France Sending 2,000 Troops to Lebanon

ABC ^ | 08-24-2006

[markedmannerf]

PARIS Aug 24, 2006 (AP)— President Jacques Chirac said Thursday that France will send a total of 2,000 soldiers for the U.N. peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon, and an European Union official said it wants to see the troops in place within a week.

In a nationally televised address that also was closely followed throughout Europe, Chirac said France will increase its deployment from an already announced 400 troops, and hopes to retain command of the force. He said the United Nations had provided the guarantees France had sought involving the mandate of the force.

"Two extra battalions will go on to the ground to extend our numbers within UNIFIL," Chirac said. "Two thousand French soldiers are thus placed under blue helmets in Lebanon," he added.

[kinoxi]

Confident the Israelis will defend them.

[2banana]

Wonder what percent of French troops are muslim nowadays...

[Gay State Conservative]

So the UN will get 2,000 different reports of despicable war crimes committed by the focus of all evil in the region.

[RexBeach]

Those were those invisible troops, weren't they?

[dennisw]

France Sending 2,000 Troops to Lebanon

Hizb'Allah blowed them up real good in 1983. 60 or so French paratroopers were killed via truck bomb

[MAexile]

What do you call 2000 Frenchmen with their hands in the air?

The French Army.

[Idaho Whacko]

I bet they got a guarentee that the UN will collect the French rifles after they drop them and run at the first sign of fighting.

Or maybe a guarantee that a secret "you leave us alone, we'll leave you alone" has been reached with the Hezbos.

[edzo4]

wait here comes some of the french troops now!!!!

[Ancesthntr]

I guess that they fixed that production glitch at the white flag factory.

[Eagles Talon IV]

So, they finally found the other 1600 surrender flags.

[DoughtyOne]

After whining about the need for a ceasefire for a month, all the while pushing the idea that an international force was need to enforce a buffer zone, this fooseball takes a week and a half to commit a paltry 2,000 troops.

Jacques, you need to stop it. You're embarrassing yourself and your nation. 'Course that's par for the course, almost a prerequisite for French leaders it seems.

[Abathar]

It looks like they are practicing the salute their grandfathers had to learn to use...

[INSENSITIVE GUY]

Are they wearing panties?

[Gritty]

[siunevada]

Most EU nations have been wary of making firm commitments until the mandate for the new force is clarified, fearing that their peacekeepers could be dragged into a conflict with the Hezbollah militants or with Israel if the cease-fire collapses.

Many European countries also have expressed qualms over committing troops without strong guidelines on when its soldiers would have the right to shoot and also defend themselves.

The article never does mention the actual rules of engagement.

History has much to do with the hesitancy of European powers to make clear troop commitments.

France lost 71 soldiers during peacekeeping operations in Bosnia and Belgium 10 in at the outset of the genocide in Rwanda a dozen years ago. France also lost 58 peacekeepers in the Oct. 23, 1983, Hezbollah attacks in Beirut that also killed 241 Americans.

So. What? The U.N. mandates no dire consequences this time for sure? There's a solid for you, Jacques. Care to buy a bridge?

[unkus]

Are those French Destroyers or Cruisers?

[Jocko from Canada]

This will be fun to watch! The world has never seen 2,000 troops depart so fast at the sound of the first shot! Keep your eyes open for this retreat and how perfectly it will be executed. I guess Chirac had no choice after what he's been crying for from the moment Israel started turning this mini war around. I bet you Hezbulla's are "quaking in their boots" at this announcement!

[buck61]

Sure took Chriac a long time to put together two thousand Muslim soldiers.
I'm sure they will be a great help to the PLO and, other terrorist.