Hollande steps up France security

[Still Waters]

French President Francois Hollande has ordered an increase in domestic security in the aftermath of military operations in Africa.

He was responding to the risk of Islamist attack after French forces intervened against militants in Mali.

A pilot was killed as France launched air strikes on a column of rebels.

http://www.bbc.co.uk...europe-20999348

[freetoroam]

An Ansar Dine spokesman told Reuters news agency there would be consequences for French citizens throughout the Muslim world

====================

and they mean anywhere in the World, not just muslim countries.

The quicker we all get out the better, sorry, but once it starts to affect us innocent people on our home land, then something has to be done.

i am sick and tired of western leaders getting involved in these countries and thinking they can take control, they can`t. At the same time, we in England should NEVER have allowed the islamists to flourish here. History shows that it will never work, those against the west want their own laws and communities and have no intentions of integration with us.

[Mr.United_Nations]

An Ansar Dine spokesman told Reuters news agency there would be consequences for French citizens throughout the Muslim world

====================

and they mean anywhere in the World, not just muslim countries.

The quicker we all get out the better, sorry, but once it starts to affect us innocent people on our home land, then something has to be done.

i am sick and tired of western leaders getting involved in these countries and thinking they can take control, they can`t. At the same time, we in England should NEVER have allowed the islamists to flourish here. History shows that it will never work, those against the west want their own laws and communities and have no intentions of integration with us.

I think you find Mali wanted French help personally because they were struggling quite bad on their own, and being a former French colony, you could see why.

[+and-then]

The Brits are helping and some west African nations are rushing a few thousand troops in also.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2261382/Britain-send-troops-planes-Mali-assist-French-operation-Islamist-rebels.html

[TheLastLazyGun]

The Brits are helping and some west African nations are rushing a few thousand troops in also.

http://www.dailymail...ist-rebels.html

The French military (or any other European military) doesn't have the heavy lifting capabilities that the British military has. So the RAF has sent a couple of huge C-17 Globemasters - bigger than any plane the French military has - to France to pick up French kit and transport it to Mali.

Edited January 13, 2013 by TheLastLazyGun

[stevewinn]

its good to see the cooperation between two allies, Britain-France. i wish the French luck in tackling the rebels. lets hope they secure the future of Mali for the benefit of the people and the surrounding countries.

[keithisco]

What has any of this to do with the UK?!!!

from the report "Al-Qaida Linked" - what the heck does that mean - oh let me guess - the forces are largely Islamic therefore, by association, must be linked to Al Qaida. I suppose it is a good diversion for Cameron, who is going to announce NO In - Out referendum on the EU on the 22nd...

[stevewinn]

What has any of this to do with the UK?!!!

from the report "Al-Qaida Linked" - what the heck does that mean - oh let me guess - the forces are largely Islamic therefore, by association, must be linked to Al Qaida. I suppose it is a good diversion for Cameron, who is going to announce NO In - Out referendum on the EU on the 22nd...

Listening to the announcement today from Parliament the French phoned us up, asking if we could help with the heavy lift element. and we agreed to help a neighbour. but it should be no surprise the British and French armed forces have been doing a hell of a lot of training together. in Africa. and right now in in the UK. our navies have been conducting a hell of a lot of exercises together over the last two years. Corisan Lion was the last one if i remember correctly.

so an alliance is at work.

[acidhead]

Does this remind anybody of the beginning of the Vietnam War?

[questionmark]

Does this remind anybody of the beginning of the Vietnam War?

Not really. Over the last 30 years the French had similar interventions in all their former colonies in Africa. This one is going to be no different.

[Corp]

The Mali government has asked for help, the African Union has been planning to step in for a few months now, and from the sounds of it the Mali people don't want the rebels taking charge but can't get their crap together to stop them. I see nothing wrong with France's involvement and wish them the best of luck.

[keithisco]

Listening to the announcement today from Parliament the French phoned us up, asking if we could help with the heavy lift element. and we agreed to help a neighbour. but it should be no surprise the British and French armed forces have been doing a hell of a lot of training together. in Africa. and right now in in the UK. our navies have been conducting a hell of a lot of exercises together over the last two years. Corisan Lion was the last one if i remember correctly.

so an alliance is at work.

