Retired army commanders believe the Armed Forces of Malta has the military capability to contribute troops to any UN intervention in Libya.
Brigadier Maurice Calleja said the army could afford to contribute to any ground operation with a platoon in much the same way as it has done in the EU’s anti-piracy mission off the Somali coast.
The C Special Duties Company is well trained for such missions, Brig. Calleja added.
“Contributing troops will be a signal that Malta is ready to support a UN mission and not just expect others to do the job,” he said.
Prime Minister Joseph Muscat has said Malta agreed with UN intervention in Libya and pledged logistical and humanitarian support.
However, he excluded any military participation, telling Parliament on Tuesday the army did not have the capability and assets to contribute troops.
This position enjoys the support of the Opposition. Nationalist Party leader Simon Busuttil told Parliament that Malta’s role in any UN intervention in Libya should be limited to humanitarian assistance.
Brig. Calleja questioned the political statements casting doubt on the army’s military capabilities.
“The impression I am getting from the Prime Minister’s declarations is that there is a political decision not to involve Maltese soldiers on the ground. But this is not because the AFM is not capable of providing military assistance,” he said.
Contributing troops will signal that Malta is ready to support a UN mission and not just expect others to do the job
His views are shared by former army commander Brig. Rupert Montanaro, who believes that even a token presence would be sending the right message.
“The country should declare where it stands [on the issue] and perhaps do so by pledging even one individual for any UN ground operation because this will show commitment,” Brig. Montanaro said.
He argued that Malta could not expect help to be readily available if it lacked the political will to make a concrete commitment in cases like this.
The political statements ruling out any military involvement for the army in a UN-mandated mission in Libya prompted mixed reactions from current and former soldiers who spoke to this newspaper on the condition of anonymity.
A retired army official said the special duties company had reached such a high standard that boarding teams operated on Dutch warships off the Somali coast.
“These highly trained soldiers were potentially involved in conflict situations and have performed well every time they participated in anti-piracy missions,” he said.
However, he asked whether the military preparedness was eroded over the past two years because of political transfers that pushed some to leave the service.
A serving soldier noted that any UN action in Libya was likely to escalate and could not be compared to any mission the AFM had been involved in to date.
kurt.sansone@timesofmalta.com