Should France Get Involved In This Conflict?

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2260891/French-troops-prepare-help-government-Mali-fight-rebels-linked-al-Qaeda.html

If they are still spoiling for a fight, perhaps they should have not have withdraw their troops from Afghanistan?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2235900/Last-French-soldiers-leaves-Afghanistan-country-fulfils-bid-withdraw-troops-faster-other.html

[Gromit]

Its amazing, you have been urging our withdrawal from Afghanistan for years, but you cannot resist having a dig at France for doing just that.

France is just coming to the aid of an ex colony. Mali is being attacked by neighbouring muslims inspired by al qaeda. So France is sending armed forces.

I am sure you would want us to do the same if Gibralta was under similar attack.

[anotheoldgit]

Gromit

/// Its amazing, you have been urging our withdrawal from Afghanistan for years, but you cannot resist having a dig at France for doing just that. ///

I have a dig at France for leaving American and France's fellow Europeans to continue carrying the can.

/// I am sure you would want us to do the same if Gibralta was under similar attack. ///

I give the same answer I gave regarding The Falklands, Gibraltar is a British overseas territory, therefore it is our duty to protect it's citizens if the need arose.

[DTCwordfan]

But there are no sheep in it, my trademark, AOG.......

I am surprised at you and how short your knowledge of history is......Do you recall 1972 when Britain sent 8000 troops and an aircraft carrier to Belize in its border dispute with Guatemala and, yes, Belize was an independent country (having been British Honduras as a colony as I am sure you are more than au fait with), just as Mali is independent and an ex-colony of France.

What is good for the goose is good for the gander too.......

[DTCwordfan]

and 8000 troops is a lot more than the "few hundred" French troops in Mali currently.

The French residential population there is, apparently, some 6000 people.

[DTCwordfan]

So good luck to the French in taming Al Qaeda and the Taliban in this neck of the woods, particularly if they can do it effectively and speedily with a thou or two of resources.

The more worrisome situation that this begs, you have not picked upon, well maybe a side reference to Syria, but that is what would happen if Nigeria went boom in Al Qaeda activity and smoke..........who would intervene in that one?

[Gromit]

You may have a point AOG. When the US invaded former Colony islands of Grenada (part of the Commonwealth) in 1983 we sat idly by and let them do it.

[Gromit]

Good to see we are helping out the French.

// Downing Street confirmed two RAF C-17s would be made available urgently, but added that no British personnel will be deployed in a combat role.
The move followed a telephone call between David Cameron, the Prime Minister, and Francois Hollande, the French President.

The two transport aircraft are expected to be deployed within 24 to 48 hours.
"The Prime Minister spoke to President Hollande this evening to discuss the deteriorating situation in Mali and how the UK can support French military assistance provided to the Malian Government to contain rebel and extremist groups in the north of the country," a spokeswoman said. //

[anotheoldgit]

Gromit

/// Downing Street confirmed two RAF C-17s would be made available urgently, but added that no British personnel will be deployed in a combat role. ///

I wonder if those two C-17s will be manned by RAF personnel or French?

[boxtops]

As an aside, I heard the other day the Taliban have been wrecking historic Islamic sites and shrines in Timbuktu - much as they did with the historic statutes in Afghan all those years ago.

[boxtops]

^ statues

[jno]

I wonder if those two C-17s will be manned by RAF personnel or French?

Depends which side of the road they want them driven