Major hat tip to a reader that will remain anonymous. I could give you his back ground but it would allow people to piece together his identity.
via The AP.
BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP) - Lt. Thierry Lotin, leader of a 10-man Belgian patrol, shouted into the radio: ''We've been disarmed and taken I don't know where. Two of my men are being beaten. Colonel, they're going to lynch us!''That was the last communication received from Lotin. Before long, all 10 would be dead - beaten, stabbed, hacked, shot and mutilated by Rwandan soldiers in a frenzy of hatred toward the Belgian U.N. peacekeepers.Three years later, Sandrine Lotin, widow of the 29-year-old lieutenant, still wants to know why her husband died in that far-away African land. So do the families of the other nine men. So does much of Belgium.''I could understand my husband dying on a mission,'' says Mrs. Lotin, who was pregnant at the time. ''But they didn't die as soldiers. They were murdered.''A special committee of the Belgian Senate is holding hearings on the April 7, 1994, deaths the day when Rwanda erupted in an orgy of bloodletting by Hutu extremists. Within weeks, at least a half-million Rwandans were dead, most of them minority Tutsis and moderate Hutus.The drama began shortly after the death of Rwandan President Juvenal Habyarimana in a still unexplained plane crash on April 6, 1994. Lotin and his men were given orders about 2 a.m. the next day to take Prime Minister Agathe Uwilingiyimana to the radio station to make an appeal for calm.When the 10 peacekeepers arrived at the prime minister's house, soldiers of the Hutu army opened fire with rifles and grenades. After about two hours, the prime minister ignored Lotin's advice and fled. She was caught and murdered.A Hutu officer ordered the surrounded and outgunned Belgians to give up their weapons or be killed. Lotin's battalion commander, Lt. Col. Jo Dewez, authorized him by radio to do so.Lotin and his men were taken to a Rwandan military base, where an officer accused Belgian troops of shooting down the president's plane. Soldiers at the base went wild with machetes, bayonets and guns. Four of the paratroopers were cut down immediately.Lotin and the rest ran to a building, where another was trapped and killed. A Rwandan soldier tried to break into the room where the survivors barricaded themselves, but Lotin killed him with a pistol he had kept hidden and grabbed the soldier's AK-47 rifle.The Belgians held out with those two weapons for three hours, when grenades dropped into the room through the roof ended resistance. All the bodies were stripped of valuables and mutilated.Two weeks later, faced with a shocked and distraught nation, Belgium's government withdrew its 450-man battalion from the U.N. force in Rwanda.A classic no win mission that ended up in a no win situation leading to the deaths of some good men.
Names of the 10 Belgian soldiers;
Cpl Bruno Bassine, Cpl Alain Debatty, Cpl Christophe Dupont, Cpl Stephan Lhoir, Cpl Bruno Meaux, Cpl Louis Plescia, Cpl Christophe Renwa, Cpl Marc Uyttebroeck, 1 Sgt Yannick Leroy and Lt Thierry Lotin.
My advice to Marines that get sent on missions to Africa? Do what you have to do to survive. A court martial is only a career ender.
These bastards will chop you up with machetes, skin you alive, beat you to death, drag your body through a street and then mutilate you so when you're finally recovered (assuming the wild life doesn't consume you first) all that's picked up are scraps.
The Middle East sucked donkey nuts. Africa will be worse. We definitely DO NOT need to get involved.
I think we need to be more like the Russians and Chinese in this regard. Hang back, let these factions fight it out, then deal with the winners, whoever they may be. Then again, I think that method would have helped our foreign policy in a lot of other areas around the world too.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteI most whole heartedly agree, There is nothing in Africa to fight or die for.
ReplyDeletelet China or Russia or the Islamo's fight and die there.
If the US needs to fight it needs to be done with Drones and large scale bombing attacks.
Stay out of Africa.
Africa always wins.
I don't agree with that mister Dun, there is one thing in Africa for what people will fight and die. Natural resources.
DeleteThere is nothing in natural resources in Africa worth going to Africa for.
DeleteThose resources can be obtain safer, easier and without having troops and employees skinned alive and eaten elsewhere.
There are no doubt many resources that can be obtained only in Africa but overall it's just not worth the trouble to get it.
When these items are gotten, the warlord's and gangs along with various tribal armies and militia's will be standing there hands out for cash until the items are too expensive to obtain.
