Irish Army Ranger killed in Liberia

by boatman Fri Nov 28, 2003 16:04

>Another soldier is being treated onboard
>an Irish navy ship offshore

We have ships that can travel to Liberia!!
Last Irish navy boat I saw was no bigger than a very large truck. I thought they could barely go around a pond never mind the world.

Obviously things have changed, and the old phrase means nothing now:

"Join the British Navy and see the world!
Join the Irish Navy and be home for your tea!"

by an ainrialai asarlai ag iascaracht. Fri Nov 28, 2003 17:09

The Irish Navy likes to protect Irish interests which in the nasty modern world extend in through the fishing waters of Western Africa.

The Irish Navy started turning up "en masse" en flotilla (wee little flotilla not quite an armada) in the late 90s, Dakar in Senegal saw almost every Irish naval vessel support a good will effort in 98 or 99 (can't remember exactly without going into the filing system).
They opened a few Irish bars at the same time. But guinness isn't the reason for the military presence, no _fish_ and marine mapping is.
We do seem to neglect our irish merchant and fishing fleet in our treatment on the more disreputable side of our crypto-imperialist advances.
read & refresh:
http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=28228&search_text=atlantic%20dawn

by mel Fri Nov 28, 2003 17:12

Just wondereing whether he didn't bother attending the dail for a vote to send UN troops to help subjugate another country or... worse?

All I know was he was in the Dail before and after the 'debate' on Liberia -- where was he during it?

by quotation Fri Nov 28, 2003 17:17

1
I move the following motion

"That Dáil Éireann approves the despatch, pursuant to section 2 of the Defence (Amendment)(No. 2) Act, 1960, as amended by the Defence (Amendment) Act, 1993, of a contingent of the Permanent Defence Force for service with the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), established on 19 September, 2003, under UN Security Council Resolution 1509 (2003)."

In commending this motion to the House, I would like to outline the background to the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) and the reason the Government decided to respond positively to the invitation from the United Nations to provide a contingent.

Background
Liberia has been in a state of near-constant conflict since the late 1980s. Along with its neighbouring countries of the Mano River Union -Sierra Leone and Guinea -it has been at the centre of inter-related conflicts driven principally by the sponsorship of rebel movements by national leaders seeking to undermine their neighbouring regimes.
Liberia's former President, Charles Taylor, was the principal architect in fomenting instability in the region, particularly through his support for the rebel movement in Sierra Leone, the Revolutionary United Front (RUF). In turn, Sierra Leone and Cote d'Ivoire, have been accused of supporting and sponsoring anti-Taylor rebels in Liberia.

The conflict in the region has been marked by large-scale human rights abuses, including, intimidation, rape, decapitation and murder. Within Liberia itself, the Taylor regime was marked by human rights abuse, corruption and rampant exploitation of natural resources for private gain. Two major rebel groups emerged within Liberia, in opposition to Taylor, Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD), with an estimated strength of 5,000 and the Movement for Democracy in Liberia (MODEL), comprising some 1,500 to 3,000 personnel. Both groups have histories of atrocities towards civilian populations and have relied on child soldiers, including girls. It is estimated that Liberia has some 27,000 to 38,000 combatants, including the "Taylorites", up to 70% of whom, are minors.

The initial impetus for change was the provision of adequate resources and a robust mandate to the peackeeping mission in Sierra Leone, UNAMSIL. However, while the situation in Sierra Leone improved, Liberia was still in state of civil war, notwithstanding the imposition of carefully targeted sanctions by the UN on the Taylor regime. On 29 July, 2003, UN Secretary-General Annan wrote to the President of the Security Council to propose a three-phase deployment of international troops to Liberia, to be authorized under Security Council resolutions. The Secretary General also demonstrated his resolve to secure peace in Liberia by appointing as his Special Representative to Liberia, an experienced UN official, Jacques-Paul Klein (a US national).

