Russia wants to hold talks on sending UN peacekeepers into Syria - Polidicks

[QUOTE] [IMG]http://en.rian.ru/images/17578/34/175783464.jpg[/IMG] CAIRO, November 4 (RIA Novosti) - Moscow is ready to discuss sending international monitors and a UN peacekeeping mission to Syria, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov said on Sunday. At a meeting on Syria in Geneva on June 30, foreign ministers from UN Security Council permanent member states and from Syria’s neighbors proposed establishing a transitional Syrian government that would comprise both the Syrian authorities and opposition forces, but incessant fighting in Syria has made it impossible to launch a dialogue so far. “We are ready to discuss ways of implementing this document [the Geneva statement of the Action Group for Syria], with an emphasis on building up the dialog in Syria in the conditions of a full and guaranteed ceasefire. When we say “guaranteed,” we [mean that we] are ready to consider the issue of sending observers and UN peacekeepers, agreed with the Syrian government,” Bogdanov said ahead of Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s meeting with UN and Arab League special envoy to Syria Lakhdar Brahimi. “The idea is to reach local ceasefire [agreements] between the government and the opposition through international mediation,” he said, adding that a ceasefire at one region might serve as a positive example for other areas. The Russian deputy foreign minister also expressed concern that the opposition has so far failed to unite on the basis of the Geneva communique. “As there is no military solution to the Syrian crisis, the solution can be political and it can be found at the negotiating table,” he said. The Syrian conflict has claimed more than 20,000 lives according to estimates by various sources. The West is pushing for President Bashar al-Assad’s ouster while Russia and China are trying to prevent outside interference in Syria, saying that the Assad regime and the opposition are both to blame for the bloodshed.[/QUOTE] [URL="http://en.ria.ru/politics/20121104/177192215.html"]source[/URL]

What the hell would UN peacekeepers do? They aren't allowed to shoot unless they're shot at themselves making them utterly useless.

[QUOTE=carcarcargo;38316569]What the hell would UN peacekeepers do? They aren't allowed to shoot unless they're shot at themselves making them utterly useless.[/QUOTE] The rules of engagement vary from mission to mission. For example peacekeepers in Lebanon [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Interim_Force_in_Lebanon#Post-2006_war_operations]are allowed[/url] to open fire "in cases of self-defense but also in order to protect civilians, UN personnel and facilities," and to "take all the necessary action ... to ensure that its area of operations is not utilized for hostile activities of any kind."

[QUOTE=carcarcargo;38316569]What the hell would UN peacekeepers do? They aren't allowed to shoot unless they're shot at themselves making them utterly useless.[/QUOTE] I wouldn't shit all over the idea so quickly. UN peacekeepers did a comparatively great job in some African civil wars.

[QUOTE=carcarcargo;38316569]What the hell would UN peacekeepers do? They aren't allowed to shoot unless they're shot at themselves making them utterly useless.[/QUOTE] UN peace keepers did a pretty kick ass job on the Ivory coast not too long ago. But in Syria's case, it may be a little late for peace keepers.

[QUOTE=NoDachi;38316678]I wouldn't shit all over the idea so quickly. UN peacekeepers did a comparatively great job in some African civil wars.[/QUOTE] Certainly didn't in Rwanda.

[QUOTE=carcarcargo;38317058]Certainly didn't in Rwanda.[/QUOTE] Mostly because they were hopelessly outmanned and undersupplied. Which is why changes were made for future missions

[QUOTE=Kinversulath;38317467]Mostly because they were hopelessly outmanned and undersupplied. Which is why changes were made for future missions[/QUOTE] Well if that's the case and it'll be done well then I hope it goes well.

"PLEASE SEND MORE TROOPS TO SYRIA, AND DON'T WORRY, FOR THE SAKE OF PEACE, WE'LL STOP SELLING GUNS AND AMMUNITION INTO THE REGION, WE PROMISE" -Putin

[QUOTE=rrunyan;38317673]"PLEASE SEND MORE TROOPS TO SYRIA, AND DON'T WORRY, FOR THE SAKE OF PEACE, WE'LL STOP SELLING GUNS AND AMMUNITION INTO THE REGION, WE PROMISE" -Putin[/QUOTE] The US sells weapons to Israel and pretty much everyone in the world. Hell the taliban's weapons were sent during to them when russia was invading Afghanistan. And they weren't totally wrong when they were saying that we shouldn't be directly involved in a civil war like Lybia. Sending UN Peacekeepers to protect properly the civilians is a better idea than helping the rebels (who are killing civilians aswell).

