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February 09, 2008
Nicolas Sarkozy offers French troops To Fight In Kandahar
Nicolas Sarkozy offers French troops to join Canadians in fighting the Taleban in Kandahar
President Sarkozy rode to the rescue of beleaguered Nato forces in southern Afghanistan yesterday when he offered to deploy French troops alongside Canadians in Kandahar.
The French leader has been the most forthcoming of Nato leaders in answering the urgent call to help the troops fighting Taleban insurgents.
After Canada’s repeated warnings that it would pull its 2,500 troops out of Kandahar if no other alliance member came to support them, France has been the only country to hint at sending reinforcements.
French and Canadian officials are discussing the logistics of operating a combined force. A delegation was sent to Paris from Ottawa yesterday.
The move by the French was being seen as further evidence of President Sarkozy’s willingness to draw closer to the alliance, with the possibility of France rejoining Nato’s integrated military stucture, from which President de Gaulle withdrew in 1967.
Canada wants 1,000 extra soldiers to fight in Kandahar, but the indications so far are that Paris has a smaller-sized force in mind. A French diplomatic source said that decisions would not be made public until the Nato summit in Bucharest in April.
If France meets only a proportion of the required 1,000 extra troops, another Nato country will have to make an offer to ensure that Canada keeps its 2,500 soldiers in Kandahar. Canada has asked Poland to deploy troops but at the Nato defence ministers’ informal meeting in Vilnius yesterday, Bogdan Klich, the Polish minister, said there were no plans to send its 1,200 soldiers, based in eastern Afghanistan, to the south because of the increased risks. “This province doesn’t meet our baseline criteria, which hinge on reducing the risks to our contingent,” he told a Polish newspaper. However, Poland confirmed it would raise its troop numbers in Afghanistan to 1,600 later this year. Norway said it planned to send another 200 troops to add to its present 500.
British diplomatic sources said there were no obvious candidates yet for the appointment of UN special envoy to Afghanistan, after President Karzai’s rejection of Lord Ashdown of Norton-sub-Hamdon.
Wild Thing's comment........
I prefer to see them fighting the jihadist rather than surrendering to them. What a difference in this President then the last one France had.
Posted by Wild Thing at February 9, 2008 12:40 AM
Comments
At last, a man with some balls.
I'm glad to see him sending troops to Afghanistan, but what about Iraq? We need help there, too.
But at least he's making an effort to restore what several french presidents have ruined in the past.
Leaving us high and dry in Korea and Vietnam. They started those wars and we had to clean them up after they left us hanging.
Posted by: Lynn at February 9, 2008 07:53 AM
I am beginning to like Sarkozy more and more. Too bad he is not one of our presidential candidates.
NATO is turning out to be a paper tiger militarily. We supported NATO and paid most of the bills, supplied the majority of the forces. Now, most of NATO does not want their troops in a combat sutuation. We need to really get serious about reevaluating the degree of our commitment to NATO.
Posted by: TomR at February 9, 2008 08:03 AM
WAIT ONE MINUTE HERE!!! I thought our reputation around the world was so tarnished that Bill Clinton needed to go fix things after Hillary was elected? How can this be with France wanting to get into the fight? Me thinks the Democrats are blowing smoke up the collective butts of the American People.
Posted by: BobF at February 9, 2008 09:33 AM
John Kerry and the Democrats should be happy that France and the United States are such good friends. That's what they all lectured us about during the 2004 elections. As the saying goes, "Be careful what you wish for."
C'est la vie
Posted by: Les at February 9, 2008 09:46 PM
Lynn, I agree, this man loves America and now he is going to work with Canada to send troops. It is a huge start.
I am not sure about Iraq, I wonder too. Maybe Canada set up in the agreement where it would be or something.
Posted by: Wild Thing at February 10, 2008 02:06 AM
Tom I would love for us to get out of NATO. They use our troops more then any other I think.
Posted by: Wild Thing at February 10, 2008 02:08 AM
Bob, LOL hahahahahaa
OH yes we are hated by every single country, island, and person in the entire world. heh heh
Posted by: Wild Thing at February 10, 2008 02:10 AM
Les, this man might even dislike Kerry. Now wouldn't that be funny. hahahaha
Posted by: Wild Thing at February 10, 2008 02:15 AM
