Europe's Sole Military Force

[questionmark]

French troops are fighting in bloody conflicts around the world, most recently in the Central African Republic. Other EU members, including Germany, say they will now provide support for these deployments. It's high time.

In Germany, you often hear people asking if France, our neighbor, should still be taken seriously. First the country refused to undertake needed reforms, despite rafts of negative economic data. Then it came out that President François Hollande's favorite pasttime during the crisis appeared to be traipsing about Paris from one tryst to another -- at least if you go by accounts in the French tabloids.

That kind of behavior in France, long referred to as the "Grande Nation" for its culture and special role in the world, led to collective eye-rolling in Berlin political circles. Not so in other capital cities, like Bagui in the Central African Republic or Bamako in Mali. There, reactions to France are far different. In Damascus, Tehran, Tripoli and even Washington, Paris is taken very seriously indeed.

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[Space Commander Travis]

Yup, they seem to have taken over from Britain as the loyal puppy.

And they're very welcome to do so.

[Space Commander Travis]

* Perhaps I'm being unfair, though. Perhaps Hollandaise Sauce does have ambitions to establish a new Empire. It's worked so well in the past, after all.

"The country, for example, largely coordinated the deployment in Libya against ex-dictator Moammar Gadhafi. It has been prepared to take action in Syria. It has also shown itself to have a strong backbone in difficult nuclear negotiations with Iran."

In other words, it's been one of the biggest causes of instability in the world in recent times. :-/

[stevewinn]

Is this the same France whose capabilities are reducing year on year. the same France who went into Mali with no heavy lift capability and is now relying upon UK heavy lift and American air to air refueling. It was just before christmas on these forums i highlighted France was at the EU asking for EU help. stating the Mali mission should be EU led. France was looking for partners, at the time the UK and German government said no to joining a combat role. the only interested party was Poland. and if Poland did join France in Mali or the CAR it would then turn these interventions from a French adventure into a EU wide one. But the French want help across Africa. The message to France is do not get involved in conflicts you cannot fight alone.

SYRIA - and as for stepping up for operations over Syria their aircraft carrier Charles DE Gaulle which must be one of the most jinxed ships ever, had to return to port four days after putting to sea, and to make matters worse this was in France's own backyard - the Med. Its no wonder when the USA looked around and seen only France standing next to them, they thought oh, ****, and the bombing of Syria never happened.

Edited January 25, 2014 by stevewinn