[QUOTE=-Get_A_Life-;38317757]The US sells weapons to Israel and pretty much everyone in the world. Hell the taliban's weapons were sent during to them when russia was invading Afghanistan. And they weren't totally wrong when they were saying that we shouldn't be directly involved in a civil war like Lybia. Sending UN Peacekeepers to protect properly the civilians is a better idea than helping the rebels (who are killing civilians aswell).[/QUOTE] But it also adds more soldiers to the fray, thereby increasing Assad's demand for military products. Also so what if the U.S. sells to it's allies? I don't think Russia has publicly stated that they support Assad but they basically do, making this more of a business play than a call to peace. Assad fired on embassies from all over the world, as well as peacekeepers, and health organizations were raided like D.W.B. building. Russia knows that if it gets more troops into the country, despite what colors they are wearing, they will be enemies of Assad and will be shot at, thus forcing Assad to buy more firepower... from Russia. Also, the only rebels who are randomly killing civilians are ones that are uneducated barbarian nutjobs who joined the fight just to fight. I know it seems shaky that I'm saying that but you gotta admit, it would be better for the western media to tell us that both sides are "evil" so that America can back out of having to deal with them.

[img]http://img109.imageshack.us/img109/6922/unsoldiersineritrea.jpg[/img] UN peace keepers to the rescueeeee! Those guys have camels. You are fucked now Syria! Hehe, I kid I kid. I'm not sure peacekeepers are really what Syria needs, but nor am I sure that they aren't. On one hand they may very well need a total revolution. On the other hand a full on revolution can leave a power vacuum that sees extremists placed into power.

[QUOTE=rrunyan;38317902]But it also adds more soldiers to the fray, thereby increasing Assad's demand for military products. Also so what if the U.S. sells to it's allies? I don't think Russia has publicly stated that they support Assad but they basically do, making this more of a business play than a call to peace. Assad fired on embassies from all over the world, as well as peacekeepers, and health organizations were raided like D.W.B. building. Russia knows that if it gets more troops into the country, despite what colors they are wearing, they will be enemies of Assad and will be shot at, thus forcing Assad to buy more firepower... from Russia. Also, the only rebels who are randomly killing civilians are ones that are uneducated barbarian nutjobs who joined the fight just to fight. I know it seems shaky that I'm saying that but you gotta admit, it would be better for the western media to tell us that both sides are "evil" so that America can back out of having to deal with them.[/QUOTE] Neither did they openly support the talibans back in the day. Now sure that was during the cold war but still. I'm pretty sure as long a country isn't considered an enemy or a possible treat to the US, they can make arms deals with the US or any western country. Russia has massive amounts of cold war era weapons of all sort that are basicly just taking the dust in a closet, even if you don't agree with the morale standpoint of this, you've got to admit any country would try to make money out of those weapons since it's not like they're gonna use 'em anyway. Saudi Arabia is a terrible country on every aspect but since we have oil deals with them, nobody care. There has been several armed skirmishes around the country but it doesn't seem to bother anyone, and if it became too big of a deal for the medias to ignore it, the USA (and everyone having deals with Saudi Arabia) would probably do the same thing as Russia. Probably worse, it's easy to just say the rebels are terrorists or islamic nutjobs, just as much as it is to say they're freedom fighters. An UN peacekeeping mission would be great as the unarmed population could be protected and anyone, rebels or syrian military trying to mess with the peacekeepers would just be shot down, not interfering with the civil war itself. Only the uneducated barbarian nutjobs? It's no news they kill people supporting Assad (which isn't really a crime as far as I know). That and collateral damages from both sides.

[QUOTE=rrunyan;38317673]"PLEASE SEND MORE TROOPS TO SYRIA, AND DON'T WORRY, FOR THE SAKE OF PEACE, WE'LL STOP SELLING GUNS AND AMMUNITION INTO THE REGION, WE PROMISE" -Putin[/QUOTE] The US are just as hypocritical as Russia when it comes to these things, look at Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. They did not care one bit, however if it was a country that isn't a US asset, Hillary Clinton would have said the typical "Bla bla bla condemn bla bla bla threat to world peace bla bla democracy at risk".

That picture really says a lot, in my opinion. I don't know why. Normal civilians like you and me joining together in arms to fight for what they believe is right. I'm not implying they're right or what they're doing is good, just saying.

[QUOTE=zacht_180;38319128]That picture really says a lot, in my opinion. I don't know why. Normal civilians like you and me joining together in arms to fight for what they believe is right. [/QUOTE] When the Western Spring comes remember to join the Facepunch Brigade. Hezzy will return from exile to lead us to victory

Everyone sells weapons to the UN peace keeprs. They use Western and eastern assault rifles, surplus helmets from all over, russian apcs, etc.