News and Analysis, 26 November 2006 - Risk of Peacekeeping in Lebanon

The main body of Indonesian army peacekeepers deployed this week to support the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) mission.  Once they arrive, the 706 soldiers assigned to the main body will bring Indonesia’s commitment to 836 personnel upon joining the advance team of 130 soldiers who are already in place and are working on the ground with the Spanish contingent. (Comment – Although Indonesia is to be applauded for its rapid and tangible support to enforcing a peace in southern Lebanon, such a deployment is not without risk. Once in Lebanon, these forces will be exposed to daily contact with radical and militant elements within Hezbollah political and military organizations. Hezbollah with its relatively sophisticated information operations capability will not be blind to this opportunity. The danger is that the Indonesian troops after long term exposure to these elements will return home with a militant bent and form a core within the armed forces that will work against the moderate Yudhoyono administration and start to radicalize the Indonesian armed forces, a measure that could have grave consequences for the future.) [slr]