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Syria-Lebanon-Iran
France to Send 2,000 Troops to Lebanon
2006-08-25
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

#12  Googling "errors and vomiting" says YES, he did.
Posted by: Hupemp Uloluper4790   2006-08-25 20:54  

#11  Did de Gaulle really say that?
Posted by: Broadhead6   2006-08-25 20:05  

#10  Maybe the UN should get Kimmie to offer to send troops
Posted by: Cheaderhead   2006-08-25 17:44  

#9  "I have tried to lift France out of the mud. But she will return to her errors and vomitings. I cannot prevent the French from being French."

---Charles de Gaulle
Posted by: mcsegeek1   2006-08-25 15:53  

#8  *golf-clap*
Posted by: DepotGuy   2006-08-25 15:28  

#7  As ive said, embarasssment before the international community matters.

Though I'll admit I didnt forecast this turnaround.

Interestingly, Chirac now says maybe 15,000 isnt needed, a smaller force is enough for such a small area.

Pres Chirac, PLEASE call Gen Shinseki (ret). And look at Iraq.

Of course Chirac, a lame duck, may be willing to suffer the embarassment of a UNIFIL failure due to too few troops.
Posted by: liberalhawk   2006-08-25 10:00  

#6  Once the crucial question of who the French are supposed to surrender to was worked out, then troops could be committed.
Posted by: WTF


Wahahahhahahaaaa
Posted by: Besoeker   2006-08-25 08:51  

#5  "He said the United Nations had provided guarantees France sought involving the mandate of the force."

Once the crucial question of who the French are supposed to surrender to was worked out, then troops could be committed.
Posted by: WTF   2006-08-25 08:49  

#4  And a demonstration in leadership by the Italians.
Posted by: Nimble Spemble   2006-08-25 08:09  

#3  Well, no - they wanted to, but then they realized someone might actually shoot at them, so they deferred. But being French, they had to command, of course. And it only took - what? ten days? - for them to discover how (fill in your own blank, I'm at a loss for the right word) they looked.
Posted by: Bobby   2006-08-25 07:05  

#2  They didn't want to, they had to be embarassed into it typical.
Posted by: djohn66   2006-08-25 00:44  

#1  If they had done this to begin with, they might have managed to maintain a shred of credibility.
Posted by: DMFD   2006-08-25 00:07  

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