Could UNIFIL fail in a way that is any more epic a fashion than their current crash course with uselessness? Increasingly, the answer appears to be not really, no:
Syrian arms smuggling serves two purposes: (1) it destabilizes the anti-Syrian Lebanese government by funneling weapons to the AQ soldiers who have been fighting the LAF (2) it stocks Hezbollah with weapons in preparation for this summer’s war.
Of course, this isn’t really a UNIFIL failure if you have the right frame of mind about UNIFIL’s mission. It’s true that they’re not really doing much when it comes to stopping arms smuggling. But they are fantastic human shields for Hezbollah. So in a way – a way that the vast majority of UN nations seem to endorse – they’re actually succeeding quite nicely.
References:
* UN report: Lebanon border with Syria in shambles [From Beirut To The Beltway]
* Lebanon Suddenly Discovers Syrian Arms Smuggling [MR]
* Syria Sending Weapons To Hezbollah For The Next War. Of Course They Are. [MR]
Previously:
* UNIFIL Involvement in 2000 Kidnapping Not News. Involvement of UNIFIL Soldier Who Thought of Lebanon as "Second Homeland", However, Is.
* Katyushas Hit Israel Two Days After UNIFIL Commander Promises Peace
* Israel Politely Requests That UN Allow UNIFIL Soldiers To Do Their Damn Jobs
Cross-posted to:
* Israpundit
