I don't even mean the late Cold War, I mean like the '60s.
[QUOTE=redBadger;41026913]it's easy when innocents don't have guns to defend themselves.[/QUOTE]
I mean like, you can tell an area is just shitty when the most feared weapon is a couple guys with knives.
[editline]13th June 2013[/editline]
[QUOTE=ewitwins;41026919]I just wish that U.N. troops in general were better armed.
They're using guns, vehicles and logistical equipment from the Cold War.
[editline]14th June 2013[/editline]
And I don't even mean the late Cold War, I mean like the '60s.[/QUOTE]
That's kind of still super high tech for africa.
I'm just saying, most fucking terrorizing rebel forces have little more than machetes.
[QUOTE=Paul McCartney;41026889]I'll never understand the Rwanda genocide. How 15,000 people with machetes end up massacring up to 1 million people is just beyond me.[/QUOTE]
When a bunch of uneducated impoverished people get weapons they'll tend to take out their frustrations through violent ways
[QUOTE=Paul McCartney;41026931]I mean like, you can tell an area is just shitty when the most feared weapon is a couple guys with knives.
[editline]13th June 2013[/editline]
That's kind of still super high tech for africa.
I'm just saying, most fucking terrorizing rebel forces have little more than machetes.[/QUOTE]
That's true, but logistical technology is probably one of the biggest issues they have on occasion, and I'm sure they could do with better helmets. I mean, shit, we stopped using steel helmets [b]decades[/b] ago.
[QUOTE=Paul McCartney;41026889]I'll never understand the Rwanda genocide. How 15,000 people with machetes end up massacring up to 1 million people is just beyond me.[/QUOTE]
Not to mention, it only took them like three months to do that. It would almost be impressive if it weren't so terrible.
[QUOTE=ewitwins;41026982]That's true, but logistical technology is probably one of the biggest issues they have on occasion, and I'm sure they could do with better helmets. I mean, shit, we stopped using steel helmets [b]decades[/b] ago.[/QUOTE]
Eh. It depends. Some countries still use Steel helms since they offer more bullet resistance. The thing about helmets is that although Kevlar and polymer helmets are lighter weight, they're also extremely ineffective. They're hardly bullet proof and as helmets aren't even that shock resistant to falls. Steel helmets are just more effective for their roles.
[QUOTE=Paul McCartney;41026889]I'll never understand the Rwanda genocide. How 15,000 people with machetes end up massacring up to 1 million people is just beyond me.[/QUOTE]
simple
those 15,000 people had the advantage of surprise by the sudden genocide with the use of code words such as "cut down the tall trees". they targeted people that couldn't defend themselves, specifically women,the elderly, and children (especially a target in the act of trying to exterminate the tutsi). ethnic propaganda and discrimination against the tutsi was already widespread in Rwanda before the genocide even occurred and thus many hutus, even moderate ones, distanced themselves from them and didn't speak out against the massacres or do anything as they expected the UN or other major powers to interfere. many, including the military, were bribed to ignore the bloodshed.
it really pisses me off when people, when referring to the genocides committed during the Holocaust, spout phrases like "Never Again"
I'm basing what I'm saying on the assumption that if the UN does get kevlar helmets, they'll probably be PASGT, which were fucking horrible in every regard.
[editline]13th June 2013[/editline]
[QUOTE=Pat4ever;41027084]simple
those 15,000 people had the advantage of surprise by the sudden genocide with the use of code words such as "cut down the tall trees". they targeted people that couldn't defend themselves, specifically women, children, and the elderly. ethnic propaganda and discrimination against the tutsi was already rampant before the genocide even occurred and thus many hutus, even moderate ones, distanced themselves from them and didn't speak out against the massacres or do anything as they expected the UN or other major powers to interfere.
it really pisses me off when people, when referring to the genocides committed during the Holocaust, spout phrases like "Never Again"[/QUOTE]
It fucking irks me how in the west, we go on and on about the jewish Holocaust but never mention the vast amount of them besides the Rwanda genocide.
Man, fuck them Armenians or Ukrainians or Albanians or Croatians,etc. I just don't like the hypocritical approach to massacre recognition mainly because I'm a third generation immigrant whose grandfather was one of those Polish Jews who escaped with his life.
[QUOTE=Paul McCartney;41027061]Eh. It depends. Some countries still use Steel helms since they offer more bullet resistance. The thing about helmets is that although Kevlar and polymer helmets are lighter weight, they're also extremely ineffective. They're hardly bullet proof and as helmets aren't even that shock resistant to falls. Steel helmets are just more effective for their roles.[/QUOTE]
Holy Fuck.
What did I just read?
[QUOTE=Paul McCartney;41026889]I'll never understand the Rwanda genocide. How 15,000 people with machetes end up massacring up to 1 million people is just beyond me.[/QUOTE]
Malthusian crisis as well.
[QUOTE=Cutthecrap;41027311]Holy Fuck.
What did I just read?[/QUOTE]
He is right, to a point. With the ammunition they're throwing in Rwanda (Machetes and occasionally small-arms), they're rather effective. However, modern weapons tear through them like tissue.
[QUOTE=Paul McCartney;41027110]
Man, fuck them Armenians or Ukrainians or Albanians or Croatians,etc. I just don't like the hypocritical approach to massacre recognition mainly because I'm a third generation immigrant whose grandfather was one of those Polish Jews who escaped with his life.[/QUOTE]
Don't forget all the American genocides. Native Americans, Africans, Filipinos.
Rwanda is still a mess. People celebrate the genocide and condemn it. The government secretly aids those who committed the genocide but also throws them in prison.
Man, if they only had some oil, then the entire western world would come steamrolling into their country to fix their problems for them.
[QUOTE=Used Car Salesman;41027587]to fix their problems for them.[/QUOTE]
I'm pretty sure they would prefer instability and dependency upon the west so that they can continue to exploit the resource.
A stable democratic country might want to nationalize the oil or raise the tariffs.
Of course that's just being cynical. [IMG]http://facepunch.com/fp/flags/us.png[/IMG]
[QUOTE=Cutthecrap;41027311]Holy Fuck.
What did I just read?[/QUOTE]
Polymer helmets only really got perfect about six years ago. Till then they were soft plastic things that were little more than bike helmets with camoflauge covers on them
[QUOTE=Paul McCartney;41027110]
Man, fuck them Armenians or Ukrainians or Albanians or Croatians,etc. I just don't like the hypocritical approach to massacre recognition mainly because I'm a third generation immigrant whose grandfather was one of those Polish Jews who escaped with his life.[/QUOTE]
I'm sure countries with high populations from those countries do teach those genocides, but the west has a high population of Jews, and those Jews are either influential in media or education. Not only that but the west was directly involved in WW2 and its experience in the holocaust.
We simply just don't care about things that have no effected us.
Helmet Chat Thread v.PASGT is for faggots
UN soldiers commit a small but existant percentage of those rapes.
[QUOTE=smurfy;41027914]Helmet Chat Thread v.PASGT is for faggots[/QUOTE]Well now you've gone and made it a thing.
[QUOTE=Savyetski79;41027959]UN soldiers commit a small but existant percentage of those rapes.[/QUOTE]
what's your point? that they'd be better off with no UN soldiers?
[QUOTE=Pat4ever;41028046]what's your point? that they'd be better off with no UN soldiers?[/QUOTE]
The world as a whole would be better off without the UN.
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