Peace-keeping Quotes
Thailand had invaded Cambodia, and Vietnam intervened and repulsed the Thai. However, they tried to “civilize” the backward Cambodians, and these efforts at cultural and political reform were no appreciated. A full scale rebellion broke out. See {607693} and {43139}. The Vietnamese, the stronger, generous power who had provided so much, could not understand the anti-Vietnamese feeling.
She was instrumental in forming the United Nations, but one of its weaknesses was and has been since that it was very difficult and cumbersome for the UN to mount a military force to defend a country or region against aggression. The situation has not improved much on that score since 1948. Israel had just been created by the United Nations, but over a dozen Arab State armies attacked the fledgling Jewish nation. The Israelis, against all odds, not only defended their territory but were able to seize key Arab military and strategic areas. Mrs. Roosevelt, and most of the world, assumed that under the circumstances, the Arabs would negotiate a peace treaty with Israel to regain their land. However, the Arab nations would not recognize the State of Israel and would not even negotiate with the Israelis. ER and most of the world was wrong. Instead, the Arab nations’ strategy was to have a cease fire and build their military strength to attack later in greater force. When that also failed and Israel won the subsequent wars, the Arabs then turned to Terrorism. 60 years later, the Israelis and the Arabs were further apart in many ways than in 1948.
The British had sent troops to Iraq expecting to be greeted by a grateful population who would then obtain relief from the warring factions which had destabilized the area. However, in a historical precursor to the George W. Bush invasion of Iraq, the British troops became the targets for all sides in the complex power struggle of the area. Hence Churchill’s description as an “ungrateful volcano”. At the time, the oil of Iraq had not been discovered and England was the world’s largest superpower.
Thee months later the United Nations did nothing to prevent the slaughter of 7,000 residents by the Bosnian Serbs.
