Despite the jokes about the French, they have actually have their shit together and put their asses on the line. It might not always be along side of us in our ops, but they've been involved in a lot places we wouldn't even consider going.
I think their interest in North Africa is of strategic interest to them and Europe. Which is why it is puzzling that nobody else in Europe is lifting a finger except for transport planes.
yeah people don't realize it but the French go hard. and they can be brutal. i mean slice your nuts off brutal. this thing in N. Africa will show alot of people exactly how down and dirty the French can get. by the end of this thing the French will probably be the military leaders in Europe. pride restored and them looking to flex muscle
The French have fought plenty of low grade wars in Africa when it suits them, they prop up regimes that help them in some way (this being one of the first that actually can easily be justified as being for European security).
Paralus, when it comes to Africa, generally Europe seems to divide between whos mess they're cleaning up (who used to be the colonial power), thats why the British acted in Sierra Leone, and the French are on point in Mali. Then of course you have the nations that don't like to act at all, or those too small to be of any use. Thats how Europe tends to act, the French and British (and a couple of other smaller nations) decide whos job it is, and whos interests are involved, then they fight and the others generally offer levels of support.
Sol, indeed they can, often when the Foreign Legion goes in, theres often grumbling about the difference in capability and aggression between them and some other French infantry units though (In the legions favour, not the others). I'd say that its a little unfair to say this will put them as the military leaders in Europe though. I'd ask how you say they overtake the British in that respect? If anything it has pointed out assets the French lack that the British have been smart enough to keep (strategic airlift, AAR assets, ISTAR). Good on them for acting, but I would say its not the British's job here, and they have fought damn hard again Islamists across the globe, and still are, so don't forget or belittle that in comparison to this relatively small French op.
leadership is an empty term when it comes nations. what i meant to say is that you will see the French become more activist and that they'll drag other European countries with them. i see this as the very beginning. i see a replay coming in Somalia. i don't think for a minute that the French are finished with those bastards. parading a dead Commando surely has many seeing red. so i think this is just the opening stages in a French reoccupation or rather guiding of Africa.
I'm not entirely sure. As I said the French have spent a long time acting as policemen in Africa, and the vast majority of French sentiment was to reduce this role and let the Africans start to do things for themselves, even President Hollande has said this. Saying that, when it comes to engaging islamists, I think that you are right in that respect. I doubt the French will be the only one willing to act though. David Cameron gave a speech today saying that the UK and Europe should prepare for the possibility of decades of confronting Islamists in North Africa now, the sort of speech we saw at the beginning of the War on Terror. I'd suggest that means the British are ready and willing (especially post Afghan pullout as we start to regroup properly and begin expanding training in Africa (up to a Brigade on rotation in Kenya is the current plan). We've already acted in Somalia (the Marines did a damn good job apparently, exactly the kind of work they train for, light raiding).
My point is that its not just the French going for it here, even if some of Europe will need to be dragged along.
Despite the jokes about the French, they have actually have their shit together and put their asses on the line. It might not always be along side of us in our ops, but they've been involved in a lot places we wouldn't even consider going.
ReplyDeleteI think their interest in North Africa is of strategic interest to them and Europe. Which is why it is puzzling that nobody else in Europe is lifting a finger except for transport planes.
yeah people don't realize it but the French go hard. and they can be brutal. i mean slice your nuts off brutal. this thing in N. Africa will show alot of people exactly how down and dirty the French can get. by the end of this thing the French will probably be the military leaders in Europe. pride restored and them looking to flex muscle
ReplyDeleteThe French have fought plenty of low grade wars in Africa when it suits them, they prop up regimes that help them in some way (this being one of the first that actually can easily be justified as being for European security).
ReplyDeleteParalus, when it comes to Africa, generally Europe seems to divide between whos mess they're cleaning up (who used to be the colonial power), thats why the British acted in Sierra Leone, and the French are on point in Mali. Then of course you have the nations that don't like to act at all, or those too small to be of any use. Thats how Europe tends to act, the French and British (and a couple of other smaller nations) decide whos job it is, and whos interests are involved, then they fight and the others generally offer levels of support.
Sol, indeed they can, often when the Foreign Legion goes in, theres often grumbling about the difference in capability and aggression between them and some other French infantry units though (In the legions favour, not the others). I'd say that its a little unfair to say this will put them as the military leaders in Europe though. I'd ask how you say they overtake the British in that respect? If anything it has pointed out assets the French lack that the British have been smart enough to keep (strategic airlift, AAR assets, ISTAR). Good on them for acting, but I would say its not the British's job here, and they have fought damn hard again Islamists across the globe, and still are, so don't forget or belittle that in comparison to this relatively small French op.
leadership is an empty term when it comes nations. what i meant to say is that you will see the French become more activist and that they'll drag other European countries with them. i see this as the very beginning. i see a replay coming in Somalia. i don't think for a minute that the French are finished with those bastards. parading a dead Commando surely has many seeing red. so i think this is just the opening stages in a French reoccupation or rather guiding of Africa.
ReplyDeleteI'm not entirely sure. As I said the French have spent a long time acting as policemen in Africa, and the vast majority of French sentiment was to reduce this role and let the Africans start to do things for themselves, even President Hollande has said this. Saying that, when it comes to engaging islamists, I think that you are right in that respect. I doubt the French will be the only one willing to act though. David Cameron gave a speech today saying that the UK and Europe should prepare for the possibility of decades of confronting Islamists in North Africa now, the sort of speech we saw at the beginning of the War on Terror. I'd suggest that means the British are ready and willing (especially post Afghan pullout as we start to regroup properly and begin expanding training in Africa (up to a Brigade on rotation in Kenya is the current plan). We've already acted in Somalia (the Marines did a damn good job apparently, exactly the kind of work they train for, light raiding).
ReplyDeleteMy point is that its not just the French going for it here, even if some of Europe will need to be dragged along.