Re: KFOR in Kosovo (was UN)

----- Original Message -----
From: Barclay, Tom <tomb@bitheads.com>
To: Gzg Digest (E-mail) <GZG-L@csua.berkeley.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, March 21, 2001 3:12 PM
Subject: KFOR in Kosovo (was UN)

> Hmmm. I spoke with my friend who trains at the CF Peace
> Support Training Centre - he teaches peackeepers and MOs to
> go on NATO and UN missions (including people from other countries
> like Albania, USSR, Poland, etc. etc.).
>
> He said when US forces are involved, there tend to be two command
> structures. The "force" command and "their" command. They tend to
> escalate orders from foreign nationals they don't agree with to
> be addressed by their command structure. This might be good sense
> or it might be just reticence to be under non-US command. Probably
> a little from column A and a little from column B.

Not that I want to really get into this but having spent extensive time
(up
to six months at a clip) working with and for the UN I've seen time and
again that the majority or UN forces (and administration) are absolutely
WORTHLESS in just about any type of confrontation or sticky situation or
any
situation that requires firm response or backbone. Outside of a few
isolated
pockets you are looking at reliable partners in such situations from my
experience being:

Canadian forces (particularly the RCMP..they get a red chit)
Other western European UN forces
A smattering of odd little countries

Notably horrid, unreliable, or otherwise "we'll leave you in the lurch
at
the first sign of trouble" countries: (give all these guys a green "3"
chit):

Anyone units from or near the Indian subcontinent, Middle East or
African
Nations

I have no experience working with the Aussies or Kiwis but I've no doubt
they are in the first column from what other colleagues of mine have
told
me. Also there have been notable exceptions of occasional individuals
good
or bad from all sides.

I know one thing for sure, whenever there was any threat of violence and
danger in any UN operations I worked in, everyone always came to us.
Hopefully this doesn't offend anyone, it's not meant too though I can
see
how it might, just imparting some observations and experience.