More Peacekeeping Troops for Lebanon

Europe Pledges up to 6,900 troops for Lebanon, but this level still falls way short of the expected 15,000 troops originally agreed upon by the UN Security Council Members on August 12. The good news however is that France has increased its commitment from 200 troops to 2,000 and Italy is agreed to provide the bulk of the troops. France, however, is insisting that it will command the UNFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) and that this peacekeeping force will not engage in disarming Hezbollah, which after all was the key point behind the UN Resolution 1701. In addition, resolution 1701 forbids the sale of arms excepting to the Lebanese government.