On 4 August, 2003, a Nigerian-led Mission deployed, bolstered by troops from a number of West African nations, with support from UNAMSIL and the US. Since then, President Taylor accepted the offer of exile in Nigeria and a Comprehensive Peace Agreement was signed by the Government and the Rebel groups on 18 August, 2003. The peace agreement, which sets out a "road map" towards elections in 2005, has been endorsed by the Security Council in Resolution 1509, which also established UNMIL. In accordance with the terms of the peace agreement, the National Transitional Government of Liberia was inaugurated in Monrovia on 14 October, 2003, headed by Mr Gyude Bryant, who serves as Chairman of the Transitional Government.

The stated objective of LURD and MODEL rebel groups has been the removal of Taylor as President. That objective now having been achieved, both groups are involved in the Transitional Government and are parties to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement. Publicly, both groups are committed to the democratic process and to disarmament, dissolution and destruction of weapons. However, despite recent improvements in the security situation in UN-controlled areas and progress in the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, Liberia remains highly unstable and the peace process remains fragile. The rebel movements continue to control large areas outside of the capital, Monrovia. Minor incidents can quickly escalate and there is poor control and communication between the disparate elements of the rebel groups. As Deputies will be aware, there have been some incidents involving the rebel groups and Government forces in Monrovia itself and more recently in the North of the country since the National Transitional Government was established.

Reasons that Government decided to participate in UNMIL
Establishing peace in Liberia, in tandem with the current UN operations in support of peace in Sierra Leone and the wider Mano River Union region, offers a real and tangible opportunity for the international community to assist in bringing stability to the region as a whole. The Defence Forces' have a strong tradition of participation in missions of this nature and Ireland has a particular commitment to Africa, evidenced by, among other things, our bilateral aid programme. Ireland is firmly committed to the role of the United Nations in the maintenance of international peace and security. The Government consider that Ireland, as a longstanding contributor to UN peacekeeping, should participate where possible in suitable peace support operations. The UNMIL operation in Liberia offers a suitable opportunity for such participation.

Establishment and Mandate of UNMIL
UNMIL has a strong and robust UN mandate. Security Council Resolution 1509 established a peacekeeping operation consisting of up to 15,000 military personnel, together with up to 250 military observers, 1,115 civilian police officers and a civilian component, for a period of twelve months. UNMIL will operate under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, which means that the Force will have authorisation to take all necessary measures to fulfil its mandate.

UNMIL's mandate is comprehensive and includes monitoring the implementation of the ceasefire and the Comprehensive Peace Agreement between the government and rebel forces. It also includes inter alia assisting the disarmament, demobilization, reintegration, and repatriation of all armed parties, providing security and protection, the provision of humanitarian assistance and the promotion of human rights.
AS forces on 1
UNMIL will have an initial strength of 3,500 personnel drawn from more than 20 Countries. While Ireland is so far the only western country offering formed military units, some of our EU partners are providing staff officers and military observers. Also, the Netherlands is supplying key medical facilities for the mission, and I would like to express my appreciation for this.

Irish participation in UNMIL
The proposed Irish contingent will comprise a motorized infantry battalion, of some 430 personnel and a small number of additional personnel who will be deployed at Force Headquarters and as Military Observers. At the request of the UN, a contingent of the Army Ranger Wing will be deployed for a 3 month period.

The Irish contingent will operate as the Force Commander's Rapid Reaction Reserve. The role of the Irish personnel will be the provision of an immediate response capability, deployable in sufficient strength and with the required level of force to provide a swift and decisive military reaction to any crisis situation. In the initial stages, the Irish Battalion will act in a pathfinding role for the UN Brigades deploying beyond Monrovia.

Subject to Dail approval, deployment to UNMIL will take place in November/December 2003. Initial deployment would be for 1 year, with a possible extension thereafter, subject to renewal of the UN mandate and a satisfactory review of the mission. In the case of UNMIL, my intention is that Defence Forces involvement will not exceed two to three years in duration. Elections, which are due in 2005, under the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, should be completed at that stage.

Threat assessment
A detailed reconnaissance and threat assessment has been undertaken in the mission area by a Defence Forces team. The military authorities have reported that Liberia is an inherently dangerous theatre of operations. The potential for renewed hostilities, an unquantified mine/improvised explosive device threat, hazardous driving conditions, the demanding climatic conditions and the threat to health make force protection a primary concern for the Defence Forces.

