Posted on 08/28/2005 9:22:18 PM PDT by Crackingham
As the going gets tougher for the U.S. military in Afghanistan and elsewhere in the region, one ally has stepped up despite a recent straining of ties: France. Paris has significantly boosted its military presence in Central Asia and Afghanistan, plus in nearby seas, as both it and Washington nurture their budding rapprochement after a bitter falling out over the Iraq war.
French fighters have been flying sorties under U.S. command in Afghanistan since Aug. 16, and France also took command this month of an international naval task force on terrorism-related patrols in the seas between the Horn of Africa and Pakistan.
France has kept about 900 troops in Afghanistan since 2003, including 200 Special Forces soldiers fighting alongside the Americans. Its air force periodically has joined the U.S.-led coalition since taking its biggest role in the war's opening weeks in 2001, when France had 5,500 troops in the region.
"It's France's wish to show that we are cooperating in the fight against terror and in support of you in Afghanistan," said French Air Force Col. Gilles Michel, who oversees his country's air force role in the theater. "We told the Americans, 'If you need some assets, we will provide them.'"
A French Defense Ministry official, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with French custom, said Paris was determined to keep battling terrorism in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks and was increasing its military cooperation in Afghanistan to support next month's landmark legislative elections.
"We had a very clear position when it comes to Iraq," the Paris-based official said. "That has nothing to do with our fight against terrorism, with France working with our American colleagues" on the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force.
Since earlier this month, French Mirage-2000 fighters have been flying alongside U.S. Air Force A-10 Warthogs to assist American and Afghan ground troops near Kabul, Ghazni, Delaram and Qalat, said Capt. David Small, spokesman for U.S. Central Command Air Forces in Qatar.
Mirage F1-CR fighters also are handling reconnaissance missions, shooting intelligence video and imagery for targeting purposes, while French cargo planes supply bases in the theater.
A pair of French C-135 tanker planes, a version of the Boeing 707, are running air-to-air refueling for Mirages and Belgian and Dutch F-16s. By month's end, French tankers also will be refueling U.S. A-10s, said Michel.
"From the U.S. side, having their different types of aircraft at our disposal certainly benefits us," Small said. "It relieves some of the stress on the other aircraft. Having the Mirages there also provides a different skill set."
They only half get it... but thanks none the less... Afghanistan is important too.
seriously, i dont think french troops are particularly effective. Cowards are not good allies.
For this "Viva La France" for Iraq- the Bronx cheer.
I'm not a military aviator, but I don't think I want to refuel from a French plane... That Evian water doesn't work real well.
In my opinion, the French are a pathetic country. Too bad I spent $40k to allow my daughter to spend a year in Paris on an exchange student program with Lehigh University and the Lee Ioccoca Institute of Learning. (shaking head in bewilderment and poor judgement)
I guess with 60% of "Americans" now saying that they are scared, have wet their pants and want to cut and run, it would be nice to have the French to wave the white flags for us.
Lehigh is a good school. I lived in Bethlehem and Allentown while working at Lucent/bell Laboratories....
I will give the French props because unlike the Brits they never gave a damn about multiculturalism or political correctness when it came to dealing with militant Islam. Their police have full authority to hotwire whatever genitals they think are necessary to get whatever information they think they might need.
Check out the original "Day of the Jackal" to see what bad asses Surete can be.
I would rather have a German division in front of me than a French one behind me.
- General George S. Patton.
French wine sales must really be hurting them.
Lehigh was a good school until it turned co-ed.
Agree on the props. Thanks to Sarkozy who is also pro-American.
I did not go to Lehigh though. But I had a chance to work with one of the Profs at the Dept. of Electrical Engineering. The campus is very beautiful. Lehigh has however managed to get some good research funding. It is too unfortunate however to see all the internationals using that funded research money as our kids are getting lesser and lesser interested in majors like computer engineering and electronics engineering.
Though I do not adjoin the government of France. I will say those men, that I know and now call my brothers, for I have fought with them at my side are men of character. For they fought with me, and therefore I call them and all that fought with me; brothers. Cowards, they are not, friends I call them, compatriots to the end.
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Beautiful words.
My Dad said the same thing. What year did you graduate. My Dad graduated just before WWII started. He was is a Sigma Chi.
Better people than you or I judge them good to ride the river with.
Don't like the french, don't care at this point to have them as my buddy. Rather have a dog as a friend, if you feed them and help keep them safe a dog won't usually bite nor crap on you.
Yeah, right. I'll believe when I see who's side they fight on.
This is based on what ? Whatever the policies of their government, their troops are effective enough.
Unless there are a thousand or so NG or Reserve troops who are spending too much time with their families and would welcome the chance to spend a year dodging Taliban mortars.
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