If the Militia's don't then the African nations governments will take their cut and the whole affair will become a hostage situation for the entire venture.
I reference the diamond trade as an example of the bloody resources.
Africa always wins.
But why why why on earth did they surrender their weapons. That is the n°1 rule when deploying anywhere in Africa. The Belgians were supposed to know that, they were supposed to have enough experience with Africa.
ReplyDelete"the Belgians held out with those two weapons for three hours" sigh...
Just a side story, but a year ago when things started going to shit in CAR, a french patrol (squad sized ?) apparently went outside the wire unarmed. The reaction of the crowd was immediate: insults, rock throwing, etc. I wonder what kind of idiot would give such an order, and what kind of NCO would accept it.
Usually the soldiers that deployed there say that things are a bit more positive in the countryside than in the big cities where people seem to be just batshit crazy. They feel that at least the one outside the cities kinda deserve their help.
Central African Republic: U.S. forces have been in the south of the country involved in the counter-LRA (Joseph Kony) training of local forces, at least since February 2012. French forces have been in CAR at least since February 2013. Recently there was a coup and matters are getting worse.
DeleteDec 5, 2013 -- Security Council, Unanimously Adopting Resolution 2127 (2013), Mandates Mission in Central African Republic to Protect Civilians, Restore State Authority -- The Security Council today authorized both the deployment of the African-led International Support Mission in the Central African Republic, known as MISCA, and the French troops already stationed in the strife-torn nation to support, by all necessary measures, the Mission in discharging its mandate.
General Dempsey: "We're in contact with our French counterparts" regarding the ongoing operation in Africa, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey said Wednesday. Paris has yet to make a formal request for American troops or military assets to back up the United Nations-mandated peacekeeping mission in the central African nation, Dempsey told reporters at the Pentagon.
"Paris has yet to make a formal request for American troops" -- way to go, Martin. Let's help France get back into her former colonies.
Delete"But why why why on earth did they surrender their weapons. "
DeleteThe choice was fight to the death or surrender and hope for mercy,
Under TAB rules, theres only one answer to that of course.
Maybe squad assumed the rest of the battalion was mobilising to come get them?
As Samuel L. Jackson would say, "Waste the motherfuckers!"
ReplyDeleteTo be serious, we have bled too much of our national wealth and youth in the past 72 years to just keep doing it. Fuck Europe, Africa, Asia and South America, let them burn, maybe something good will grow back from the ashes.
Don't be so cocky yank or the next time you will try to invade someone there will be no soldiers from EU to die for you interests. Don't try to fuck the Europe or the Europe will fuck you.
Deletehe's not being cocky. he's reacting to what is often seen in US news. Europeans, Asians, Africans, S. Americans all complain and bitch about the US. they demand that we stay out of their affairs and at the first sign of trouble yell for us to help.
Deleteits not everyone in those lands but enough to be noticed.
the sentiment is being heard more and more here in the US. so again. he's not being cocky, just expressing a weariness found throughout America. we're tired of playing big brother and being taken advantage of.
one additional question though. how could Europe fuck the US? seriously. economically? in any form of warfare?
Deleteseriously.
if the US and Europe were to come to blows how could Europe fuck us?
Well Sol, Europe is also tired of big, strong brother like US. Mainly because you are not that strong anymore, second after wars in Iraq ( the second one ) and Afghanistan there is a common fell on old continent that we are some kind of US mercenaries. You will fight to the last ally soldier. I know this is a extremely bad point of view, this type of behavior you had learn from British Empire. European Union grow in strength, both military and economic and US from position of mighty protector fall to place of troublesome neighbor that draw us in more and more questionable actions.
DeleteIn last decade in Europe, United States start to be threaten as troublemaker.
Of course part of "fuck" is strongly economic, I don't believe that in near future there will be some kind of old - new world cold war in military aspects. We are heavy connected in terms of economy that problems in US hit really hard EU and in opposite, problems in EU would hit US. An economy "war" between EU and US would ruin both nations/blocks and the only winner would be Great Dragon of the East. In short, if US fuck EU, EU will fuck US and at the end we would be both fucked.
US is still a valuable ally for EU nations but not in terms of be or not to be like in past. But in terms of blows, combine EU forces a stronger then US ones. But that's only numbers, that would be pretty long and interesting debate about that conflict.
strong is relative.
