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Europe
Sarkozy may remove French troops from Afghanistan
2007-04-27
French presidential front-runner Nicolas Sarkozy outlined his stance on key foreign policy issues Thursday, saying that if elected he would contemplate pulling France's troops out of Afghanistan.
Talibunnies just need to take another hostage ...
He also denounced the United States' refusal to cap carbon emissions and proposed taxing imports from China because it too has refused to limit greenhouse gases.
I guess this is 'running to the center' in a French election ...
Sarkozy, the governing conservatives' candidate, said he supported outgoing President Jacques Chirac's decision to pull 200 French special forces out of Afghanistan late last year. He said he would continue that policy if elected in the May 6 runoff vote. "The long-term presence of French troops in that part of the world does not look definitive to me," he said in an interview with France-2 television. Some 1,100 French soldiers are currently part of the at least 30,000-strong NATO force in Afghanistan.
Posted by:Fred

#21  France needs to clean its own house right now. Just like we do.
Posted by: 3dc   2007-04-27 22:55  

#20  i have a different view... since he's facing stiff competition from the socialists candidate, maybe he's posturing to pull in any left leaning votes to put him over the top. it MAY be all political. i realize he's frenchy, but he's right of the normal socialist. i gotta hope there's a good frenchman somewhere....
Posted by: Lee   2007-04-27 22:25  

#19  JFM - as a resident of California, represented by people I CERTAINLY didn't vote for. I understand your frustration
Posted by: Frank G   2007-04-27 20:51  

#18  JFM, as sad as it is, I hope this leftist wins the election.

I just hope nobody like him wins our next presidential election.
Posted by: Mike N.   2007-04-27 19:34  

#17  He aslo say that America was a friend and an ally. I can tell you that is highly unusual nowadays in France. And he has taken a risk by saying this.
Posted by: JFM   2007-04-27 17:27  

#16  I understand the French Navy is staying..oh this just in, seems the CgG just dropped ANOTHER prop. that explains that then...
Posted by: USN. Ret.   2007-04-27 13:43  

#15  Let's wait and see if this is just campaign blather, or if he really does it after he wins the election.

Nah, lets just go ahead and pick on them anyway.
Posted by: Mike N.   2007-04-27 13:32  

#14  The Dhimmi's have come home to roost. What makes Sarkoy think that by removing the troops will buy him special favor with the terrorists? Look at Spain if you want to see your countries future by caving in.
Posted by: Slolunter McGurque8468   2007-04-27 13:30  

#13  Let's wait and see if this is just campaign blather, or if he really does it after he wins the election. And, does "troops" mean their special forces, too? Those are the ones that count in the French donation to the cause.
Posted by: trailing wife   2007-04-27 12:32  

#12  The French are in Afghanistan? I didn't know that they were allied with the Taliban.

On a more serious note, it boggles the mind that the Euro is up relative to the dollar given the underlying demographic fragility of Europe.
Posted by: RWV   2007-04-27 12:15  

#11  blank ammo.
Posted by: Nimble Spemble   2007-04-27 10:46  

#10  ..... a load in your pants.
Posted by: Mike N.   2007-04-27 10:44  

#9  ... the collected works of Victor Hugo.
Posted by: Highlander   2007-04-27 10:26  

#8  Remove away, Sark.

You're gonna need them at home anyway.
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut   2007-04-27 10:18  

#7  ....a fly rod.
Posted by: Steve   2007-04-27 09:57  

#6  Fill in the blank: Going to war without France is like going bear hunting without ______.
Posted by: Perfesser   2007-04-27 09:52  

#5  Well, that's it then, the war is lost. Without the French on our side we lose any hope of gaining international legitimacy. Also, no accordions.
Posted by: Excalibur   2007-04-27 09:24  

#4  Yes, he is a bit of a useless twat. But crucially, he's slightly less of a useless twat than Sego.
Posted by: Sonar   2007-04-27 09:12  

#3  They're been nearly out of NATO for decades.
Posted by: Shipman   2007-04-27 07:30  

#2  The time has almost come to deport the backstabbing French from membership in NATO.
Posted by: Grumenk Philalzabod0723   2007-04-27 00:46  

#1  Get them home and post to banilues. Get ready for a showdown & fight to the finish.
Posted by: Woozle Elmeter2970   2007-04-27 00:27  

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