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France to Send 2,000 Troops to Lebanon
 President Jacques Chirac says France will send 2,000 soldiers for the U.N. peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon, and a European Union official said it wants the troops in place within a week. In a nationally televised address that was closely followed throughout Europe, Chirac said Thursday that | France will increase its deployment from an already announced 400 troops, and hopes to retain command of the force... |
France will increase its deployment from an already announced 400 troops, and hopes to retain command of the force. | Yes, I rather imagine you do. |
He said the United Nations had provided guarantees France sought involving the mandate of the force. "Two extra battalions will go on to the ground to extend our numbers within UNIFIL," Chirac said. "Two thousand French soldiers are thus placed under blue helmets in Lebanon," he added.
| This really did cause my surprise meter to twitch; I had assumed Chirac and deVillepin (who is a man) were completely immune to embarrassment. |
The White House cheered Chirac's announcement. "The president welcomes the decision by the French," said White House spokeswoman Dana Perino. "As he has said, an international force needs to be deployed urgently."
Posted by: Fred 2006-08-25 |
