French Army Falling Apart, Documents Show

The Telegraph (UK) ^ | 6-6-2008 | Henry Samuel

[WildcatClan]

I can’t think of a better place for a military capital than Belgium. When fighting breaks out they can sketch out an anti-US Smurf cartoon in a heartbeat.

[kms61]

before the inevitable jokes start, I just want to state that this is Not A Good Thing for anybody.

[iowamark]

[Blood of Tyrants]

Sounds like they have the perfect excuse for surrendering .... again.

[max americana]

before the inevitable jokes start, I just want to state that this is Not A Good Thing for anybody.

****

...no white flag jokes? Now I have that out of the way, I agree. Sarkozy is the only Frenchman I know who;s got the stones to go after our enemies, and who actually gets the GWOT. Looks like WE have to pick up the tab and the slack...

Please dont send our soldiers there a la WW2 when the French couldn;t fight their way out of a paper bag.

[brushcop]

No, you are right. Have you noticed a general malaise in so much internationally? Strange. And a do-nothing congress that won’t act on ANYTHING.

[RatRipper]

What good is NATO if we are the only country that maintains a functioning army?

Why should we do for them that they refuse to do for themselves?

[chaos_5]

Eh... they are the French, they don't need an army! LOL

Look on the bright side, if the French army is batterd and old, then there will be some money to be made supplying them with new equipment.

[JRandomFreeper]

30K effective troops from 50K? Are they serious? WTF is guarding the nukes?

US has a legally limited # of formal troops, and it is much larger, but we've also got a BOATLOAD of unorganized militia that can read a map better than most butter-bars, and shoot better than most squadies.

Damn. They are cheese-eating-surrender monkeys.

/johnny

[ConservaTexan]

I just want to state that this is Not A Good Thing for anybody.

I disagree. If this is true, at least when the muslims complete their takeover of France they will inherit a bunch of junk.

[DemforBush]

"According to confidential defence documents leaked to the French press, less than half of France's Leclerc tanks – 142 out of 346 – are operational and even these regularly break down."

[2ndDivisionVet]

A “major power” like France only has 346 tanks? What?!
The ROK (South Korean) Army has 2,872 tanks!! Mexico has over 409 tanks! So France is relying on it's nuclear deterrent...

[glorgau]

A nation of 50 million can put together 30,000 troops. Sad.

[Dog Gone]

They only have 50,000 troops and want to downsize to 30,000?

Who cares if they’re a member of NATO or not? Considering how many in the armed forces are basically administrative staff, that amount can’t even protect the country, much less project force elsewhere.

[AngelesCrestHighway]

France!....after all these years still falling flat on its ass!

[Who is John Galt?]

Historically (and militarily) speaking the French, quite obviously, are not what they used to be. They are now closer to being a "processed food product" than a world power...

[Signalman]

Hey France,

Next time the Germans invade your country, call someone else.

Thank you.

[Enchante]

"the situation can only improve by reducing the number of France's operational troops from 50,000 to 30,000"

.... or by spending more and doing better with the resources available, but apparently those are not options.

Hard to fathom that a country the size of France cannot maintain an army of 50,000 but having a smaller force that works is surely better than having a larger force that is 1/2 to 2/3 grounded.

[Dawnsblood]

Our Canadian friends have about 87,000 total in their entire armed forces.