Posted on 01/20/2013 4:16:11 PM PST by MinorityRepublican
There are now some 2,000 French troops in Mali
France's military aim in Mali is its "total reconquest", French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian has said.
"We will not leave any pockets" of resistance, he told French television.
France has sent in 2,000 troops to help Malian forces fight Islamist militants who now control the northern half of the country.
Mr Le Drian said the former Islamist stronghold of Diabaly had not yet been retaken, even though the militants withdrew from the town two days ago.
However, he added that "everything points to a favourable evolution of the situation in Diabaly in the coming hours".
Mr Le Drian also said during his interview that seven French citizens who have been taken hostage in Niger and Mali in recent years "are alive", and there have been "contacts with hostage-takers".
There had been concerns for their fate following France's decision to send troops into Mali earlier this month. 'Confused situation'
French troops have been pushing northwards and are now in the town of Niono, 50km (30 miles) south of Diabaly.
Last week French forces carried out air strikes on Diabaly, which had fallen to the Islamists on 14 January.
Diabaly's mayor told the BBC that Malian and French forces have been patrolling the outskirts of the town, which is believed to be the base for the largest concentration of Islamists in central Mali.
The BBC's Mark Doyle, in Niono, says military patrols are being sent from there into Diabaly.
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.co.uk ...
I was in a hotel bar in N’Djamena, Chad, many years ago. A young Legionnaire took an open space next to me in the bar and he laid his kepi on the bar and I figured the only way I’d ever get a Legionnaire’s kepi would be to take it and dare him to take it back, or join the Legion myself. Not good options. I had a couple of years of French in college so I started a conversation with him while drinking that excellent Chadian beer, Gala. He came up with his unit from Bangui, CAR. These guys have some of the toughest training in the world. There a few foreigners, but most of the ones I spoke with were French. Met a Brit who had been a Brit para who found garrison life in the UK a little too tame, so he headed for Marseille and joined up.
I was in Mali in the early 1990’s. While I was taking with a Malian, he asked me, “Do you what this country needs?”
“No”, I replied.
He answered firmly, “Re-colonization!”
Liberals moan and pretend they are pacifists but when they get power they get all wee-wee'd up and end up getting into war quagmires.
“How ‘bout they reconquer the areas of France overrun by the Islamacist hordes ?”
Perhaps Mali is training/trial run for that?
Naaa.
All troops sent so far have been special forces and topline infantry: paras, marine commandos, para commandos.
Its a rather silly idea that the French have to get the FL to fight for them. The French have some superb SF’s and infantry units. Their best are a match for the best anywhere. As all the top armies in the world (US,UK etc) all crosstrain.
Good for them! If you’re going to fight a war, don’t play “pattycakes” like the 0bama regime makes us do! Go in there and kill them all - prove war is hell, and make anyone else who may be thinking about messing around with you rethink the situation!
On top of the Kaaba in Mecca.
Ok, that’s the first war, but what did they do in the war that started in 2003?
Here’s hoping the French will rediscover their military glory personified in Turenne, Gallieni, and Leclerc—but I’m not holding my breath.
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