Science, Science, Scieeenceeeeeee
Polish military contingent in Lebanon.
That's important, however stuff about ancient tribal groups isn't science.
Do we here talk about the Pope
No, about me.
I've had a Lebanese at work for some time now, I have to ask him if he knows anything about Polish soldiers in Lebanon? 👨✈️👩✈️
I hope they don't get bombed again by accident.
Polish soldiers in Lebanon?
I hope they don't get bombed again by accident.
if he knows anything about Polish soldiers in Lebanon?
Hi Alien, the Polish troops in Lebanon are stationed at Camp Shamrock with the Irish Peackeepers as part of IRISHPOLBATT, the Irish/Polish Battallion. There are air strikes happening near there at the moment. They are presently in and out of bunkers but continuing to maintain normal patrols etc. including the ones on the Blue Line near the Israeli border.
maintain normal patrols etc. including the ones on the Blue Line near the Israeli border.
This is currently a difficult mission, especially since they are not supposed to use weapons.
They have limited use of weapons permitted for self-defence.
From the Irish Defence Forces (Irish Army) website:
"Contingents in peacekeeping operations are generally infantry units, lightly armed for their own defence only. The UN Mandate establishing a Peacekeeping Force makes provision for the use of arms for self defence. The terms of reference for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) mandate, for example, state that self defence includes action against attempts, by forceful means, to prevent UNIFIL from discharging its duties under the Mandate."
However, the Irish peacekeeping forces have had to engage in actual battle when attacked. Back in the 1980s there was an incident in Lebanon where the Irish were attacked by an Israeli backed militia, and the Irish called in reinforcements. It ended with having to launch missiles against the attackers.Several peacekeepers were captured during the engagement and having asked the nationalities of them all their captors singled out the Irish and killed them, probably because of the Irish government's support for a free Palestinian state. What a mess the world is :(
From the Irish Defence Forces (Irish Army) website:
"Contingents in peacekeeping operations are generally infantry units, lightly armed for their own defence only. The UN Mandate establishing a Peacekeeping Force makes provision for the use of arms for self defence. The terms of reference for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) mandate, for example, state that self defence includes action against attempts, by forceful means, to prevent UNIFIL from discharging its duties under the Mandate."
However, the Irish peacekeeping forces have had to engage in actual battle when attacked. Back in the 1980s there was an incident in Lebanon where the Irish were attacked by an Israeli backed militia, and the Irish called in reinforcements. It ended with having to launch missiles against the attackers.Several peacekeepers were captured during the engagement and having asked the nationalities of them all their captors singled out the Irish and killed them, probably because of the Irish government's support for a free Palestinian state. What a mess the world is :(
Israeli backed militia
Were they brought to justice, imprisoned and convicted?
Were they brought to justice, imprisoned and convicted?
Ahahaha!
Well, that's quite a story in itself. The gobshite who killed them ended up living in the USA. It was an Irish journalist who tracked him down and found him there. He even applied for USA citizenship at one point! He was eventually deported back to Lebanon as result of a campaign by retired Irish soldiers. He was tried in a military court in Lebanon but it took years. He wasn't sentenced until 2021. He was given a sentence of 15 years as he was already in his seventies. The only reason he was found guilty at all is because another Irish soldier who had been shot by him, but survived, was able to identify him in court.
@Atch
Jailing a 70 year old man from Lebanon sure showed Israel!
Jailing a 70 year old man from Lebanon sure showed Israel!
What a strange thing to say. It's got nothing to do with 'showing Israel'. This might shed more light for you:
thejournal.ie/smallhorne-barrett-1421250-Apr2014/
thejournal.ie/smallhorne-barrett-1421250-Apr2014/
an incident in Lebanon where the Irish were attacked by an Israeli backed militia
Did you write this?
What a strange thing to say
Perhaps.
But to me it seems that seeking to meaningfully punish the party that made the attack possible, is more important than finding any single perpetrator decades later.
-//-
But punishing Israel is impossible.
If you judge their prime minister a war criminal, America will impose sanctions on your judges.
