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Lads, what's this got to do with UNDOF ? Can we stay on topic, great a discussion as this is !
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To be honest I couldn't improve on Jessups arguments vis s vis the officer structure, except for noting that as someone with an interest in the progress of a young officer I can attest that his comrades who were the sons of serving officers didn't get any special treatment during their 15 months cadetship. No, in actual fact I was annoyed at the attack on Shatter. That man, by virtue of the fact that he's Jewish has to put up with a constant barrage of nasty , almost anti-semitic, sniping from the political detritus that passes for " the Left " these days. If you don't believe me, just go to Kevin Marums postings and look at the constant sniping Shatter has to take from Sinn Féin / PIRA , Clair Daley, Micko Wallace, Rich Boy Barrett and all the other smoked salmon , bank robbing " socialists "that infest the Dail.Originally posted by GoneToTheCanner View PostComment
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Best of luck and safe trip to all the men and women who flew out of Baldonnel earlier.Comment
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Irish soldiers head for peace-keeping mission on Syrian border
Members of 43 Infantry Group as they board an aircraft at Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnel, Co Dublin, for their deployment to the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) on the Golan Heights in Syria
Sergeant Clive Dunne of 43 Infantry Group, collecting his postal vote for next weeks referendum in Baldonnel, prior to boarding an aircraft at Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnel, Co Dublin, for their deployment to the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) on the Golan Heights in Syria
Private David Ashe of 43 Infantry Group as they board an aircraft at Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnel, Co Dublin, for their deployment to the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) on the Golan Heights in Syria.
More than 100 Irish soldiers have been deployed for a six-month stint in the Golan Heights.
The troops from the 43rd Infantry Group of the Irish Defence Forces will form part of a UN peacekeeping mission on the heavily-fortified border between Syria and Israel.
They will join units from Fiji, India and the Philippines as part of the UN's disengagement observation force (UNDOF), maintaining an area of separation between the two countries.
Defence Minister Alan Shatter said: "Helping to maintain the 40-year-old ceasefire between Israel and Syria represents an important contribution to preventing further instability in this most troubled region, particularly at this time of significant conflict in Syria."
The UN monitoring operation at the Golan Heights has been ongoing since 1974. Irish Defence Forces will not be involved in the ongoing Syrian civil war.
The deployment was approved by the Government in July after a number of countries including Japan and Austria withdrew troops because of the deteriorating situation in war-torn Syria.
Most of the Irish soldiers flew out from Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnel, to Beirut, Lebanon, on Friday.
At first light yesterday, the contingent of 89 personnel moved through Lebanon and Syria in an armed convoy.
They arrived at the Camp Faouar headquarters on the Golan Heights last night and joined an advance party of 26 soldiers who had deployed to Syria September 21.
Mr Shatter added: "The successful deployment of the contingent today represents the completion of the full deployment of the Defence Forces in Golan and will help reinforce UNDOF and secure the mission in undertaking its difficult but important role in the Golan Heights.
"I would like to take this opportunity to wish them well on their tour of duty."
The soldiers had been due to deploy three weeks ago but were delayed at the request of the UN for administrative reasons.
Separately, Mr Shatter welcomed the unanimous adoption of the UN Security Council resolution on the destruction of Syria's chemical weapons.
He said: "The destruction of these heinous weapons is a vital step forward in supporting peace and security in the region, and represents a welcome confirmation of the important role which the UN plays in ensuring collective security across the globe.
"What we now need is a real effort to deliver peace and security to the people of Syria and an end to the current conflict there."Comment
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Irish troops in Syria caught in cross fire incident
Up to 15 artillery shells landed within 200 metres of convoy of Irish vehicles carrying 39 soldiers
Irish troops serving with the United Nations mission in Syria have been caught up in fighting between the Syrian forces and anti-government armed groups, with 15 artillery rounds landing within 200 metres of a convoy of Irish vehicles.
Defence Forces sources said the rounds were not aimed at the Irish but instead the Irish were caught in the cross fire of fighting related to the civil war.
The rounds caused blasts and fired shrapnel over an area that was within range of the Irish vehicles during the two incidents today.
A total of 39 Irish troops were patrolling in a UN convoy with other nationalities when the artillery fire landed next to them during the two incidents this morning.
There were no injuries reported and the vehicles, including MOWAG armoured troop carriers, carrying the Irish troops returned at speed to their camp in the Golan Heights.
The Irish Times has learned today’s near misses were the latest in a number of live fire incidents the Irish soldiers have found themselves close to since their deployment in September.
However, the other events involved smaller weapons and would not have threatened the safety of armoured vehicles the Irish are using in the same way today’s incidents did.
The first two close calls for the Irish took place at around 9am local time near the town of Durbol in the area where the Irish are based with the UN force monitoring the cessation of hostilities between Israeli and Syrian forces.