In the current phase of the UN operation, UNMIL troops have only been deployed in and around Monrovia. The security threat to UNMIL troops in Monrovia is assessed as MEDIUM due to the potential for minor incidents to quickly escalate into major confrontations. The poor communications between the leaders of the various factions and their troops also has the potential to lead to sporadic fighting. All sides are generally abiding by the UN imposed weapons ban in the city and are awaiting the full deployment of UNMIL.

The security threat to UNMIL troops in the rest of Liberia is assessed as HIGH. However, it is anticipated that this threat should decline as the UN peacekeeping troops are deployed beyond Monrovia in the next phase of deployment.

The Health Risk is assessed as HIGH. Disease rates in Liberia are among the highest in the world, exacerbated by huge numbers of displaced persons crowded into Monrovia. Malaria is the major insect borne disease and transmission is sustained year round. Other diseases include Hepatitis A, E and B, sleeping sickness, and a variety of viral and food and water-borne diseases. HIV/AIDS is also prevalent.

The safety of Irish personnel serving overseas is always of paramount concern. While no absolute guarantees can be given with regard to the safety of troops serving in missions it is the policy and practice to ensure that Defence Forces personnel are adequately trained and equipped to carry out their mission. Troops selected for overseas service undergo a rigorous programme of training and this will also apply in the case of the contingent to be deployed for service with UNMIL.

The contingent is being supplemented with a number of additional engineers to counter the threat from unexploded ordnance, mines and improvised explosive devices. Additional medical personnel are also being deployed because of the particularly hazardous nature of the health environment. Some additional heavy weaponry is also being deployed in a force protection role.

The Defence Forces adopt a very comprehensive approach to managing and protecting the health of deployed personnel. As a matter of course, all personnel volunteering must have passed their annual medical in the first instance. They are then subjected to a further detailed overseas medical, where they are assessed for suitability with particular reference to the physical requirements of the particular mission. The troops to be deployed to Liberia will all go through this process.

The main risk to health in Liberia is Malaria. In this regard, the Director of the Army Medical Corps has stated that systematic use by DF personnel of anti-Malaria medication should be effective in protecting them from this disease. Troops are being fully immunised against all other known disease risks including Yellow Fever, Hepatitis A and B, Cholera, Meningitis and Tetanus. In relation to possible water borne parasites or diseases, the Defence Forces are bringing their own water purification plant and sewage treatment plant with them. On return from the mission, all troops are tested as a matter of course.

In relation to direct, on the ground medical facilities, the Defence Forces will be deploying, as part of the Battalion, a state of the art containerised medical facility, which was recently acquired. The medical facility will be operated by two (02) medical doctors who will be assisted by a team of thirteen (13) Defence Forces medical personnel and paramedics. Special training is being provided by the Netherlands to our medical personnel on the environmental health issues arising in a tropical setting. A full surgical medical facility is being provided to the mission by the Netherlands initially and by Jordan thereafter. In addition, there is a Red Cross medical facility in Monrovia, and a full surgical medical facility in Freetown, attached to the UNAMSIL, also provided by Jordan. The Jordanians provided a similar facility to our troops in UNMEE, which worked very well there.


Financial aspects
It is estimated that the additional ongoing cost to the Defence Vote (transportation, living costs, overseas allowances) from participation in UNMIL would amount to some €12.1m per annum. UN reimbursement of costs to the Exchequer in this regard should amount to some €10.8m per annum leaving a net additional cost to the Exchequer of some €1.3m in 2004.

Conclusion
Ireland has always taken seriously its obligation under the United Nations Charter to make available to the Security Council armed forces, assistance and facilities, in order to contribute to the maintenance of international peace and security. In Liberia, Ireland has the opportunity to contribute, in a substantive manner, in bringing stability to a key region in Africa; to support the establishment of peace, respect for human rights and the rule of law and the re-establishment of civil society in the region. Since our first involvement in peacekeeping in 1958, Ireland's willingness to participate in UN peace support missions has been motivated be a firm belief that peoples throughout the world have the right to live in peace with justice, free from fear. Our participation in UNMIL represents a continuation and vindication of that belief.

