ROMEO DALLAIRE-5 YEARS OF DISCUSSION

[the patriot]

Hello Everyone,

This is a sad testament to our military indeed. A general officer who seems he has definitely fallen between the cracks. He was found drunk and unconscious in a park in Hull, Quebec according to today‘s National Post. If this is happening to our general officers, just imagine what is happening among the troops in regards to their peacekeeping experiences. They probably don‘t think its "man enough" to come forward with anything they would like to discuss. Unfortunately, the good always get shafted, so to speak. Mr. Dallaire‘s plan to halt the massacre in Rwanda was vetoed by the politicos of the UN Security Council. Namely, the Americans. And this is what has become of him.

-the patriot-

 

[bossi]

Here‘s my "letter to the editor" (which has yet to be published, I‘m sorry to say):


Please allow me to add my comments to the discussions surrounding Lieutenant-General Daillaire:

Personally, I‘ve never seen 800,000 people slaughtered (thank God).

Personally, during 23 years of Army service, I was never specifically taught to recognise genocide or pogroms (and somehow I doubt very many other people would recognise it, either, if the truth be told).

Personally, I believe very few civilised human beings could have fully comprehended the magnitude of the events in Rwanda while it was actually happening. Even fewer would have or could have stopped it.

Personally, I think all the "armchair generals" out there with 20-20 hindsight should cut LGen Dallaire some slack.

He is human. He is Canadian. He is a good man who needs compassion, not condemnation.

Dileas Gu Brath.
Mark Bossi, Esquire

 

[Strike]

PUBLICATION:   National Post
DATE:   2005.04.01
EDITION:   National
SECTION:   Canada
PAGE:   A6
BYLINE:   Isabel Vincent
SOURCE:   National Post

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'I don't want to get into slugfest': Dallaire: Rwandan genocide: New book accuses Canadian General of anti-African bias

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In what is shaping up to be the battle of the Rwanda genocide memoirs, the United Nations former special envoy to Rwanda lashed out at <Romeo> <Dallaire> yesterday, accusing the Canadian general of refusing to recognize his authority and of an anti-African bias that helped fuel the chaos during the 1994 genocide.

"He was the force commander, I was his boss, and he never respected that because he didn't want to take orders from an African," said Jacques-Roger Booh Booh, a former career diplomat from Cameroon and the leader of the United Nations Mission for Assistance to Rwanda (UNAMIR) between 1993 and 1994.

General Dallaire, who was recently appointed to the Senate, denied Mr. Booh Booh's allegations yesterday. He said although he had never been to Africa prior to his Rwanda mission, many of the troops under his command were African, and he has worked on various African-related issues in the years since the Rwandan genocide.

"My first reaction is that I don't want to get into a slugfest," General Dallaire said in an interview yesterday. "I haven't read the book, and I am not sure why it has come out at a time when we have another genocide to worry about in Darfur."

Mr. Booh Booh is the author of the recently released Le Patron de Dallaire Parle (Dallaire's Boss Speaks), which will be released in Canada next week. Mr. Booh Booh, who was appointed by former UN secretary general Boutros Boutros Ghali to oversee the ill-fated Rwanda <peacekeeping> mission in 1993, says he decided to break his "professional diplomatic silence" to write the book after he read General Dallaire's best-selling memoir Shake Hands With the Devil: The Failure of Humanity in Rwanda.

Mr. Booh Booh says he was enraged by General Dallaire's "negative portrayal" of him in the book. "I found his book ill-intentioned and nasty," said Mr. Booh Booh, a former ambassador and foreign minister in Cameroon. "It portrays me in a very negative light."

Mr. Booh-Booh is portrayed as a do-nothing UN bureaucrat in General Dallaire's book, who orders Persian carpets and a brand new Mercedes while the military side of the UN mission is unable to secure desperately needed war materiel and troops during an escalation in violence in Rwanda that would result in the mass murder of some 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus by June, 1994.

Mr. Booh Booh left Kigali for Nairobi in the midst of the genocide, in May, 1994, and a month later, UN officials did not renew his contract with the international body.

