[War] India: To Lebanon

[Daniel Garcia]

"India:  To Lebanon"
President Ashwini Kanchwala, Republic of India
July 31, 2006

(OOC:  These two articles from a few days back were on my mind as I  
wrote this sucker, just so you know...  http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/ 
20060727/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ 
lebanon_israel_509;_ylt=AroCsGLpfE4IFFslTtGbTmYUvioA;_ylu=X3oDMTBiMW04NW 
9mBHNlYwMlJVRPUCUl, http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060728/ 
ap_on_re_mi_ea/un_israel_mideast )

Nandi Jaishree mulled over the past few days as the room quieted  
down.  He had been India's ambassador to Turkey when his past came  
back to hit him.  That past had been Dr. Ashwini Kacnhwala, now  
President of India.  They had met in 1991 when Ashwin had decided to  
join the foreign service and had been posted to the United Arab  
Emirates, where he had been posted as a senior staff member.  They  
had become friends of a sort, not close but genial.  Moreover, Nandi  
had helped Ashwin learn the ropes of the diplomatic world.  When  
Nandi had been named ambassador to Lebanon a few years later, they  
had kept in touch, discussing current events.

In the wake of the recent elections, when Ashwin had found himself  
confronted with a friendly Parliament and thus more or less free to  
name his cabinet, he had reached back and plucked Nandi out of Ankara  
and brought him to New Delhi to be Minister of External Affairs.   
That had been about a week ago.  Of course, this had all taken place  
in the midst of the crisis in Lebanon, and he had thus been thrown  
right in the middle of it all.  Sometimes he wondered why Ashwin  
hadn't appointed the ambassador to Jordan, who I think everyone now  
knew was a good friend of his.  Nandi supposed, however, that there  
was indeed a difference between friendly and most suited.

"Thank you all for being here," he said, addressing the assembled  
reporters.  "First, I have a statement, and then I'll take a few  
questions.

"The Indian government, following up earlier soundings towards the  
Lebanese government on the possibility of deploying Indian ground  
forces to their country to assist them in regaining effective control  
over the whole of their territory, has decided to definitively offer  
the Lebanese government the assistance of the Indian 4th Infantry  
Division, which is a part of the Indian Army Central Command.

"The 4th Infantry Division has begun preparations for deployment,  
though the final go ahead obviously depends upon the assent of the  
Lebanese government.  The Division will undertake activities to help  
the Lebanese government secure its borders, disarm Hezbollah and  
other extra-governmental armed forces, train the Lebanese army, and  
generally assist with a return to peace and normalcy in the Lebanese  
Republic.

"Of course, any progress would be difficult if not impossible under a  
continuing Israeli offensive action.  President Kanchwala, Prime  
Minister Eswara, and I all call upon the State of Israel to cease  
their operations and withdraw from Lebanon in a timely fashion to  
allow the unhindered deployment of Indian and international forces.   
The Indian force, for one, would commit to preventing the launching  
of attacks into Israel from Lebanon and the disarming of Hezbollah.   
Also, I will be flying to Jerusalem this afternoon to speak to the  
Israeli government on this and related matters.

"I will now take a few questions," Nandi said, waiting for the deluge.

"Sir, you have said that part of the 4th Infantry Division's mission  
would be to disarm Hezbollah.  What if the Lebanese government  
doesn't want Hezbollah disarmed," the reporter asked.

"I'm afraid that the disarmament of Hezbollah is a necessary  
component of the 4th Infatry Division's mission.  No peace could  
follow without it.  A government must be able to enforce law and  
order in its territory, and with an armed Hezbollah, the Lebanese  
government can not, in the view of the Indian government, do this.   
So, we think it's important, and without permission to do so, there  
would be no point to any mission to Lebanon," Nandi replied, then  
moved on.

"Sir, what actions will the Indian force take against the political  
and social arms of Hezbollah," another reporter asked.

"It's not in the mandate of the Division to interfere with political,  
social, or charitable activities of any group in Lebanon.  That is,  
and rightly should be, the prerogative of the Lebanese government.   
Though obviously the close and intricate connection between the two  
arms of Hezbollah is of deep concern, the Indian government does not  
believe it has the right to interfere to that extent," was Nandi's  
reply.

"Sir, this morning the Chinese government offered the Lebanese  
government 20,000 troops for peacekeeping purposes.  What is the  
Indian government's response to this move," yet another reporter asked.

"The government of India is of course willing to work with all  
international partners to help the Lebanese government restore  
order.  The government has been made aware of the fact that several  
nations are actively contemplating deploying forces, and the Indian  
government looks forward to working with these nations towards peace  
in Lebanon.  If necessary, the Indian government would contemplate  
the deployment of additional support, command, and control forces to  
Lebanon, up to and including a Corps headquarters.  Of course, this  
will all depend upon what forces are deployed, and it what strength,  
and hence what needs arise in this regard.

"Thank you all for your questions," Nandi said before leaving the  
press room to prepare to leave for Jerusalem.


ACTIONS:

1)  Offer to send the 4th Infantry Division with four infantry  
brigades, an artillery brigade, and an armoured regiment  
(approximately 25000 men) to southern Lebanon to assist the  
government in keeping control of the country.  Activities would include:
   - Helping to secure the country's borders.
   - Helping to disarm Hezbollah (any Indian contingent to Lebanon  
must be allowed to do this, but will not affect the political arm  
unless so requested by the Lebanese government).
   - Helping to train the Lebanese army (preferably when we deployed,  
we'd take some of them along with us to the south, and show them how  
we work).
   - Helping to keep the peace, generally.

2)  Connected with the offer to Lebanon, make a diplomatic push with  
the Israelis.  Basically, they stop and withdraw from Lebanon, and we  
go in and make sure that they don't get attacked.

3)  Make preparations to send the force as if it had been approved,  
but hold off on the departure until the go ahead is given (e.g. when  
they say yes, go).

4)  Express willingness to work with other nations' forces, and put  
forward the possibility of deploying a corps headquarters in the  
event that command and control of a large force becomes necessary.