I commend the motion to the House.

by you will have a fishie on your little dishie - ever see a magpie with a fishie? Fri Nov 28, 2003 17:19

The Minister for Defence recently approved the deployment of the LE Niamh to provide support to the Defence Forces Reconnaissance Group, which is due to deploy to Monrovia in Liberia shortly. This follows the recent approval by the Government, subject to Dail approval, of the deployment of some 430 Defence Forces personnel as a Mobile Reserve Battalion in support of the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL).

The Reconnaissance Group, comprising key technical and military personnel, together with protection support, is being deployed to assess the situation on the ground in Liberia and identify the requirements necessary to facilitate the deployment of the Defence Forces contingent. The Group will report back to the Minister on its return, who will then seek Dail approval for Defence Forces participation in the mission.

The L.E. Niamh will transport all the equipment requirements of the Reconnaissance Group and will provide it with a secure base to undertake its work including providing essential communications and logistics support.

The LE Niamh departed from Cork, today 8 October, 2003 and will arrive in Monrovia around 16 October.

The Minister stated: "The safety of the Defence Forces personnel is of paramount importance. Having regard to the lack of infrastructure, transport, accommodation and backup, and also the absolute need to ensure the security of the personnel concerned, the use of the L.E. Niamh has been approved as the safest and most realistic option for the safe deployment of the Reconnaissance Group."

Ends 8th October 2003

Issued by Department of Defence press office at 01 8042108 or 087 2340397

by - Fri Nov 28, 2003 17:28

49 officers and servicemen, sailed with her to China we may presume the extra complement of five were very clever and important types.

naval patrol warship.
Length Overall (metres) 78.84m
Beam (metres)
14m
Draught (metres) 3.80m
Displacement (tonnes) 1,500t
Speed (knots) 23kts
Endurance at 15kts 6,000ml
Complement 44 (6 Officers and 38 Ratings)
Main Machinery 2xTwin 16cyl V26 WARTSILA 26 Medium Speed Diesel giving 5000kW at 1000rpm, 2xShaft
Weapons 1x76mm OTO Melara Cannon, 2x1.27mm HMG and 4x7.62mm GPMG
Commissioned 18 September 2001

home web site:
http://www.military.ie/naval/niamh.htm

by - Fri Nov 28, 2003 17:32

The Unit is officially designated 'Sciathán Fianóglach an Airm' , which is translated as 'The Army Ranger Wing'. There is no direct English translation of the term 'Fianóglach' so the designation Ranger is the accepted version. 'Fianóglach' links the traditions of the 'Na Fianna' (Legendary Irish Warriors) with the present day Irish Defence Forces (Óglaigh na hÉireann). Qualified members of the unit wear the Fianóglach shoulder flash insignia.

Unit Motto
Glaine ár gcroí (The cleanliness of our hearts)
Neart ár ngéag (The strength of our limbs)
Agus beart de réir ár mbriathar (And our commitment to our promise)

The Unit motto is taken from an old Fianna poem and continues the link with which the name is associated. It is written in the Irish language.

[quotation from Irish Army site]
for a list of overseas missions where Irish Army personel are stationed:
http://www.military.ie/overseas/missions_list.htm

by - Fri Nov 28, 2003 21:13

so you may wonder why Ranger Mooney is dead.

by Hector Gray Sat Nov 29, 2003 05:44

First I've heard of this.

".... the major CIA drug running route...."

Do you mean to say the CIA is involved in running drugs??

Say it ain't so.

by Precision Man Sat Nov 29, 2003 07:48

Hector, do you mean to say you never heard of the Iran-Contra affair? You must live a very sheltered existence.

by JMcK Sat Nov 29, 2003 10:05

Hope these links dispel you ignorance of CIA activities.


