Adnan APCs during Merdeka Parade. Pix courtesy of Mindef
As I have foreseen, the Israelis are baulking over plans to have Islamic countries sent peacekeepers to back up the United Nations Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
The Israelis have always prevented Islamic \countries from joining any UN mission in Lebanon or the occupied territories.
What are they afraid of? Apparently they fear that the Muslim peacekeepers or volunteers will somehow smuggle militants into their country or became irrational due to their military actions in these areas.
The UN has not make a decision but based on past records it will listen intently to the concerns although the requirement for 15,000 soldiers is a big headache for Kofi Annan to make up if the offer from the Islamic countries are not taken up.
So what next? With NATO fully committed in Afghanistan, there is a high probability that the Malaysian Fourth Mechanised Brigade will be in Lebanon before Ramadan.
Now if only they could fly there within six hours instead of 24 hours flight they would have to endure within the next few weeks.
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