This is the exercise you refer to (Incorrectly)...

British and French soldiers took part in the exercise

"BRITISH soldiers have been building bridges with their French counterparts on an exercise in some of Northumberland’s most brutal landscapes.

Exercise Eagle Sapper – which ended yesterday – saw about 400 Anglo-French airborne engineers use their skills to construct a portable ferry bridge over the two-mile wide expanse of Kielder Water, the biggest man-made lake in northern Europe.

The sappers – soldiers who perform a variety of military engineering duties – also deployed to the Otterburn army training area for another testing challenge, which included crossing rivers using special bridging equipment.

The 10-day exercise scenario placed the troops in a humanitarian relief operation in a country facing famine and struggling to recover from damage caused by a tsunami, with Government control undermined by insurgents. Sappers from 23 Engineer Regiment (Air Assault) travelled to Northumberland from their base in Suffolk to join forces with French troops from 17e Regiment du Genie Parachutiste.

The first phase of the exercise involved the soldiers using portable ferry bridge equipment to move vehicles and personnel across two miles of Kielder Water in a shuttle-style operation.

After moving to Otterbun, they were challenged to build water supply points capable of providing 40,000 litres of drinking water every day. They also had to cross rivers using bridging equipment and improvised materials, and build defensive positions which were then attacked by ‘enemy’ forces.

The training was intended to test the unit in its role of providing combat engineering support to 16 Air Assault Brigade, which is ready to deploy anywhere in the world at short notice for operations ranging from disaster relief to war fighting.

Lt Col Jason Hones, commanding officer of 23 Engineer Regiment (Air Assault), said: “Exercise Eagle Sapper has seen our soldiers working for up to 22 hours a day on demanding tasks, that test both their combat engineering and infantry skills in very harsh terrain and weather conditions.

“It is important that we test the mettle of the soldier we are going to send on operations in arduous and unknown conditions, so that we know he can cope with anything that is thrown at him. If a soldier can survive in Northumberland in winter he can survive anywhere in the world.”

The French troops joined the exercise as part of the developing partnership between 16 Air Assault Brigade and 11e Brigade Parachutiste, which have been tasked to develop a combined joint expeditionary force.

Lt Col Hones said: “We're really lucky to have soldiers from our French partner regiment with us, having recently sent troops over to train in France. “Working together on this exercise is developing our integration at the section level, to learn how we each operate and our particular strengths and weaknesses.”

none of this is relevant to Mali - and some of your previous posts ("Cheese eating surrender monkeys") makes we wonder why your sudden support for a nation such as France??

I think this all ties in with your disgust of the EU... who do you think should the EU consist of?

[stevewinn]

Does this remind anybody of the beginning of the Vietnam War?

i have to admit when a first heard it on the NEWS France had gone in at the request of the Mali government, - the thought did pop in there. we'll soon see how it pans out, i guess we'll know more in a few weeks time if the rebels can counter attack successfully we might see an escalation. imagine that, out of Afghanistan and into Africa. with the Afghan war coming to an end we need another foreign adventure. roughly every ten years we go on these jollies. guess we'll have to stay tuned.

[AsteroidX]

They gonna need that extra security after lettting all so many muslims immigrate then attacking one of there countries. Opus of stupid.

[stevewinn]

This is the exercise you refer to (Incorrectly)...

British and French soldiers took part in the exercise

"BRITISH soldiers have been building bridges with their French counterparts on an exercise in some of Northumberland’s most brutal landscapes.

Exercise Eagle Sapper – which ended yesterday – saw about 400 Anglo-French airborne engineers use their skills to construct a portable ferry bridge over the two-mile wide expanse of Kielder Water, the biggest man-made lake in northern Europe.

The sappers – soldiers who perform a variety of military engineering duties – also deployed to the Otterburn army training area for another testing challenge, which included crossing rivers using special bridging equipment.

The 10-day exercise scenario placed the troops in a humanitarian relief operation in a country facing famine and struggling to recover from damage caused by a tsunami, with Government control undermined by insurgents. Sappers from 23 Engineer Regiment (Air Assault) travelled to Northumberland from their base in Suffolk to join forces with French troops from 17e Regiment du Genie Parachutiste.

