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French tanks(13) give teeth to U.N. force (peacekeepers will be ineffective and at worst humiliated)
AP/Yahoo ^ | Tue Sep 12, 2:19 PM ET | JAMEY KEATEN

Posted on 09/12/2006 5:44:33 PM PDT by IrishMike

BEIRUT, Lebanon - Thirteen French tanks, the most powerful armor ever deployed by a U.N. peacekeeping force, rolled ashore Tuesday, beefing up a mission aimed at helping cement an uneasy cease-fire in Lebanon.

But some European officials are concerned international peacekeepers will be at best ineffective and at worst humiliated if hostilities flare between Hezbollah fighters and Israeli troops.

Scores of blue-helmeted French troops transferred the Leclerc tanks, AUF-1 artillery cannons, two high-tech Cobra radar trucks, and dozens of armored vehicles and transport trucks from a cargo ship in Beirut's port. The port reopened Friday after a nearly two-month Israeli blockade.

The French deployment is part of efforts to give teeth to the U.N. peacekeeping force known as UNIFIL, which has been largely ineffective since it was created for south Lebanon in 1978.

The force is set to grow from 2,000 troops to 15,000 under a U.N. Security Council mandate and will work with 15,000 Lebanese soldiers in keeping the peace.

Thirteen Leclerc tanks, which have never been deployed outside Europe, are the showpiece of the French deployment. Heavy armor such as the Leclerc, with its reinforced Kevlar body, is not typically part of a U.N. force — though battle tanks have been used in some past missions.

The tanks, which weigh nearly 60 tons each, feature 120 mm smoothbore cannon, anti-tank and armor-piercing rounds, and anti-aircraft machine guns. Each is operated by a crew of three, has thermal sighting, night vision and an automatic loading system for on-the-move firing. Compared to the U.S. M1 Abrams, the Leclerc is smaller and more compact.

French Lt. Col. Patrick Le Roy, who leads the Leclerc unit, said the tank is more robust and technologically advanced than the Israeli Merkava — a similar-sized tank that was at times taken out by Hezbollah missiles in the fighting that began July 12.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Foreign Affairs; Israel; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events; Philosophy; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: france; french; hamas; hezbollah; iransyria; israel; lebanon; natoforces; terror; terrorism; terrorists; un; unitednations; waronterror; wot
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1 posted on 09/12/2006 5:44:35 PM PDT by IrishMike
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To: IrishMike

girliemanarmy.


2 posted on 09/12/2006 5:46:58 PM PDT by the invisib1e hand ("Let's Roll!")
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To: IrishMike

The Hezzies figured how to take out Merkavas.... I don't think French armor is going to intimidate them.


3 posted on 09/12/2006 5:47:32 PM PDT by Rummyfan
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To: IrishMike

Do the Frenchie tanks have a forward gear?


4 posted on 09/12/2006 5:47:39 PM PDT by keithtoo (Israeli defense strategy "Cogito Ergo Boom!")
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To: IrishMike

What are they going to do … back into battle, their tanks only have reverse gear option installed!?


5 posted on 09/12/2006 5:48:36 PM PDT by doc1019
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To: the invisib1e hand

metrosexualtankism.


6 posted on 09/12/2006 5:49:08 PM PDT by samadams2000 (Somebody important make....THE CALL!)
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To: IrishMike

Despite their tanks' being "more technologically advanced" than Israeli tanks, I don't think the worst that can happen to them is humiliation. Although if they are blown to smithereens, it probably will humiliate the French army...


7 posted on 09/12/2006 5:50:06 PM PDT by Cincinnatus.45-70 (Patriotism to DemocRats is like sunlight to Dracula.)
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To: IrishMike
Thems some scary French tanks!!


8 posted on 09/12/2006 5:50:10 PM PDT by MaDeuce (Do it to them, before they do it to you! (MaDuce = M2HB .50 BMG))
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To: the invisib1e hand

9 posted on 09/12/2006 5:50:36 PM PDT by BigDaddyTX (Don't Mex with Texas)
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To: IrishMike

A French peacekeper in the famous French Army "ducking" position next to his tank
10 posted on 09/12/2006 5:51:59 PM PDT by verum ago (To the UN:Diplomacy is useful only when backed by the threat of swift, merciless, and violent death.)
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To: IrishMike
Last time.


11 posted on 09/12/2006 5:52:07 PM PDT by george76 (Ward Churchill : Fake Indian, Fake Scholarship, and Fake Art)
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To: samadams2000

How many white flags can each tank carry?


12 posted on 09/12/2006 5:53:09 PM PDT by jocko12
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To: jocko12

Their modern ones send the white flags electronically ahead of the battlefield.


13 posted on 09/12/2006 5:54:44 PM PDT by samadams2000 (Somebody important make....THE CALL!)
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To: IrishMike

They may be meant to carry anti-tank rounds, but they really carry rounds filled with tiny little white flags.


14 posted on 09/12/2006 5:56:14 PM PDT by PJBankard (Americans love a winner, and will not tolerate a loser. -Gen. George Patton)
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To: BigDaddyTX

That 'soldier' looks almost ready to cry, was it the camera flash ????


15 posted on 09/12/2006 5:56:18 PM PDT by IrishMike (Democrats .... Stuck on Stupid, RINO's ...the most vicious judas goats)
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To: Cincinnatus.45-70

And completely trash French arms sales.

That said, it will be interesting to see how the LeClercs hold up. As far as I know, this is their first deployment with a realistic chance of combat.


16 posted on 09/12/2006 5:57:01 PM PDT by Spktyr (Overwhelmingly superior firepower and the willingness to use it is the only proven peace solution.)
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To: IrishMike

These tanks have many extra options including a stereo FM radio and an electic retractable white flag.


17 posted on 09/12/2006 6:01:41 PM PDT by Raycpa
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To: IrishMike

First item at the daily briefing to the "men": "Be brave, be loyal, be true...but keep your white flags handy just in case."


18 posted on 09/12/2006 6:06:10 PM PDT by Excuse_My_Bellicosity ("A litany of complaints is not a plan." - GW Bush, referring to DNC's lack of a platform on ANYTHING)
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To: Raycpa
These tanks have many extra options including a stereo FM radio and an electic retractable white flag.
.

.
The GS model is also equipped with:

Small refrigerator for the pate and wine, retractable cheese cutting board.
19 posted on 09/12/2006 6:07:39 PM PDT by IrishMike (Democrats .... Stuck on Stupid, RINO's ...the most vicious judas goats)
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To: IrishMike

Better than one of the tanks the French had in early WWII which had double the armor on the rear.


20 posted on 09/12/2006 6:09:21 PM PDT by COEXERJ145 (Free Republic is Currently Suffering a Pandemic of “Bush Derangement Syndrome.”)
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