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A few questions about the deployment in Chad
Read more about: Defence, Europe, Foreign Affairs
It’s very rare for Ireland to have a potential military dilemma given that any overseas military activities are always under the colour of the United Nations. While there have been occasional concerns expressed about whether European Union military operations might breach neutrality, those concerns have never been able to overcome the general momentum of EU integration and a sense that an EU deployment would not be “aggressive”. But now there’s Chad.
It was a tricky mission even under its original mandate: an EU peacekeeping force consisting mainly of French, Irish, Polish, and Austrian troops going to southeastern Chad to protect people displaced by the conflict in Darfur and its spillover effects in Chad and the Central African Republic. The actual date for the deployment of the Irish troops has been repeatedly postponed, and with another date coming last week, a mysteriously well-timed rebel invasion of the capital forcing yet another deferral.
The diplomats seem clear on the way forward. Statements from the African Union and the UN Security Council supporting the incumbent President Idriss Deby. Mediation efforts by the African Union. And an intention to get the EU force in place as soon as possible where they are badly needed.
But: now the French are threatening direct military action in support of the government of Chad. No doubt there are numerous justifications one could offer for this: the principle of resisting violent overthrows of governments, the fact that Deby has cooperated with the plans for the EU mission, and the need to get in assistance for hundreds of thousands of refugees as soon as possible.
But it’s going to be difficult to disentangle a French operation to support the government from the EU mission to assist refugees in the south. Will the rebels make that distinction? Should Ireland be prodding a bit more about whether Deby (who seems set on being President-for-Life) is really someone who should benefit from EU support. Does anyone really know where all Chad’s oil money is going?
Ireland has a bit of leverage here because of its contribution to the EU force. It might be a good time for a small country to speak up and ask the big boys to think a bit more about what they are doing.
Even though most people have sympathy for any refugees for whatever reasons, whether they be displaced from natural or man made disasters, the EU intervention in Chad is not a well thought out plan. Deby is in favour of the EU protecting the refugees that are in Chad fleeing Darfur because his regime in under threat from the same enemy. The “rebels” in his country are financed and equipped from the Sudanese government. Who are the EU forces protecting the refugees from? The rebels. Now the Chadians are fleeing to Camaroon, who is going to protect them? If France gets dragged into a conflict which side will the EU forces be on? If the original concern is for the well-being of the refugees from Darfur, then EU protection for them should begin in Sudan.
Ireland has a bit of leverage here because of its contribution to the EU force. It might be a good time for a small country to speak up and ask the big boys to think a bit more about what they are doing.
Personally, I think that our being there as a figleaf for an enlarged French colonial intervention* in support of their pet dictator is a scandal which ought to be making more waves than it has.
The supposed Irish head of this operation? Left behind in fricking Paris. The actual commander on the ground is, unsurprisingly, French. Given my personal past experience with one or two certain high-ranking Irish officers up for deployment with EUfor, I don’t see much prospect of anyone falling on their sword if the French (as seems likely) make fools of us.
Ireland - the Whore of Western Europe. Well done, Bertie.
* they already have strongl forces - including fighter jets - based in Chad to guard Deby’s regime. The supposed new “EU” deployment adds, among other things - an honest-to-god aircaft carrier to the mix.
I see that the French have used their increased leverage over Deby to get pardons for the Zoe’s Ark people, having already gotten them out of jail in Chad. We’re part of a bigger game without being much aware of it.