The first phase of the exercise involved the soldiers using portable ferry bridge equipment to move vehicles and personnel across two miles of Kielder Water in a shuttle-style operation.

After moving to Otterbun, they were challenged to build water supply points capable of providing 40,000 litres of drinking water every day. They also had to cross rivers using bridging equipment and improvised materials, and build defensive positions which were then attacked by ‘enemy’ forces.

The training was intended to test the unit in its role of providing combat engineering support to 16 Air Assault Brigade, which is ready to deploy anywhere in the world at short notice for operations ranging from disaster relief to war fighting.

Lt Col Jason Hones, commanding officer of 23 Engineer Regiment (Air Assault), said: “Exercise Eagle Sapper has seen our soldiers working for up to 22 hours a day on demanding tasks, that test both their combat engineering and infantry skills in very harsh terrain and weather conditions.

“It is important that we test the mettle of the soldier we are going to send on operations in arduous and unknown conditions, so that we know he can cope with anything that is thrown at him. If a soldier can survive in Northumberland in winter he can survive anywhere in the world.”

The French troops joined the exercise as part of the developing partnership between 16 Air Assault Brigade and 11e Brigade Parachutiste, which have been tasked to develop a combined joint expeditionary force.

Lt Col Hones said: “We're really lucky to have soldiers from our French partner regiment with us, having recently sent troops over to train in France. “Working together on this exercise is developing our integration at the section level, to learn how we each operate and our particular strengths and weaknesses.”

none of this is relevant to Mali - and some of your previous posts ("Cheese eating surrender monkeys") makes we wonder why your sudden support for a nation such as France??

I think this all ties in with your disgust of the EU... who do you think should the EU consist of?

The operation you quote was not the one i was referring to, Corisan lion was the Navy exercise and the Army is happening now. im waiting for the UK armed forces to post in its NEWS section once complete, it takes a week or two after.

am not saying any exercises conducted with the British French was in preparation for Mali. just simply pointing out the co-operation between allies. and over the years. which is why we are lending a hand to our neighbour.

as for your EU question. The EU should consist of whoever wants to join. and allowed to join. as for France its the old Cheese Eating surrender monkeys is banter between two of the top countries in the EU, France is much like the UK - throughout history we have mirrored one another from the old empire days to a strong Navy. i do give credit to France on occasions. and i do have a hidden admiration for the frogs.

Edited January 15, 2013 by stevewinn

[Corp]

French and English are allowed to make fun of each other. I think there's a law about it somewhere.

[keithisco]

Overall... i have to agree, but the UK should not get involved with French Adventurism... after all is said and done they did NOT support the UK in the Falklands conflict, but DID supply Argentina with Exocet Missiles

[stevewinn]

Overall... i have to agree, but the UK should not get involved with French Adventurism... after all is said and done they did NOT support the UK in the Falklands conflict, but DID supply Argentina with Exocet Missiles

yes, Keith Have you read Battle for the Falklands by Max Hastings and Simon Jenkins?

[keithisco]

yes, Keith Have you read Battle for the Falklands by Max Hastings and Simon Jenkins?

NO.. is the obvious answer

[Mekorig]

In fact, they supplied us with Exocet and Super Entendard before the war, but after the our retaking, they withhold more planes and missiles by request of the UK, and even gave some missiles codes to the UK. Yeas, the French help the UK in the conflict.

[stevewinn]

In fact, they supplied us with Exocet and Super Entendard before the war, but after the our retaking, they withhold more planes and missiles by request of the UK, and even gave some missiles codes to the UK. Yeas, the French help the UK in the conflict.

yes they did, the book i mentioned above gives an insight into politics and diplomatic part of the war. - when we realised an invasion was about to happen. we sent three Subs, but even at 25Knots they were unable to get there on time. Thatcher phoned the US president Regan and told him to put pressure on the Junta to stop the Invasion but the wheels were already in motion. Regan said the US stance was neutral and didn't want to see two of its allies go to war. - Thatcher in no uncertain terms told him to deiced whose side he was on and then put the phone down. its a interesting book.