Cites News Account Documenting C.I.A./Nicaraguan Contra Connection to Original Crack Trade in Los Angeles/U.S.

http://www.house.gov/waters/pr913cb.htm


PROMISED INQUIRIES INTO CIA-CRACK CONNECTION ARE GOING NOWHERE

http://www.csun.edu/CommunicationStudies/ben/news/cia/961220.inv.html

http://www.csun.edu/CommunicationStudies/ben/news/cia/961223.tt.html


House hearings CIA cocaine los angeles

http://www.google.ie/search?q=cache:6jb3rqn0fnAJ:mlis.state.md.us/1997rs/bills/hj/hj0014f.rtf+House+hearings+on+CIA+and+cocaine+in+Los+Angeles&hl=en&ie=UTF-8



CIA - Nicaraguan Contra Cocaine Smuggling

http://www.totse.com/en/politics/central_intelligence_agency/ciacont2.html




Documentation of Official U.S. Knowledge of
Drug Trafficking and the Contras

http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB2/nsaebb2.htm



CIA and Cocaine:Truth and Disinformation

http://rwor.org/a/firstvol/884/ciaa.htm



The Garda Siochana link with these verminous scumbags was most obvious when they used a fishing boat from Castletownbere Co Cork to rendevouz with a CIA ship that had smuggled 15000 Kilogrammes of Hashish to Europe from Pakistan Via Canada.

Fourteen tons of black hashish were offloaded by Gardai from the CIA ship off the Cork coast under cover of darkness and loaded onto two articulated lorries .

One lorrry was driven to a "secure" location in Cork while the other load containing over seven tons of Hashish was driven by a Garda to "Mary Willies" truckstop restaurant outside Urlingford. Here they waited for a villian called Noonan from Finglas who was supposed to be arrested as he transported the load.

However, unknown to the right hand, the left hand had arrested Mr Noonan with a large quantity of cash the same day in Finglas , so he was unable to arrange the transportation of the Hashish. In fact the money he was carrying when arrested was to pay the driver for shifting the load to Holland via Scotland.

In Urlingford millions of pounds worth of high-tech equipment and US military satellites watched the drugs that had just been smuggled into Ireland. After a day or so, they gave up realising noone was going to turn up and they then declared they had "discovered" a load of "drugs" in Urlingford.

Unfortunately when the drug smugling gang (GARDA) returned to Cork they found the other seven tons of Hashish and the container gone! Can you imagine their surprise?

Where did it go? Who knows. Rumour has it that a Joyful Detective from Bantry who had been recruited by the National boys to get a boat to use in Castletown smuggling operation had made mention of the operation around a football club late at night and was overhear by a Cork city gang-member who was goning out with a Bantry girl. Rumour has it the Second seven tons was easy to find in Cork while all the suits were up in Kilkenny . It was supposedly sold by members of the Cork gang and their Dublin associates later in Sweden for many millions . But who knows, it may just as well have been one of the CIA boys making a few extra bobs for that nice house in Pennsylvania? Perhaps the Gardai suspect anti-war activists as the same boyos are now watching then with the help of US forces in Ireland - namely Lt.Col John M. O'Sullivan US defence Attache to Ireland

There was also a case recently where cocaine and Heroin was smuggled into Ireland by a police informer , with the knowledge of the Gardai. He was allowed sell the drugs and continue his informer career until he had his brains blown out in a pub in Ballyformot.

As for the defence forces - what can I say? How's the Leb? How's the crack in Liberia?


John Poindexter who was indicted for subverting the US constitution and named by a Puerto Rican government committe as a major smuggler of cocaine from Colombia to the US and who had to resign as National Security Advisor is now running Bushes Information Awareness Office. He was appointed one of those days America had been driven hysterical with fear of a "Terrist Attack", so they didn't notice such a villian slip back into power.

by Hector Gray Sat Nov 29, 2003 21:29

There are so many links there, all from ironclad sources, it all adds up to a pretty kettle of fish. The Black Caucus clearly have some compelling evidence which fully deserves an enquiry.

So what can we do?

The first thing I suggest we do is to boycott crack dealers. I'm giving up the crack and I suggest you all do the same. Hit the crack dealers in the CIA where it hurts.

