Originally Posted by
Slow Biker
For an interesting account of UN peacekeeping read Heroes of Jadotville by Rose Doyle. A company of the Irish Army was sent to the breakaway province of Katanga during the Congo crisis of the early '60s supposedly to protect the Belgian expats. It didn't quite work out like that. A story of betrayal, courage and leadership.
In a pub in Dublin in 1990's an Irish friend introduced me to someone who told me the story of this, he had been there and is referenced in various books.
Initially disbelieving because I have met too many vets who want to tell you how they won the war single handed, I got confirmation from mate that yup he was the real McCoy.
In terms of leadership it is probably one of the greatest UN actions where an officer and his men stood up and did the job asked of them.
Looking at actions of the Dutch it is a world away from this.
There were SAS operating close to Srebenica but they were there as observers only to report on what was occurring, they reported and no Govt could claim they were unaware of what was going to occur.