But he insists that he continued to do his job in Nairobi, lobbying African leaders to help Rwanda as the country descended further into chaos,

In his book, Mr. Booh Booh reproduces a cable from Boutros-Ghali dated May 10, 1994, in which the then secretary-general praises him for his "profound knowledge of the situation in Rwanda," his "impartiality and professionalism."

Mr. Booh Booh blamed his force commander in Rwanda, General Dallaire, for not keeping him properly informed, and not understanding the internal politics of Rwanda, a country the general admits he knew little about before taking up his duties there in the summer of 1993.

"He went over my head, he thought he was the commander of the mission," said Mr. Booh Booh, adding that General Dallaire did not tell him of the downing of an airplane on April 6, 1994, that killed the Rwandan president and major general Juvenal Habyarimana, a Hutu, until three hours after it had occurred. The incident signalled the beginning of the Rwandan genocide.

For his part, General Dallaire said he did not find out about the plane until two and a half hours after it had occurred, and immediately communicated the news to Mr. Booh Booh.

Furthermore, Mr. Booh Booh alleges that General Dallaire did not inform him that the Belgian <peacekeepers> sent to protect the Rwandan interim prime minister, Agathe Uwilingiyimana, were under threat. In the end, the 10 <peacekeepers> along with the prime minister and her husband were executed -- an event that is one of the most controversial incidents of General Dallaire's tenure in Rwanda.

"Look, I'm critical of him and he's critical of me, and he has every right in a democracy to write his book," said General Dallaire, who said he planned to read Mr. Booh Booh's book as soon as it becomes available in Canada.

 

[Highland Laddie]

Well, having just finished Dallaire's book I would have a hard time believing Bouh Bouh's comments. The guy did not seem to be effective at all, and his successor (Khan??) appeared to be much more effective. Dallaire actually stated in his book that he wondered what would have happened (or not happended) if Khan was on the ground from the start, not Bouh Bouh.

Considering that many Africans also hold Dallaire in high regards also diminishes Bouh Bouh's argument about Dallaire being "ant-African".

My 2 cents. Flame away.

 

[chrisp1j]

Exactly. And have we also forgotten that he planned (not sure that this is still the case) to actually move to Rwanda with his wife?

Boo-hoo Bouh Bouh, nice try, I'm not buying your book.

LGen. Dallaire is a Canadian hero.

 

[Canuck725]

Seeing all the criticism he got following Dallaire's book and Documentary, Booh Booh decided to give out cheap shots against Dallaire, just like that Belgian Senator that is making a crusade against Dallaire. Dallaire a racist? What kind of stuff was Booh Booh on when he insinuated that?

 

[HollywoodHitman]

Gonna have to go with Gen Dallaire on this one. It's clear that Dallaire has admitted he could have done some things differently. Booh Booh is looking to cash in on his 15 min of fame, and although I have not read his book, it's likely some sort of political move on his part.

I have no doubt that Booh Booh was as aloof in his role in Rwanda. As for anti-African sentiment by Dallaire, he has championed the cause of the African people since his return and continues to work hard to help Africans and prevent future genocides.

I'd consider this a back pedal by Booh Booh. Someone called him on his failures, and he's doing damage control. Classic politician.

 

[Strike]

I haven't finished Dallaire's book yet.  What get's me is that Booh Booh is adamant that Dallaire wanted his job.  Well, considering he pretty much was doing the job of the SRSG for the first month of UNAMIR it's no wonder the Gen wasn't afraid to step in when Bouh Bouh wasn't performing up to par.

WRT the claims that Dallaire didn't inform him about the genocide until late in the game (see the french thread on this topic) wether true or not, would be laughable if it wasn't so sad.  From the way the killings have been described, the man must have had blinkers on.

The one thing I admire about Dallaire's book is that, although he is not afraid to "tell it like it is" wrt how some people behaved, he never hesitates to give praise either.  There are more than a few times when he complimented the SRSG on his actions in certain situations.  I think Dallaire's frustrations with the man stemmed more with his lack of understanding at the time regarding politics in general than with his inaction.  Booh Booh is just being spiteful.

