Following France into Mali
The US has promised unwavering support to the French forces fighting jihadists in Africa, you know, because the current Administration in France has given us unwavering support in Afghanistan. Or something. From Stars & Stripes;
Air Force Maj. Robert Firman, a spokesman for the department, added that Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has reiterated his concern over the situation in Mali and promised that “we will support the French and international community in the effort to counter the terrorist threat there.”
Panetta, traveling in Europe this week, told reporters that the military is also providing intelligence-gathering assistance to French forces.
MSNBC reported Monday that the White House is planning to announce increased U.S. military support for the French fighters later this week. But officials from the National Security Council said discussions so far have focused only expanding the existing support efforts.
Now, I’m all for killing terrorists in huge piles, but I don’t think we want to hitch our wagon in Africa to the French. They tend to end things when they want to end like their unilateral announcement that they were withdrawing from Afghanistan when French President Francois Hollande was elected. Things are too hot in Africa for us to follow the French.
For example, Italy is abandoning their consulate in Benghazi after one of their diplomats were attacked by terrorists this past weekend;
Consul Guido De Sanctis was unhurt in the shooting on Saturday of his heavily armored car, which came four months after the U.S. ambassador was killed in an attack on the U.S. mission in the eastern Libyan city.
“This was an attempt to destabilize the institutions of the new Libya,” Foreign Minister Giulio Terzi said in a statement.
The Europeans seem to simply react to the enemy rather than taking the fight to the enemy with overwhelming force applied forcefully. You know, like the way wars are won?
Category: Terror War
“The Europeans seem to simply react to the enemy rather than taking the fight to the enemy with overwhelming force applied forcefully. You know, like the way wars are won?”
Isn’t that pretty much how the left, including the President see things as well? Seems very much more reactionary than pre-emptive…
I look at places like Morocco and the pile of warm runny shit the French left there (and which followed them home) and think, “Yeah, not so much.”
Following the French means the French are leading. If the French are leading, they are in front. If the French are in front, they are either walking backwards or about to change direction. I would like to see an influx of French Canadians in this Mali effort but I know what their first question will be: Can I bring my camper?
At the same time, I don’t really see a better option than following them and assisting. We’ve allowed AQIM to establish a stronghold over the last several years, and haven’t been able to turn our attention there. Now with this new escalation we are not (for once) the main initiators, and will hopefully not become entangled in a long term ground war. We can provide the assistance required, kill as many terrorists as possible, and hopefully make a clean break, leaving others to take on the cleanup in this mess.
@3–okay, the camper crack was funny, I don’t care who you are.
Must be a New England thing.
Know how to get French troops to advance on the enemy? Lie and tell them that the enemy is behind them.
They better find something for the troops to do before the next congressional elections. How else will they invalidate their votes if they’re not overseas?
French President Francois Hollande wants a Nobel Peace Prize like President Obama!
Why do the French never perform “the wave” at a soccer game?
Because, that’s a gesture reserved for use only in time of war.
Sounds familiar helping the French isn’t this how Vietnam started?
The Italian consul was attacked in Benghazi? Did the Italians show a bad movie, too?
The French are known for pastry and love. There’s a reason for that.
#10, that’s the same thing I was thinking.
So, we are following an invading military power into countries that do not want us there because that invading military power thinks it can do something to drive out the bad guys…
Um, unless I missed a memo, that never ends well for the people helping the invading military power. Not to mention, how much will this cost?
Once again, a minion of the administration is giving out details about something no one seems to really care about.
Something’s brewing, and doesn’t feel right.
how much will this cost?
No more than a few Obamacoins. Don’t worry, Loopy Lew has taken over for Timmah the Tax Cheat, so by the time the hyperinflation kicks in, it won’t seem like all that much.
PintoNag: I thought it was whine and cheese . . . .
That is simply priceless, Hondo! 😉
You would think that the Europeans should not need our help,
with over a thousand wars fought on the European continent
they should be able to handle it all by themselves. Oh wait,
they lost all those wars. Damn, they do need our help!