by Lone gunman Mon Dec 01, 2003 13:45

For all you neutrality fans and peacenicks out there;
DID YOU KNOW; that the original batch of Irish Rangers was trained in FT BENNING GA USA [Ranger main base]in the Sixties?Rumour also has it that they did some of their covert combat training out in Vietnam?Not very neutral if this is true.So what do we do now?Protest in the Curragh?Just shows this illusion of neutrality that we are deludeing ourselves with.
Dont belive me about this?ask Mr ED the knowledgeable ex cmdt now turned peace worker

by Bill Logan Mon Dec 01, 2003 13:52

The Irish military is NOT neutral, it is a capitalist army. Nor should an army be 'neutral' the Army should be a workers army, rank and file soldiers should turn their guns on their officers, join with their comrades in the Liberian workers movement and fight for international workers revolution. Put that in your pipe and smoke it, RBB, Labour, Greens and the pacifist Anarchist fluffs in the Anti war movement

by Drbinoche Mon Dec 01, 2003 21:13

Hey Gunman, don't forget the fact that the Irish Rangers, who by the way are a fantastic unit and are very good at what they do, also routinely train with the US Green Berets and to a lesser extent with the D-Boys. Irrespective of who we train with, I find some of the comments about the death of this very well mannered and very efficient soldier to be extremely rude and offensive.

As I have stated before, Ireland doesn't truely have neutrality and has not had it since WW2, and that is a FACT, that no-one can argue. If you understand that Neutrality means taking NO sides in a conflict, the we have never really been neutral, END OF STORY!!!!!

Oh and as for the Workers Army, yeah right that would work. Thats why it worked so well for the Russians and for the other Communist states. Look get over it, Communism FAILED, Capitalism is probably gonna fail, we probably have not found the proper -ism to maintain yet, but hell at least we can move on when Capitalism fails and not be bogged down.

May the soul of Sgt Derek Mooney rest in peace, and may he find peace in the knowledge that he died doing something he believed in and serving his country.

Alot you protestors could learn alot from this man and many like him in the armed forces of Ireland, they don't just sit around and moan and bitch, they go out and get things done.

by Dear Dr Binoche Tue Dec 02, 2003 05:22

Human beings have always been capitalists, it is our true nature - from the days of the arrowhead factories 6000 years ago in Co Down to Phoenician traders to the rise of teh Lombard bankers.

Capitalism succeeds because it's not actually an "ism" at all, there is no holy book, no Marxist figurehead. The key to human progress is to allow conditions to exist where humans can trade freely like they alays did and to temper this with a limited amount of wealth redistribution, so that those who are out of work can quickly get re-employed again.

by jeff Tue Dec 02, 2003 10:36

...I will join you in giving salutations to the young soldier, Ranger Mooney. My condolences to his family in their time of grief.

by Lone Gunman Tue Dec 02, 2003 13:48

AMEN !!to your last post. Stupid way for ranger Mooney to die [may He lead the Way].

by John Penney Sat Apr 03, 2004 11:37 jpenney30 at aol dot com 136, Gordon Road, Camberley, Surrey U.K. 01276 22041

It's about time the knockers left the Irish Army
alone which does a fantastic job for the United Nations and has done for many years. The same people that run it down probably never did anything worthwhile in their lives. Derek Mooney was a brave man and died doing the job he loved and my sympathies go to his family.
Like wise the Irish Navy may be small but they are good embassadors for their country.
J.P.

by pc Tue Apr 13, 2004 02:50

been reading this to try and find out if the irish peacekeepers role in liberia is questionable or not
can find anything one way or the other help?

by Derek's friend - UCD Thu Mar 16, 2006 12:19

Derek Mooney was one of my closest friends and a colleague. We all still miss him terribly. His family should be very proud of him. Please only say good thing s about him. Thanks

by RK Thu Mar 16, 2006 14:39

He was a credit to the country and to the defence forces. We should all be very, very proud of them.

by blogman Thu Mar 16, 2006 17:40

"been reading this to try and find out if the irish peacekeepers role in liberia is questionable or not can find anything one way or the other help?"

The current mission of the Irish Army in Liberia is, with the Swedish UN force, manning roadblocks in the South to check trucks and other vehicles suspected of trafficking child soldiers.

Now if you want to call that interference or whatever, I say it's a right and noble cause!

by derec's UCD Buddies - UCD Thu Mar 30, 2006 13:01

Hi there. Was a good friend of derec's in UCD. Fantastic student and friend! We never knew what exactly he did til his untimely death. We know another man was injured in the accident too. And we're just wondering if he made a full recovery?Hope he did! We have no contact with any of his family or friends but we regularly talk about him and he'll never be forgotten. we have no pictures of him, just memories! ANyone got any photos of him........? we'd love one!