Several potential contributors of troops, however, have expressed concern about the rules of engagement -- and exactly what troops would be required to do, especially regarding the disarming of Hezbollah. French diplomats, for example, have made clear that the current rules do not call for arms to be taken from Hezbollah fighters.
The Security Council received a briefing on Monday on the latest situation in Lebanon and efforts by the UN peacekeeping department to put together an expanded force rapidly.
Asked afterward how confident he was that the UN can come up with the numbers it needs, Bolton replied, "I think it's still a work in progress. I think that's the best I can say."
"I don't think there's any doubt in our mind of the urgency of the deployment of the full, enhanced UNIFIL as soon as possible," he said.
He said countries are reluctant to provide peacekeepers because "it's obviously a very dangerous situation."
"The ceasefire is quite fragile," Bolton said.
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