France stepping to the plate in Afghanistan?

[Mike Baker]

France to send more troops to Afghanistan: report

France to send more troops to Afghanistan: report
Updated Tue. Feb. 26 2008 12:57 PM ET

CTV.ca News Staff

France may be sending hundreds of ground troops to eastern Afghanistan to help NATO- led forces in the battle against al Queda insurgents, a French newspaper is reporting. The move comes as Canada has been appealing its NATO allies for troop reinforcements in the more dangerous southern region of Afghanistan.


The Le Monde report said the French move is part of a new Afghan policy being worked out by President Nicholas Sarkozy.


France has just under 2,000 troops stationed in Afghanistan, but most of those are located in the relatively-calm capital of Kabul. The fresh troops are expected to be placed outside of the capital, closer to the dangerous areas surrounding the Pakistan border.


Canadian officials have had talks this month to Paris about supporting Canada's mission in the volatile-region of Kandahar. A government motion has been put before the house to extend Canada's mission past 2009 until the end of 2011, provided that NATO reinforces the Canadian contingent with additional troops.


CTV's South Asia Bureau chief, Paul Workman, spoke to Canada AM from Kandahar and said that the Canadian military will probably be disappointed that the French troops won't be assisting their mission.


"The Canadian Forces leadership might consider it a setback," Workman said of the report.


But Workman said there could be a bright side, with the French troops allowing for the possibility of freeing up American forces to be assigned to the Kandahar region.


NATO has about 42,000 soldiers in Afghanistan, 14,000 of whom are American. Canada has a force of about 2,500 in Kandahar.


Workman noted that the Canadian and U.S. military have a strong working relationship in Afghanistan.


The Le Monde report said that Sarkozy would make an official announcement of France's extended military commitment at a NATO summit in April.


Since his election victory in May, France has sent more combat aircraft to Kandahar and has strengthened French efforts in training the Afghan army.

 

[Yrys]

For anyone curious,

Le monde article, french newspaper

La France va accroître son effort militaire en Afghanistan

Radio-Canada

Lors du prochain sommet de l'OTAN, en avril à Bucarest, le président français, Nicolas Sarkozy, devrait annoncer l'envoi de plusieurs centaines de soldats en Afghanistan, plus précisément dans les zones de combat.

 

[GAP]

French troop plans for Afghanistan
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Article Link

The latest news coming from French officials (and attentively reported by Canadian media) is that France is very likely to answer the Canadian and American demand for more troops in Afghanistan, though the exact manner of this support remains to be set in stone. Everything should become clear at the NATO Bucharest summit on April 2-4. According to a spokeswoman for the Foreign Ministry today:

"We have certainly heard the call of Canada. As I said to you, we are in the process of preparing a decision that will be announced in Bucharest."

Kouchner also added today that he "will express the need for the alliance to develop a true strategy in Afghanistan." If this is more than just diplomatic stalling it should be welcomed. While the current strategy is hampered by a need for more boots on the ground, it is still far from success after years of growing casualties and Taliban resurgence.

Last week Le Monde reported that Sarkozy is considering sending more troops to the east, where American efforts are focused, and not to the south, where Canada is feeling the heat. France denies that this is out of a desire not to play second-fiddle to the Canadians:

...one official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said France's interest in locating more troops in the east has far more to do with operational and logistical issues and less to do with enhancing French prestige...He also confirmed that an expanded French role in the east would liberate American soldiers there to move south to help the Canadians.

If this is indeed the case, a final offer will likely be decided on by tomorrow. In two days Kouchner meets Canadian Foreign Minister Maxime Bernier at a separate NATO session in Brussels. It would be very ungentleman-like of him to come to those in need without aid...and I don't believe a sack of rice will do in this situation.
More on link

 

[Panzer Grenadier]

If they (France) do send troops to replace US troops, in the east, to allow US troops to move south, that would be a good start.  Better than nothing at all.

 

[Mike Baker]

If they (France) do send troops to replace US troops, in the east, to allow US troops to move south, that would be a good start.  Better than nothing at all.

Very much better, indeed.

 

[midget-boyd91]

If they (France) do send troops to replace US troops, in the east, to allow US troops to move south, that would be a good start.  Better than nothing at all.

