Late last week, the United States supported terminating the United Nations observer mission in Syria. The unanimous vote by the Security Council was unsurprising because the conditions for extending the mission’s mandate — cessation of the use of heavy weapons and reduction in violence from all sides — were far from met.
Yet this decision invokes echoes of another tragic moment in both US and world history. A declassified State Department cable from April 16, 1994, instructed the US Mission to the United Nations to give highest priority to the withdrawal of the UN peacekeeping mission in Rwanda even as the genocide progressed. Key talking points included relaying to the world that “when the parties demonstrate that they are willing and able to work in the interests of the . . . people toward a lasting resolution of their conflict, we will be willing to reconsider whether a renewed role for UN peacekeeping can facilitate and build a lasting peace in their country.”
Comments
Yea, let's support the opposition Muslims against the goverment Muslims. That's what we are doing in Afghanistan, and how is that working out for us? Lately more troops have been killed by the Muslims who are technically on our side than the ones we have designated as the bad guys. Here's my suggestion. In any conflict involving Muslims versus Muslims, stay out of it. In any conflict where Muslims are systematically eradicating non-Muslims, go to the rescue of the non-Muslims. Case in point, Egypt.
First, let me state that I am not an isolationist. That being said this country never should have invaded Iraq on the pretext of Iraq having WMDs. Iraq was a counterbalance to Iran and now we are reaping what we've sown. We should be out od Afghanistan, our objective of emasculating Al Queda there and killing Bin Laden. The Syrians problems are the Syrians problems. As for Mr. Genser's fear of a domino effect spreading to other Middle East countries, does anyone remember the domino effect fears in Southeast Asia ? Let the muslims work out there own problems unless they create a threat to the U. S.. Lastly, I refuse to accept responsibility for the tragedy in Rwanda. The world is not our responsibility. The loss of one American soldier in any of the above has been and is a terrible waste and a crime of the government against the people.