Hezbollah was using UN post as 'shield', says Canadian UN observer

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

The words of a Canadian United Nations observer written just days before he was killed in an Israeli bombing of a UN post in Lebanon are evidence Hezbollah was using the post as a "shield" to fire rockets into Israel, says a former UN commander in Bosnia.

Those words, written in an e-mail dated just nine days ago, offer a possible explanation as to why the post -- which according to UN officials was clearly marked and known to Israeli forces -- was hit by Israel on Tuesday night, said retired Maj.-Gen. Lewis MacKenzie yesterday.

The strike hit the UN observation post in the southern Lebanese village of El Khiam, killing Canadian Maj. Paeta Hess-von Kruedener and three others serving as unarmed UN military observers in the area.

Just last week, Maj. Hess-von Kruedener wrote an e-mail about his experiences after nine months in the area, words Maj.-Gen. MacKenzie said are an obvious allusion to Hezbollah tactics.

"What I can tell you is this," he wrote in an e-mail to CTV dated July 18. "We have on a daily basis had numerous occasions where our position has come under direct or indirect fire from both (Israeli) artillery and aerial bombing.

"The closest artillery has landed within 2 meters (sic) of our position and the closest 1000 lb aerial bomb has landed 100 meters (sic) from our patrol base. This has not been deliberate targeting, but rather due to tactical necessity."

Those words, particularly the last sentence, are not-so-veiled language indicating Israeli strikes were aimed at Hezbollah targets near the post, said Maj.-Gen. MacKenzie.

"What that means is, in plain English, 'We've got Hezbollah fighters running around in our positions, taking our positions here and then using us for shields and then engaging the (Israeli Defence Forces)," he said.

That would mean Hezbollah was purposely setting up near the UN post, he added. It's a tactic Maj.-Gen. MacKenzie, who was the first UN commander in Sarajevo during the Bosnia civil war, said he's seen in past international missions: Aside from UN posts, fighters would set up near hospitals, mosques and orphanages.

A Canadian Forces infantry officer with the Edmonton-based Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry and the only Canadian serving as a UN military observer in Lebanon, Maj. Hess-von Kruedener was no stranger to fighting nearby.

The UN post, he wrote in the e-mail, afforded a view of the "Hezbollah static positions in and around our patrol Base."

"It appears that the lion's share of fighting between the IDF and Hezbollah has taken place in our area," he wrote, noting later it was too dangerous to venture out on patrols.

The e-mail appears to contradict the UN's claim there had been no Hezbollah activity in the vicinity of the strike.

http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/s...a9-7f94d5fc6d50

[almaty 19]

wow, i can sleep tonight

[Mirorgate 0]

oooohhhh... you really like riling the place up eh??

[vartan 0]

same thing the insurgents do , either surround themselves by civilians or hide behind buildings so artillary can't hit em .. .. anyone seen the new Excalibur artillary round?.. hehehhe

Edited July 27, 2006 by vartan

[almaty 19]

oooohhhh... you really like riling the place up eh??

i got to leave work soon..and no internet at home..unless they finally hooked the wire bacvk onto the house...so?????

[Mirorgate 0]

oooohhhh... you really like riling the place up eh??

i got to leave work soon..and no internet at home..unless they finally hooked the wire bacvk onto the house...so?????

hopin that they did! this way... we can watch the religious wars first hand

[Ban Hammer 13,345]

same thing the insurgents do , either surround themselves by civilians or hide behind buildings so artillary can't hit em .. .. anyone seen the new Excalibur artillary round?.. hehehhe

not heard of that one. is it an improvement on the copperhead?

ps - i still like beehives

[vartan 0]

it is GPS guided and in tests was launched 4 miles off target and still hit the target within a 5 meter margin of error.

Edited July 27, 2006 by vartan

[mawilson 2,133]

So Israel didn't just attack the UN post to kill a bunch of harmless civilians? You don't say.

[Ban Hammer 13,345]

it is GPS guided and in tests was launched 4 miles off target and still hit the target within a 5 meter margin of error.

excalibur

sounds interesting - basically a copperhead without the need for a laser designating the target.