As a convoy of 10 vehicles was conducting a security patrol, three artillery rounds landed and exploded with 200 metres of the vehicles.
The convoy continued on its way when it was established the vehicles were not damaged and there were no injuries.
After travelling on for a period, the decision was taken to retrace their route back to camp, avoiding the specific area of the earlier near miss.
Around 25 minutes after the convoy had doubled back, the most serious incident occurred when 10 artillery rounds landed in quick succession near the convoy of vehicles.
A spokesman for the Defence Forces confirmed the incident had occurred and said robust peacekeeping missions could not escape experiencing live fire, especially in an area where a civil war was underway.
There are currently around 119 Irish troops serving in Syria with the Unite Nations mission there. The Irish troops are drawn from the 2ndBrigade in Dublin, mostly from Cathal Brugha Barracks in Dublin.Comment
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Irish troops in Syria near miss as mortars land just metres from patrol
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Serious escalation:
Irish troops serving on the United Nations (UN) mission in Syria have come under fire from anti government armed forces, with a number of their vehicles damaged in a morning ambush but no serious injuries reported.
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Stay safe folks.Comment
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I wonder if it was deliberate...IRISH troops on a peace-keeping mission in the Golan Heights have exchanged fire with Syrian rebels after a convoy came under attack.
The brief fire-fight took place at 9:50 local time this morning on the Syrian-Israeli border where Irish soldier have been patrolling since September as part of a UN force.
No Irish troops were seriously injured in the incident which is the second time this month that they have come under fire in the disputed region which has been monitored by international peacekeepers since 1974.
Defence Forces spokesman Cmdt Denis Hanly told the independent.ie that a convoy of five Irish Mowag armoured cars came under small arms fire by an unknown number of assailants.
He said they returned fire using the vehicles' heavy machine guns and withdrew to their base.
Cmdt Hanly said there are “no reports” of casualties among the Syrian rebels and said that one Irish soldier sustained a minor injury while taking cover inside one of the vehicles.
He said the solider has “been x-rayed and he's fine.
“He'll be back on duty tomorrow.”
Earlier this month another Irish patrol passed within 200 metres of artillery fire between rebels and forces loyal to the regime of Bashar Al-Assad.
Most of the Irish troops in the Golan Heights are from the east of the country with many based in Cathal Brugha barracks in Dublin.
I hope they stay safe...'He died who loved to live,' they'll say,
'Unselfishly so we might have today!'
Like hell! He fought because he had to fight;
He died that's all. It was his unlucky night.
http://www.salamanderoasis.org/poems...nnis/luck.htmlComment
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I don't know if it's an escalation. While not trying to write it off as anything less than the dangerous situation it was, surely it is no different to the regular shelling UNIFIL positions suffered from both sides in the past?
At least the equipment provided is doing its job.Some 36 Irish personnel were traveling in five MOWAG armoured personnel carriers when the convoy came under fire by what is believed to have been small arms.
A number of the vehicles were hit by rounds of fire and some damage was also caused to a tire on one MOWAG. It is believed the wheel was damaged by an improvised explosive device, which raises the prospect the incident was a carefully planned ambush.
Catch-22 says they have a right to do anything we can't stop them from doing.Comment
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Small arms against a LAV is a nuisance... punch through the contact and carry on with the mission. If they get serious they'll use IEDs or AT weapons.Originally posted by Flamingo View Post"On the plains of hesitation, bleach the bones of countless millions, who on the very dawn of victory, laid down to rest, and in resting died.
Never give up!!"Comment
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Problem is the appetite here at home, so many f**kers want to sink the army and so many nuveau irish are no longer used to the reports we used to receive of constant contacts in the leb 20 years ago. This is a big deal to them and they will be horrified that the rebels didnt recognise A. that were irish and have imaginary neutrality, B. driving big white UN marked targets and C. are irish and have imaginary neutrality!Last edited by morpheus; 29 November 2013, 10:53."He is an enemy officer taken in battle and entitled to fair treatment."
"No, sir. He's a sergeant, and they don't deserve no respect at all, sir. I should know. They're cunning and artful, if they're any good. I wouldn't mind if he was an officer, sir. But sergeants are clever."Comment
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Great summary and spot on!Originally posted by morpheus View PostI knew a simple soldier boy.....
Who grinned at life in empty joy,
Slept soundly through the lonesome dark,
And whistled early with the lark.
In winter trenches, cowed and glum,
With crumps and lice and lack of rum,
He put a bullet through his brain.
And no one spoke of him again.
You smug-faced crowds with kindling eye
Who cheer when soldier lads march by,
Sneak home and pray you'll never know
The hell where youth and laughter go.Comment
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They didn't all make the news here either.
The last time I remember a publicised direct fire incident was probably the St.Patricks Day riots in Kosovo (2004). Open to correction!Comment
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