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After French Criticism, Washington Drops Payment Demand
The Wall Street Journal ^ | January 20, 2013 | By DAVID GAUTHIER-VILLARS in Paris and ADAM ENTOUS in Washington

Posted on 01/20/2013 7:08:16 PM PST by MinorityRepublican

France is increasingly upset by what it sees as limited Obama administration support for the war it is waging in Mali against al Qaeda militants, including an initial U.S. demand, since dropped, that Paris foot the bill for any Air Force transport flights, French officials said.

After the French went public with their complaints over the weekend, the Pentagon yielded on one of them, saying Sunday night that it would not seek reimbursement from Paris for the flights.

However, the unusually harsh criticism from Paris underscored the longtime U.S. ally's growing frustration with the U.S. commitment to the Mali mission.

The U.S. is providing "invaluable" intelligence-gathering help for the Mali campaign, the French officials said. But the U.S. has yet to decide on whether to agree to France's request for U.S. planes to refuel French fighters in flight, they said. France has a small fleet of aging refueling tankers and says more are needed to maintain the tempo of air operations in remote Mali.

France also has asked the U.S. to send additional manned and unmanned surveillance planes to spy on rebel communications, but the White House so far hasn't responded to that request either.

Obama administration officials have said they support the French campaign but want to get a clear picture of the mission and the rebels being targeted in French strikes before providing more assistance.

A spokesman for French President François Hollande said "joint intelligence-gathering efforts and the sharing of information with the U.S. was essential" to the Mali campaign and the broader attempt at defeating militants spread across the vast Sahara desert. He declined to comment further.

(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
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1 posted on 01/20/2013 7:08:21 PM PST by MinorityRepublican
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To: MinorityRepublican

Quagmire?


2 posted on 01/20/2013 7:10:00 PM PST by vladimir998
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To: MinorityRepublican

Interesting. After all the requirements and demands we put on the French with Afghanistan and Libya, and we screw them with Mali.


3 posted on 01/20/2013 7:16:23 PM PST by realcleanguy
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To: MinorityRepublican

Obama surrendered to the French?


4 posted on 01/20/2013 7:16:23 PM PST by null and void (Gun confiscation enables tyranny. Don't enable Tyranny)
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To: MinorityRepublican
want to get a clear picture of the mission

How about defeating Al Qaeda and its allies? How's that sound, Hussein?

5 posted on 01/20/2013 7:17:52 PM PST by BenLurkin (This is not a statement of fact. It is either opinion or satire; or both)
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To: realcleanguy

The U.S. shouldn’t be too involved in Mali. France breaks the china, they own Mali.


6 posted on 01/20/2013 7:19:43 PM PST by MinorityRepublican
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To: MinorityRepublican

They expect the Muslim-in-the-White-House to support action against his Muslim Brethren? How do you say “Don’t hold your breath” in French?


7 posted on 01/20/2013 7:23:03 PM PST by TrueKnightGalahad
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To: vladimir998

NO.

The U.S. government has been keeping a gimlet “eye” on North Africa for a very long time.

Dakhla, in the Western Sahara, has a natural deep-water bay perfect for submarines. First it was the Soviets, now it is the Iranians, who could base submarines there and target the eastern and gulf coasts of the U.S. with nuclear weapons.

If you live in the midwest or Texas and imagine yourselves safe, guess again.


8 posted on 01/20/2013 7:24:19 PM PST by SatinDoll (NATURAL BORN CITZEN: BORN IN THE USA OF CITIZEN PARENTS.)
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To: MinorityRepublican

Once again Obama voting “present” and failing to act. He isn’t acting like a president, but more like a community organizer. Frankly, I’m shocked, I tell you.


9 posted on 01/20/2013 7:24:36 PM PST by Blue Highway
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To: MinorityRepublican

Except in reality, Obama helped to break the china when he deposed Gaddafi. The Islamist rebels and their firepower originated in Libya.


10 posted on 01/20/2013 7:25:28 PM PST by Viennacon
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To: MinorityRepublican
But, but, but, Br0nc0 made the tough decision too get his bro' 0sama. All should be well.

How can arming the Muzzie Bro's and AQ be bad?

Afterall 0sbama got the piece prize.

11 posted on 01/20/2013 7:29:24 PM PST by Paladin2
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To: MinorityRepublican

The world hates the USA (0bama regime), they really do


12 posted on 01/20/2013 7:31:02 PM PST by Steven Tyler
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To: TrueKnightGalahad

“Merde alors.” *snicker*


13 posted on 01/20/2013 7:34:29 PM PST by RushIsMyTeddyBear (Great vid by ShorelineMike! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOZjJk6nbD4&feature=plcp)
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To: BenLurkin

Hussein’s minions will simply come out and blame the pentagon or the state department saying the “white house” once again has nothing to do with anything and of course the media will lap it up and cover for him.


14 posted on 01/20/2013 7:36:25 PM PST by dandiegirl
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To: MinorityRepublican

soetoro is not the least bit interested in fighting islamists. He wants to further enable them, and will do whatever he can to enhance their influence throughout the world and especially here in the US.

This so-called obama is the enemy. Somehow we must come as a people to realize this and act to expel him and his damning minions from office.


15 posted on 01/20/2013 7:43:30 PM PST by onedoug
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To: realcleanguy

French, British, and Israel may as well know right now that there is no way Obama (our Muslim Brotherhood) President is going to support them in fighting his Muslim friends.

Obama has been in the White House for 4 years, havent these countries been paying attention? What does it take for them to see that Obama is not going to do anything to his friends.


16 posted on 01/20/2013 8:01:01 PM PST by Venturer
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To: MinorityRepublican

France is wrong, the Obama administration has been supporting the war in Mali. They sold arms by the truckload to Al Queda from Libya, and armed Al Queda to the teeth. That is what Benghazi was all about!

Obama just does not support France much. And, he did say, in his own book, he would side with the Muslims.


17 posted on 01/20/2013 8:19:08 PM PST by FlyingEagle
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To: vladimir998
treason...impeach the sob and islamist in chief
18 posted on 01/20/2013 8:25:10 PM PST by ldish (Give me Freedom and Liberty or let's kick some a**!)
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To: FlyingEagle

No, he doesn’t speak of this in his book.


19 posted on 01/20/2013 8:46:53 PM PST by ansel12 (Cruz said "conservatives trust Sarah Palin that if she says this guy is a conservative, that he is")
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To: ansel12

Mmmk, how would you interpret the following:

  “Of course, not all my conversations in immigrant communities follow this easy pattern. In the wake of 9/11, my meetings with Arab and Pakistani Americans, for example, have a more urgent quality, for the stories of detentions and FBI questioning and hard stares from neighbors have shaken their sense of security and belonging.  They have been reminded that the history of immigration in this country has a dark underbelly; they need specific assurances that their citizenship really means something, that America has learned the right lessons from the Japanese internments during World War II, and that I will stand with them should the political winds shift in an ugly direction.”


20 posted on 01/20/2013 9:01:47 PM PST by FlyingEagle
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