"It would improve accuracy by reducing dispersion from 370 meters for traditional artillery projectiles to 10 meters for Excalibur."

but as long as they got a laser lighting up the target, a copperhead can work wonders

"The M712 Copperhead projectile was the first smart artillery round ever developed. Its accuracy is measured in centimeters, and its lethality is impressive. Copperhead is a cannon-launched, 155mm artillery projectile which guides itself to a laser-designated target."

copperhead

Edited July 27, 2006 by charlesandnessa

[vartan 0]

the biggest advantage to excalibur they said is its arc.. instead of following a traditional 45degree arc is accends swiftly and comes done almost straight which makes it easier to fire over buildings. not sure if the copperhead does that or not .. either way both are very lethal

Edited July 27, 2006 by vartan

[Ban Hammer 13,345]

the biggest advantage to excalibur they said is its arc.. instead of following a traditional 45degree arc is accends swiftly and comes done almost straight which makes it easier to fire over buildings. not sure if the copperhead does that or not .. either way both are very lethal

don't know if the copperhead does that either, from what i've seen it does not have a high angle of attack. i'd image that another advantage to the excalibur is being able to fire it off target to help confuse counterbattery.

[jordanianprincess 0]

The words of a Canadian United Nations observer written just days before he was killed in an Israeli bombing of a UN post in Lebanon are evidence Hezbollah was using the post as a "shield" to fire rockets into Israel, says a former UN commander in Bosnia.

Those words, written in an e-mail dated just nine days ago, offer a possible explanation as to why the post -- which according to UN officials was clearly marked and known to Israeli forces -- was hit by Israel on Tuesday night, said retired Maj.-Gen. Lewis MacKenzie yesterday.

The strike hit the UN observation post in the southern Lebanese village of El Khiam, killing Canadian Maj. Paeta Hess-von Kruedener and three others serving as unarmed UN military observers in the area.

Just last week, Maj. Hess-von Kruedener wrote an e-mail about his experiences after nine months in the area, words Maj.-Gen. MacKenzie said are an obvious allusion to Hezbollah tactics.

"What I can tell you is this," he wrote in an e-mail to CTV dated July 18. "We have on a daily basis had numerous occasions where our position has come under direct or indirect fire from both (Israeli) artillery and aerial bombing.

"The closest artillery has landed within 2 meters (sic) of our position and the closest 1000 lb aerial bomb has landed 100 meters (sic) from our patrol base. This has not been deliberate targeting, but rather due to tactical necessity."

Those words, particularly the last sentence, are not-so-veiled language indicating Israeli strikes were aimed at Hezbollah targets near the post, said Maj.-Gen. MacKenzie.

"What that means is, in plain English, 'We've got Hezbollah fighters running around in our positions, taking our positions here and then using us for shields and then engaging the (Israeli Defence Forces)," he said.

That would mean Hezbollah was purposely setting up near the UN post, he added. It's a tactic Maj.-Gen. MacKenzie, who was the first UN commander in Sarajevo during the Bosnia civil war, said he's seen in past international missions: Aside from UN posts, fighters would set up near hospitals, mosques and orphanages.

A Canadian Forces infantry officer with the Edmonton-based Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry and the only Canadian serving as a UN military observer in Lebanon, Maj. Hess-von Kruedener was no stranger to fighting nearby.

The UN post, he wrote in the e-mail, afforded a view of the "Hezbollah static positions in and around our patrol Base."

"It appears that the lion's share of fighting between the IDF and Hezbollah has taken place in our area," he wrote, noting later it was too dangerous to venture out on patrols.

The e-mail appears to contradict the UN's claim there had been no Hezbollah activity in the vicinity of the strike.http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/s...a9-7f94d5fc6d50

and this is supposed to be convincing?

[Risto 0]

it is GPS guided and in tests was launched 4 miles off target and still hit the target within a 5 meter margin of error.

Can I sign one Please

[aussiewench 9]

it is GPS guided and in tests was launched 4 miles off target and still hit the target within a 5 meter margin of error.

Can I sign one Please

You need more then an azz woopin'