 

[childs56]

faith of any UN official who stays in fancy houses, eats fancy meals and then complains the General whom is tasked with running a mission whom you have no more interest in other then your fancy paycheck, is something to be desired. The UN is full of frauds, at all levels. it took them so long to respond to the situation, that no one wanted to be involved with. they not only caused the deaths of thousands of people indirectly by not allowing the troops the tools and mandate to help. They also broke the sprits of hundreds of peacekeepers. This in effect results in the civie side of the coin putting the blame on the contingent commader, whom really has no say as the civie counterpart runs the show. and when their pockets are being lined with kickbacks directly or indirectly by one or more of the wariing factions, what is a General to do. I will tell you what, do what the General did fight for every inch and take the heat for the aftermath, I have always said and always thought, you need to look your self in the mirror every morning and look yourself in the face, ask the question, did i do everything with in my power, and ability to do the right thing. the answer should always be yes, I think Gen Dallaire Ret can say that. As for the UN security council, I doubt they know what doing the right thing is, not only for the country you are helping but also the troops trying to help. They civies should not be in charge of a mission, when a civie says no to a commander usually troops die as a result. when a commander say no to a civie usually the civie looks like an ass to his colleagues. I would far perfer to look like an ass then have a soldier killed, yet the UN seem to treat soldiers as pawns for their own personalle gain time and time again. had NATO not bailed them out in the Balkens that would have been another mission that would have resulted in a significant amount of dealth of the soldiers. The UN needs a major overhaul, I would like to see Gen Dallaire Ret be the head of the UN council and replace Koffi Annen, he has seen and been a victim of their lack of descison. I feel he or some one similar would be what the UN needs to get back on track of providing save and secure enviroments around the world. Also to show that it can be a credible entity to a country whom is at war and needs that little push to cease hostilities. again this is my opinion only. As for BOO BOO i think he shoudl have falling off the face of the planet along with the commanders of those whom commited the genicides. we need less people whom look the other way and say things are fine when they have gone for a S*&(. This is what good old BOO BOO has done. Now to save his own butt he is blaming the one man whom ensured his safety while he was their. Wait a minute he didnt have to worry cause the local warring factions were already in with Boo Boo. it makes me sick to think that one day i may have to fall under the control of a person such as Boo Boo. enough ranting. I had a friend whom deployed to Rawanda, needles to say it hits home pretty hard when you talk to his mother and she says he is all messed up from it still. He was a healthy soldier doing his job with in the specs the UN had infriged upon the soldiers. It is alwasy a sad day when a civie can put the blame on a military members shouders and walk away. enough ranting on my part. I hope you all get my point here. cheers

 

[mainerjohnthomas]

How many of the readers here have deployed alongside African troops?  The UN has its own Third world Secretary General, and he has proclaimed us all equal.  Now instead of trained and disciplined troops we get bandits in uniform, who quickly become just another part of the problem.  Our General finds himself in the unenviable position of reporting to a man who is some combination of incompetent and untrustworthy.  Like good troop, he shuts up and soldiers.  Like a Canadian soldier he salvaged more out of that cluster-frag than most would deem possible, and received scorn and slurs from the very people who should be singing his praises.  The UN may claim that all nations are equal, but when it comes to administration of a region in crisis, honesty, integrity and ability cannot be assumed, they must actually be present.  There are some excellent administrators in Africa, people who really try to make a difference (not Boo Boo).  There are also a large number of loudmouthed corrupt incompetents who substitute graft for productivity, and prefer loud posturing to actual planning (Boo Boo).  Service to the UN may be the only way a Canadian soldier can find politicians who care about us less then ours do at home.  Good on the General for telling it like it is, warts and all.

 

[TCBF]

"LGen. Dallaire is a Canadian hero."

In the current Canadian definition that all of us are victims, and all victims hero's , I suppose so.

But historically, our hero's have won battles, or died winning or losing them. 

I have the greatest respect for what he tried to accomplish, and the greatest sympathy for the demons he carries, but he would have had to have taken other actions to be a hero, in my eyes.

And before anyone asks, the answer is No, I would not have come out of there a hero, either.

