The Philippines lost a peacekeeper helping in Haiti a couple weeks ago...yet they pulled their troops out of Iraq due to one single hostage's life being threatened (Philippine Americans still serve--one helicopter pilot was killed last week, and many work as OFW under contract)...
Yet Gloria has no qualms sending peacekeepers to Haiti...
The Brazilian-led MINUSTAH mission currently has a multinational force of about 9,000 personnel in Haiti. That figure includes 7,265 troops and 1,741 police. In addition to Brazil, the force includes personnel from the United States, a number of countries from Latin America and other countries worldwide.
The NYT article claims that the US combat troops pulled out too soon, or else because the corrupt Aristide was kicked out by an equally corrupt president...
And, of course, the corruption and inefficiency of UN Peacekeepers, whose countries often rent out soldiers for money is notorious...LINK
The above link suggest why this is such a good deal for Gloria:
The United Nations will shoulder all the expenses during the soldiers' six-month tour of duty, including air fare, billeting, subsistence and other expenses.
Members of both contingents will receive a monthly allowance equivalent to 250 percent of their base pay for officers and 300 percent for enlisted personnel.
Despite the killing of a Filipino peacekeeper in Haiti in April, the Philippines has continued to provide assistance to the Caribbean nation as part of a commitment to help the United Nations provide humanitarian help there, the military said.
In April, Staff Sergeant Antonio Batomalaque was killed during a rebel attack in Haiti. He was recently given recognition by the US government for saving an American military officer during the attack.
Around the same time, Navy Lt. Senior Grade Valentin Menpin and Marine Sgt. Geoffrey Gesiani, who were also part of the peacekeeping force in Haiti, went AWOL (absent without leave) while on R&R (rest and recreation) in the United States.
(Ah, two more hardworking Philippinos getting good paying jobs in the US to support their families...)
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