French army is "ready" in case of Iraq war: chief of staff

Agence France-Presse | March 16, 2003

[HAL9000]

ANTANANARIVO, March 16 (AFP) - The French army is "ready" if the conflict over Iraq goes beyond the current "diplomatic phase," chief of staff General Henri Bentegeat said here Saturday after a two-day visit to Madagascar.

"The question of support for the American or English forces has not been put to us. We are still in the diplomatic phase. For the instant, France gives its full backing, including military, to the inspections," Bentegeat said.

"And then," he went on, "we shall naturally be dependent exclusively on what the Iraqi leaders might do or might not do.

"It is quite clear that if they used prohibited weapons, the French government and the president of the republic would probably be called upon to re-evaluate our position."

The armed forces chief of staff declared: "In line with what the head of state asked it to do at the beginning of the year, the French army is ready, and I mean it is ready, in other words we know what means we have permanently at our disposal, we also know how long it would take to move them, to engage them.

"And if I receive the order from the head of state, I am effectively ready to deploy the means that would represent a significant contribution to operations. But anyway, we are not there yet," he said.

General Bentegeat was winding up an Indian Ocean tour that took him to Djibouti, La Reunion, Mayotte and Madagascar.

[mrsalty]

Ready for what????

[ambrose]

You should have posted this under "humor"...

[AntiGuv]

I guess they're ready to hold down the Malagasy front...

[Keith in Iowa]

>>Ready for what????

Ready to wave white flags and run away screaming like little girls??

[aynrandfreak]

This seems like they are blinking, "Big-time"

[glock rocks]

i think general bentegeat must have missed his thorazine this morning

[RichInOC]

Which side are they deploying on?

[The Great Satan]

"It is quite clear that if they used prohibited weapons, the French government and the president of the republic would probably be called upon to re-evaluate our position."

Oooh, I bet Saddam is trembling in his boots.

[mrsalty]

I promise, there is no global warming!!! Get youre gasmask, I mean thermals!!

[SAMWolf]

We're better off without French troops, just ask anyone who's had them as "Allies".

[patriciaruth]

"It is quite clear that if they used prohibited weapons, the French government and the president of the republic would probably be called upon to re-evaluate our position."

Ya mean ya'd stop bowing to Hussein and try bending over?

[Centurion2000]

Hmmm ... sounds like they are ready to climb into Airbus planes and drop into Baghdad .... as Republican Guard reinforcements.

[Az Joe]

Isn't having the French on your side like having an ex-Cub on your baseball roster?

[Red Dog #1]

Mind bogeling (sp?). He probally thinks we'd actually feel honored to have them join us.

[stlnative]

I was wondering the same thing... It almost sounds like they are ready to defend Iraq in war against us, doesn't it? Maybe it is just too late and I am tired.

[SAMWolf]

The French Army Prepares for War with Iraq:



.

[SAMWolf]

[ambrose]

We're better off without French troops, just ask anyone who's had them as "Allies".

"I would rather have a German division in front of me than a French one behind me." --- General George S. Patton

[Movemout]

Perhaps they could be deployed as water carriers, The 1st French Gunga Din Brigade. Put aprons on them and let them bake croissants and negotiate with the sand fleas. Anything, but keep them out of our way!