Deletecould the US Army and Air Force without the participation of the US Navy and Marine Corps crush Poland like a rotting grape? yes. could they do the same to almost every European country? yes. could the US Navy and Marine Corps successfully attack and destroy every nation in the Pacific (not including China) without the assistance of the US Army or Air Force? yes.
so you see when you talk about strength its all relative. when you hear me complain its because i see an erosion in capability. but make no mistake about it. even a hollow US military is still THE ABSOLUTE BEST ON THIS PLANET.
additionally while i complain about our economic woes, make no mistake about it. the US is the engine that is keeping this globalization scheme going. the second we say fuck it...and make no mistake about it. the people of America are getting ready to say fuck it, then you can bet that Europe will plunge into chaos right along with China and the rest of the arrogant, fascist bitches that have profited off a desire by corporations to make money at the expense of our nation (the US).
long story short i'm not mad, but make no mistake about it.
their is no way in hell any piss ant country in Europe or anyother place on this planet can fuck with the USA.
Of course that in direct confrontation US military are still the most powerful single force on the planet, there is not doubt. But in "perfect" world attack on single EU member would be attack on whole EU and in that case your bases in Europe continent would be eliminated in mere days if not hours. But that's the ideal scenario of full cooperation of all Union members and fast reaction of EU battle groups. US military is more weaker every year, you know that, what is worst (for me of course) that military forces in EU are also weaker every year. Only the Dragon get stronger. If we take those crazy scenario of military conflict between EU and US we probably would bleed each other without any victory, the US is still powerful force, EU even if not fully united are also very strong and modern military force. I would say that even if US Navy is more powerful then combine EU navy forces it would be a stalemate, the Navy would be unable to break EU defense in new ocean Atlantic Wall and EU forces don't have the power to counterattack on US main land. Who knows maybe the Africa would be a battleground for land forces. But I'm afraid that after some time Dragon would crush both EU and US weaken forces and ... Pax China.
DeleteThere is three pillars of modern day economic world power, China, US and EU. If you collapse one of them rest will follow. In last crisis that hit whole word we suffer all, one more other less ( funny but in time of crisis Poland as only country in Europe had economy rise on + ). Let say that US in one day say fuck it and retreat in to full economy isolation from the rest of the word. There would be chaos on whole world, it would be like pull out one of element of very fragile construction and everything go to hell. In the worst scenario EU would collapse, China would collapse... and, US would not survive this and also collapse.
Remember Sol that US, with no offense of course, are not some knight on white horse full of honor and good will. United States of America is world power not because it's poor, nice and smiling country. US know how to make money, US corporations know how to make money, this is not that someone from outerspace want to make use of poor Americans. The worst enemy is the one from inside, we Poles know that. You Sol also know that, look what that abomination of Marines commandant is doing with your beloved Corps.
There is only one single country on the word that can and will challenge US, the Dragon. And as you notice it's testing US in every occasion.
Remember Sol that arrogance collapse empires, history teach us that in very brutal way.
i pray everyday to my God that we finally decide to adopt strict isolationism.
Deletei will enjoy sitting back and watching the world burn, watch Europe over run, the final collapse of Russia, the Pacific fighting over worthless pieces of land...arrogance isn't part of the DNA of US citizens.
as a matter of fact thats the last thing we suffer from. however the critique from Europe is tiresome...i hope we withdraw from the world stage and Europe rises.
it'll be fun to watch.
All Euros have a bad case of high self esteem, and loose mouth.
DeleteLook west Euros, That's the Russian bear and it's coming to eat you, why now? Because the US does not give a single phuc if Euros become EuroKulaks.
Two wars ago and the Ungrateful Euros still make threats against the Nation that saved them from the fire.
That my Euro will never, ever happen again.
I recall De Gaulle telling the US after the WW2 to remove all it's soldiers from France, The Nation's leader asked De Gaulle,
"Does that mean the dead and buried American soldiers buried all over France, Belgium, Italy, and the Netherlands?"
Overall, The US should have ignored the Euro wars and let the Euros deal with it alone.
As an aside, US Forces said after the war, the French and English sat around and bitched about the war and it's damage caused by the US in freeing them, yet the Defeated Enemy, the Germans sucked it up and began to rebuild....in the American sectors at least.
