• How a UN peacekeeping unit defied orders, opened fire and escaped from Syria's al-Nusra Front
    3 replies, posted
[url]http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/09/12/us-syria-crisis-peacekeepers-un-insight-idUSKBN0H724T20140912[/url] [quote]Early on Aug. 28, al Qaeda-linked militants fighting government forces in Syria crossed a ceasefire line in the Golan Heights on Israel's border and seized 45 Fijians serving in a United Nations peacekeeping force. The leader of a nearby U.N. contingent from the Philippines telephoned a commanding officer in Manila. They were surrounded, the leader said. Should they surrender and risk being kidnapped by the rebels or hold their ground? The U.N. force commander, General Iqbal Singh Singha of India, fearing Fijian lives could be in jeopardy if the Filipinos engaged in a firefight, ordered the Filipinos to hold their fire. In Manila, General Gregorio Catapang gave different orders to his subordinate thousands of miles away in the Middle East: Stand your ground. Don't surrender. For three days, Filipino troops fended off hundreds of rebels from the Islamic militant Nusra Front group, killing at least three on the final day before escaping under cover of darkness to Israel. The Fijians were released on Thursday after two weeks of negotiation. U.N. officials and diplomats say the incident with the Philippine peacekeepers highlights a fundamental problem with peacekeeping missions, one that may be impossible to resolve. National peacekeeping contingents retain allegiance to their commanders at home and when bullets fly, they have no problem disobeying U.N. force commanders and taking orders from home. ...[/quote] The article has the story of how it all went down and it's a good read, check it out.
Should I follow the orders of someone who's essentially telling me to let myself be captured, or follow the orders of someone telling me to defend myself? I think that's an easy question to answer, and I know who's orders I'd follow.
I wouldn't expect to be given any quarter from Al-Qaeda militants, so these guys made the right choice.
[QUOTE=nox;45963071]Considering the militants were part of Al qaeda it'd be pretty much a death wish to surrender and become a captive to them.[/QUOTE] The Fijians were released after a few weeks, not something you really want to go through if you can avoid it though
Sorry, you need to Log In to post a reply to this thread.