Unifil is a strange acronym; it reads as United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon. Interim derived from the Latin means “Meanwhile; something that is intended to be used until something else is permanently done or established”. A permanent solution, peace in the Middle East, appears a long way off. Ad Infinitum Force might be a truer description of the UN’s role in Lebanon, given its 40-year interim status. This isn’t a denigration of United Nations policy, but rather a reflection on the volatile and headstrong mindsets of the neighbour countries, the Palestinian question, and the ramifications of western interference in Iraq which ignited the current travails throughout the Levant.

Unifil was born after the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon, with a mandate to help a Lebanese government bring stability to the area. In Ireland’s case, some 32,000 individual tours of duty were completed, and my own contribution tallies five.