I have no respect for any Euro whining and threatening with shadow Armies and incompetent Navies.
Without the US Europe would have quickly fell into World War Three and blown each other up.
Pity it didn't happen.
Total isolationism is not possible anymore Sol, maybe 70-100 years back it would be an option. Who knows what would happen and what world would look if US stay in isolation and not enter Great War. That would be very interesting book, written by infinite more wise men then we about possible course of history.
DeleteWorld became too small, connected, bound. I think that I read some medical article about global pandemic and massive nation wide quarantines and how long single country in modern world would survive without any contact with rest of the planet. It was a grim scenario, the more developed country the faster it collapse. Maybe, when we start to look at the stars and move to conquer the void there will be a possibility of new isolationism, more space give that chance.
And Sol, mate, arrogance is not a specific trait of any nation. Half of world think that classic American is fat, lazy and stupid, we both know that's absolutely bullish. That kind of peoples are all over the world in every country, every city ect. The same with arrogance, this is trait of humans, we are arrogant, sometimes stupid, some other day lazy... sometimes every that thing at the same time. But that's the old way, Empires rise and fall, Romans, British, French, Mongols, Russians... in many cases because arrogance of it ruling cast.
We are in this shit called human civilization together Sol.
@Zebra Dun
We are the part of old continent, old culture. This a normal thing when someone older have high self esteem.
And lad, US had not save Europe from any enemy from border of the word. That was a war between European nations, sometimes against Russians but with them we would fight with good success. If we stay united and not kick our asses from time to time for some idiotic reasons. I agree with Sol about isolation part, that was not your wars. And as I read you are in the same department, leave Europe wars to Europeans. The same like this topic, leave African wars to Africans.
And don't mistake Brits and Frogeaters with whole Europe, for Poles one of the greatest American hero was Thomas Woodrow Wilson. This great man almost single handed liberate Polish nation from occupation and create Second Commonwealth. That's why Poland is still the most loyal ally of US on old continent. Even when Roosevelt and Churchill sold Poland to Stalin after the Second World War we were still looking at Americans as friends.
And what navy you call the incompetent ?
Executive Outcomes.
ReplyDeletethe more i think about it, the more you're right. this is the perfect mission for sponsored mercenaries. the problem becomes one of regulation and discipline. how do you monitor such a mission without it spinning out of control? i looked up the founder of EO and believe it or not he blogs. give me a few and i'll dig up his blogsite.
DeleteDeath isn't always the 'reward.'
ReplyDeletenews report:
The 700,000 veterans consigned to the dustbins of society -- prisons and jails -- won some top level attention this week at the first national Vet Court Conference in Washington, which brings together 1,000 judges, mental health and substance abuse professionals and the leadership of the Veterans Affairs and Defense Departments.
I think its a waste of effort to bother in Africa. We spent a lot of our money blowing up in the middle east so we could build them better countries than they had. But its their countries that got better not ours. We need to take a break from funding these fiascoes and just concentrate on maintaining a powerful standing military. We have a lot of procurement ahead to finance and this operations budget is a pain. Shas is stirring the pot, I wouldn't bother talking with him there's no telling where hes from or why he feels the way he does. talking with people like that makes people look like fools
ReplyDeletewell now i have to defend Shas. he's from the Netherlands and is a frequent commenter on this blog. we're all kind of fiery here so unless it crosses a line i usually let it pass. he crossed it response to you so i pulled him back a bit. but mistakes are forgiven unless they're habitual and he's generally a good guy .
Deletei am curious about his comments about Europe fucking us if we fuck with them though. i can't wait for the answer.
Thank you Sol, btw I'm from Poland ;D
DeleteMister Turk, but I absolutely agree with your words. US with obstinately try to build castles on the sand near a angry sea, first wave and all those effort you had put in that construction just disappear. Money, time, life of US citizens are lost for nothing. As I know some yanks from here and there, they have a generally the same opinion as yours. I my opinion US are just tired, tired of constant problems outside and inside of nation... form me as citizen of EU we are also tired. Polish president said that there will be no large ( for us ) expeditions to other part of the word as part of any coalition in future.
We've already made at least one movie glorifying our failure in Africa. I see no reason to give Hollywood a chance to make another.
ReplyDelete