America will impose sanctions on your judges.
Which pleased Putin because it was the same judge who wanted to arrest him for crimes in Ukraine.
any single perpetrator decades later.
You see, Ireland is a very small country, and we still have a sense that every life matters. Soldiers are not just a big mass of nameless, faceless grist to the war mill. Two men were killed by another man. They were not in his country as aggressors. The man who killed them should be brought to justice. That's how we see it.
The man who killed them should be brought to justice
Problematic.
Like jailing some SS soldier, while allowing Himmler to gallivant about attending Davos and Cannes.
Wars keep happening because of the human capacity to dehumanize each other with great ease. We need to have the opposite viewpoint that insists on seeing the dead of war as the individual human beings that they were. Otherwise we're completely lost as a species. Our humanity has no meaning whatsoever and we might as well just nuke ourselves to kingdom come and spare a lot of suffering.
Otherwise we're completely lost as a species
I always enjoy reading your posts.
This is a new perspective for me. Very Irish.
Wars keep happening because of the human capacity to dehumanize each other with great ease
Oh so true!
This is currently a difficult mission,
Just to update you, yesterday there was a direct strike on the Ghanian peacekeepers who are located about 4km from the Irish/Polish base camp.
"Irish Defence Forces personnel of the 127th Infantry Battalion have responded and are providing both Casualty Evacuation (CASEVAC) and Fire Fighting assistance," the Defence Forces said in a statement.
All Irish personnel are "well and accounted for," they confirmed."
So that would apply to the Polish soldiers too, thanks be to God.
Irish personnel are "well
So that would apply to the Polish soldiers
And let it stay that way.
Irish Defence Forces report injury of Polish peacekeeper, only minor injuries thank goodness.
"Óglaigh na hÉireann can confirm that a Polish member of IRISHPOLBATT has sustained minor injuries after their patrol was targeted by a roadside device which detonated as their vehicle passed it. Irish personnel of the Quick Reaction Force were launched immediately to secure the scene and the casualty was evacuated to UNP 2-45. The casualty was then brought from UNP 2-45 to a medical facility using the Irish armoured ambulance and medics."
"Óglaigh na hÉireann can confirm that a Polish member of IRISHPOLBATT has sustained minor injuries after their patrol was targeted by a roadside device which detonated as their vehicle passed it. Irish personnel of the Quick Reaction Force were launched immediately to secure the scene and the casualty was evacuated to UNP 2-45. The casualty was then brought from UNP 2-45 to a medical facility using the Irish armoured ambulance and medics."
In the meantime, an Indonesian soldier has been killed there. The situation is becoming increasingly dangerous.
Sadly, Alien, two more Indonesians have just been killed, so it's now three.
two more Indonesians have just been killed
Poor Israel...
They were already not very popular with Indonesians.
Just can't catch a break!
Przelotnyptak1 - | 1036
30 Mar 2026 #206
They were already not very popular with Indonesians. Just can't catch a break!
But Russians are admired all over the globe.Right ,Bobko? What are you smoking?
But Russians are admired all over the globe
Surveys show Russia remains very popular with people in places like China, Brazil, India, South Africa, and yes Indonesia.
That's about half the world's population right there.
-//-
More importantly, Russia is not a small country surrounded by a sea of enemies. We have all the resources of the periodic table, and a large domestic market.
If Russia is not very popular, it can still survive.
For Israel, international isolation is sort of... deadly. If it loses America's support (as it appears to be doing, rapidly) - then it becomes very hard to go on.
ussia remains very popular with people in places
setting aside china where accurate data is impossible to find, those are countries that are far away from russia and whose people have little or no contact with russians (who tend to wear out their welcome very quickly). Thailand, a popular tourist destination is... not enchanted with russians.
not enchanted with russians.
Are any tourists more hated worldwide than American tourists?
Okay, maybe Israelis are hated more, but their population is only 10M - so not very useful comparison.
Are any tourists more hated worldwide than American tourists?
British. After first evening they get access to alcohol.