France sends troops to East Afghanistan so that U.S forces currently in the east can assist in the south. I can't help but wonder why France doesn't send troops to the south rather than having the U.S move.

Midget

 

[Mike Baker]

France sends troops to East Afghanistan so that U.S forces currently in the east can assist in the south. I can't help but wonder why France doesn't send troops to the south rather than having the U.S move.

Midget

Probably thinks it would be too costly(i.e. troop loss).

 

[geo]

...why would France move troops to Eastern Afghanistan?... so no French troops would be under Cdn or US Command - but under unified French command.
... If the US troops come into Kandahar Province... would they be put under effective Canadian Operational command?  Or would our AOR be reduced in size as the US shifts over for the french?

 

[McG]

France pushing for focused NATO front against Taliban
Peter O'Neil - Europe Correspondent ,  Canwest News Service
Published: Tuesday, March 04, 2008

PARIS - France, poised to expand its military commitment in Afghanistan, will push this week for a more focused allied plan to battle Taliban insurgents and rebuild the country, the French government said Tuesday.

Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner "will express the need for the alliance to develop a true strategy in Afghanistan" when he meets in Brussels Thursday with foreign ministers at a North Atlantic Treaty Organization meeting.

Kouchner will be attending an informal meeting of NATO foreign ministers where he is expected to discuss France's ambitions with Canadian counterpart Maxime Bernier.

Canada has waged a high-pressure diplomatic effort to convince NATO allies, and in particular France, to come up with the 1,000 troops Canada says it needs to continue its mission beyond 2009 in the dangerous Kandahar region of Afghanistan.

The Paris newspaper Le Monde reported last week that French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who will announce France's plans at a NATO summit next month in Bucharest, wants to send the additional troops to the east to fight with Americans, rather than to the south with the Canadians.

Pascale Andreani, senior spokeswoman for the French Foreign Ministry, refused to comment on the report but said France isn't ignoring Canada's request.

"We have certainly heard the call of Canada," she said at a news conference today.

"As I said to you, we are in the process of preparing a decision that will be announced in Bucharest."

She also noted that France has already recently boosted its efforts in Afghanistan, sending Mirage fighter jets to Kandahar and expanding efforts to train the Afghan National Army.

French officials stress repeatedly that Canadians should recognize the country has more than 15,000 troops in various peacekeeping and peacemaking missions overseas, including about 2,000 in Afghanistan.

Some analysts have suggested that France, which has historically tried to push the image of French "greatness" abroad, would rather fight alongside American troops in the east than play a junior role to Canada in the south because Canada is a middle power that gets almost no media attention in Europe.

But one official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said France's interest in locating more troops in the east has far more to do with operational and logistical issues and less to do with enhancing French prestige.

He noted that the eastern battle area is far closer to Kabul, Afghanistan's capital, where the majority of French troops and equipment are based.

He also confirmed that an expanded French role in the east would liberate American soldiers there to move south to help the Canadians.

http://www.canada.com/topics/news/story.html?id=acfd4a90-1503-4386-a3cf-d3f909bfe4ba&k=58288

 

[GAP]

France says it will have 3,000 troops in Afghanistan
Reuters April 11, 2008 at 6:26 AM EDT
Article Link

DUSHANBE, TAJIKISTAN — French troops operating in Afghanistan will number about 3,000, France's Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said on Friday on a visit to the central Asian state of Tajikistan.

“I cannot give you an exact figure, because the military must make their own decision, but I can tell you that about 3,000 French troops will be placed in Afghanistan,” Mr. Kouchner said, speaking through an interpreter.

“This is the will of our President and his decision was not spontaneous. He sent a letter to all coalition members to inform them about it.”

President Nicolas Sarkozy announced this month France would dispatch up to 1,000 extra troops to Afghanistan. If the total contingent is to reach 3,000, that could indicate Paris is sending more new troops than initially thought.
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[geo]

Who knew we'd be getting some fresh air out of France?

A French President who is a team player?.... who would have thought we'd ever see the day?

 

[Kirkhill]

Good on Sarkozy right enough.  He has an uphill battle at home though.  That makes it all the more impressive as a decision.