Tom

 

[muskrat89]

Looks easy to me - if Bouh Bouh was in charge, he must be responsible for the whole thing....    Isn't that what "being in charge" is all about?    :

 

[vangemeren]

I had to privalege of hearing Mr. Dallaire speak up here in North Bay in January. Personally I think he has more creditability than Booh Booh. Other than writting this new book, what has Booh Booh done since the genocide to help his fellow africans?

P.s Strike did a boo boo. It's Booh Booh not Bouh Bouh. :blotto:

 

[Strike]

P.s Strike did a boo boo. It's Booh Booh not Bouh Bouh.

Changed...thanks.

 

[Allen]

I feel sorry for Mr. Booh Booh, it must be hard to get people to take you seriously with a name like that.

 

[BKells]

Duhh Yogi, where's this 'Rwanda' thing?

 

[Thompson_JM]

Duhh Yogi, where's this 'Rwanda' thing?

So Juvinille and Innapropriate.... Yet so unbelievably funny!  ;D ;D

 

[pbi]

How many of the readers here have deployed alongside African troops?   The UN has its own Third world Secretary General, and he has proclaimed us all equal.   Now instead of trained and disciplined troops we get bandits in uniform, who quickly become just another part of the problem.   Our General finds himself in the unenviable position of reporting to a man who is some combination of incompetent and untrustworthy.   Like good troop, he shuts up and soldiers.   Like a Canadian soldier he salvaged more out of that cluster-frag than most would deem possible, and received scorn and slurs from the very people who should be singing his praises.   The UN may claim that all nations are equal, but when it comes to administration of a region in crisis, honesty, integrity and ability cannot be assumed, they must actually be present.   There are some excellent administrators in Africa, people who really try to make a difference (not Boo Boo).   There are also a large number of loudmouthed corrupt incompetents who substitute graft for productivity, and prefer loud posturing to actual planning (Boo Boo).   Service to the UN may be the only way a Canadian soldier can find politicians who care about us less then ours do at home.   Good on the General for telling it like it is, warts and all.

mainerjohnthomas: Based on what I have seen, a sadly accurate statement of the truth. There are few armies in the world that are actually capable of carrying out these types of operations effectively, and most of them IMHO don't come from sub-Saharan Africa. In fact, I doubt many Third World Armies (excepting the Indians, whom I hold in high regard) could actually do it well. However, it would be anathema for the UN to admit this.

Cheers.

 

[Cloud Cover]

mainerjohnthomas: Based on what I have seen, a sadly accurate statement of the truth. There are few armies in the world that are actually capable of carrying out these types of operations effectively, and most of them IMHO don't come from sub-Saharan Africa. In fact, I doubt many Third World Armies (excepting the Indians, whom I hold in high regard) could actually do it well. However, it would be anathema for the UN to admit this.

I would add that they would probably freely admit it as long as they could blame the cause of the  "sadly accurate statement of the truth" on somebody else, preferably a rich, Northern Hemisphere country or group of countries. 

 

[LawnDart]

Hey guys,

Forgive me if this post has already been done, but I can't find it anywhere.

What's up with this Dallaire as a Senator crap?

Listen, I know the guy went through the "Heart of Darkness" and "Shook Hands With the Devil." Blah, blah, blah.

He also did nothing as 10 Belgian Paras under his command were slaughtered almost before his eyes.

I think that was a bad call, but, fair enough, I wasn't there.

But, when asked to testify at an inquiry into the deaths of those 10 troopies in Belgium, "General" Dallaire took the courageous road and declined to do so, citing UN protocol (yeah, seriously, the same UN protocol that he wrote a whole book criticizing because they let the Genocide in Rwanda happen in the first place.) He owed the families of those Paras the decency of an explanation as far as I'm concerned.

We here in Canada would have expected as much from a UN Officer if 10 of our best and brightest had died overseas wearing the blue beret.

I think the guy's and incompetent, and probably a coward. I think he blew it when he was there, and he's a total head case now. Yet we're so desperate for heros in this country we're willing to overlook all that and appoint him to the Senate.

So much for consistency. I guess were running out of VC winners though, seeing as how it's been about 60 years since we were in a real shooting war (snipers in Afghanistan excepted). Much better to invent some new pretend heros, regardless of the facts on the ground at the time.

Pretty sorry state of affairs if you ask me.