Why put them there if they will pack up at the first sign of conflict? Many UN contingents are like this. proud to say the Canadians are not at least. We will dig in and fight. http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2013/06/201361271425112509.html
It doesn't really surprise me. The Syrian rebels are becoming a genuine threat in the area. For the most part, these peacekeepers are completely unarmed, or carrying a side arm at best (usually only officers). The problem is that, as the level of extremism increases in Syria, the importance of the UNDOF mission will increase. If extremists take control of the country, it will become ever more likely that the fighting could spill over into Israeli territory. I don't think it's fair to call them pussies, however. The Austrian peacekeepers have played a vital role in a number of missions around the world, particularly UNFICYP and UNMIS. You can't expect a government to rashly risk the lives of its troops in a mission that doesn't effect the people of said country. In general, peacekeeping missions don't carry a great deal of risk, and rarely involve any combat at all. Engaging in any form of combat with syrian rebels (even in self defence) goes beyond the mandate of the UNDOF mission, and thus you can not blame the Austrians for wanting to pull out.
If I was an army officer who was practically unarmed and ordered along with my men to a very dangerous area, I wouldn't try to battle ruthless rebels either hell, they chop peoples heads off over there. Fuck that shit. Damn they should at least have rifles, I bet these soldiers wouldn't be there if they could choose its not there fault its their governments.
The Austrians are correct in pulling out and going home. This is not their fight. They did not start it and they should not be part of it. The Croatian contingent left earlier in the year and with the AQ "rebels" being armed by NATO counties the whole area is going to turn into a mega cluster fuck. It is unfair to label the Austrians as pussies, they are only following orders from their government.
Why dont you go to syria and fight yourself then? Its not like they need to be there anyways, id rather them be "pussies" than pawns in a war that doesnt concern them.
That's like saying the teachers of Columbine high school were pussies because they didn't try to run up to and wrestle the gunmen. Even worse, because like others have said, this is not their fight.
I completely agree it's not their fight. But then they shouldn't have been there in the first place. Just like in Medak Pocket. All the UN contingents turned around as soon as there was a sign of conflict. Croatia would send over a few artillary rounds and the UN would run. That is until the Canadian contingent showed up. We dug in fought back and kicked ass. If you're not there to protect the people you are supposedly there to protect, then you are a bunch of cowards. This proves that they were put there to give the impression they were doing something. We now all know better.
I feel your frustration but your feelings would better be directed at the politicians that out them their for corrupt reasons and didn't even have the decency to give them the tools to protect themselves let alone innocent people. Its almost as if they want them defenseless in a dangerous area, as basically a juicy target for extremists so that they can then have a justification to go to war with syria. Just think of the hheadline: UN Australian Peacekeepers murdered by Syrian Army, Western Leaders call for War!