U.S. troops out of the Sinai...NOW!

[Ken Burch]

If the Administration can't be gutsy enough to publicly call on Mubarak to leave, it can at least make it clear that we will do NOTHING to save him. The only possible justification in sending those troops to the Sinai was to send the message that we would save the decayed old regime, and by any means necessary...the people of Egypt desperately need to know that, at a bare minimum, U.S. troops will NOT be fighting to keep the National Democratic "Party" in power.

Join me in calling for full U.S. troop withdrawal from the Sinai(and the withdrawal of Multilateral Force Troops as well).

[gateley]

1. Nice sentiment and we all agree, but unrealistic. nt

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. The troops mission is not to protect the NDP

they are there to separate the IDF and the Egyptian Army.

That is their mission. Oh and the next government may very well ask for them to be withdrawn.

[LiberalLoner]

10. :) Thank you, Nadin. A voice of wisdom as always. :) n/t

[nadinbrzezinski]

15. Well the last time any force was withdrawn

at the request of Egypt... was 1973...


I am sure Ken remembers that year... and that middle eastern war... why they are part of the Camp David Accords.

There are days I wonder if people really have bothered opening a book from time to time

Some images from that war might be in order











and one more

[MilesColtrane]

3. Are you talking about the 1st Support Battalion?

They've been there, along with troops from ten other countries, monitoring the Israeli/Egyptian Peace Treaty since 1982.

I don't think it's very smart to pull them out when no one knows what kind of government is going to eventually be running things in Egypt after this is all over.

[Davis_X_Machina]

5. Ken Burch demands it! Damn the consequences.

[Ken Burch]

16. It's not about ME.

This is SUPPOSED to be a place where EVERYONE can make themselves heard. You start plenty of threads as well.

I'm just one person trying to show solidarity with those who are risking their lives...people you clearly don't give a damn about.

[LiberalLoner]

6. Actually the 1st Support Battalion (which I was a member of in 90-91) provides

logistical support to the Multinational Force and Observers. The MFO consists of the 1SB and a whole bunch of Infantry and civilians out there doing the observing thing to make sure Israel stays on their side and Egypt stays on their side. The motto of 1SB is "Support the Force." This is what is said when saluting and returning salutes. Soldiers, being soldiers, would often irreverantly change that to "Abort the Force" and "Support the Farce."

Ah, great memories.

Anyhoo, 1SB is indeed an important part of the MFO but it is not all of the MFO.

It is a peacekeeping mission. Not a war-making mission.

[atreides1]

19. I was there

1984-1985, we were the first large group of permanent party personnel sent there. I was assigned to the Supply Company at North Camp...worked at the Central Receiving Point.

Went back again in 1987...didn't finish my second tour...got a compassionate reassignment!

But, I did have fun...and got to see places that I had only heard about.

[LiberalLoner]

20. Awesome, fellow MO-FO'er, LOL...support the force! :) n/t

[atreides1]

22. Not many of us, it seems.

Were you at North or South Camp?

[LiberalLoner]

23. The un-fun place, LOL, North Camp - you? I suspect there aren't many of us

Mofo'ers who are also liberals is what it boils down to...

[MilesColtrane]

25. Thanks for clarifying the 1SB's mission in relation to the MFO.

And, thanks for your service.

My limited info came from teh google.

The MFO has to be one of the most successful ongoing multi-national peacekeeping operations ever.

[LiberalLoner]

26. You're welcome! :) Not only successful, it's a way cool assignment, LOL... ;) n/t

[LiberalLoner]

9. +1,000 by the way. n/t

[Davis_X_Machina]

4. They are 700...

...in number, are attached to a UN Multinational force, and don't have the organic transport to get to where any of the disturbance is.

Their presence is required part of the Camp David Accords, and it would I am sure be very, very reassuring to a paranoid Israeli government if they were withdrawn unilaterally and without consultation with Tel Aviv.

[LiberalLoner]

8. (It's actually not a UN force, but it IS a peacekeeping force and it IS multinational. )

[apocalypsehow]

7. Respectfully cannot agree, for the reasons other repliers have given. n/t.

[NuclearDem]

11. Noooooo nooooooo

[LiberalLoner]

12. LOL - just a misunderstanding of what the troops are doing there, is all...I'm sure it's cleared up

by this time. :)

[sufrommich]

14. I'm stealing this. lol. nt

[LiberalLoner]

13. BTW, link for anyone who would like to learn more about the MFO...

http://www.mfo.org/

[Ken Burch]

17. OK...I didn't have enough information....

I'll acknowledge that, in this case, I got it wrong.

Still, they shouldn't send any MORE troops into Sinai until this is over.

[LiberalLoner]

21. I'm confused at this point - is there talk of sending more US troops there? I heard about

the Egyptian troops that were sent by Egypt to Sharm El-Sheik...but that had nothing to do with the MFO, except that MFO South Camp is right by there....

Otherwise, there are rotations in and out of the MFO as the tours of soldiers are up - they are there either 6 months or 1 year, depending....no reason to stop the rotations (although I expect everyone is frozen in place right now and no one is leaving or coming...)

[Modern_Matthew]

18. That's certainly a good start. n/t

[customerserviceguy]

24. I don't have a problem with peacekeeping troops

Who are actually keeping the peace.

[dionysus]

27. otay.