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2008-08-19 Afghanistan

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Posted by tu3031 2008-08-19 08:20|| || Front Page|| [11139 views ] Top
File under: Taliban

#1 This is dreadful. It is also war. Thank you for your service and condolences to your families.

Posted by Seafarious 2008-08-19 09:21|| 2008-08-19 09:21|| Front Page Top

#2 d'accord

Posted by liberalhawk 2008-08-19 09:30|| 2008-08-19 09:30|| Front Page Top

#3 Telle est guerre.

Despite my occasional ribbing of the French (mostly the leadership), they are damn good shots and I bet they gave back better than what they got.

Send 'em to Hell, guys!

Posted by DarthVader 2008-08-19 09:54|| 2008-08-19 09:54|| Front Page Top

#4 Bless France and Sarkozy for their work in Afghanistan.

Given the action was only 30 mi from Kabul I would be the Taliban had an informant somewhere in the Afghan Def Ministry.

Posted by mhw">mhw 2008-08-19 10:41|| http://hypocrisy-incorporated.blogspot.com/]">[http://hypocrisy-incorporated.blogspot.com/] 2008-08-19 10:41|| Front Page Top

#5 They gave themselves to protect the world from the local branch of this generation's Evil. May their memories provide comfort to those who loved them, and strike fear in the hearts of those who think to attack such as they in the future.

Posted by trailing wife ">trailing wife 2008-08-19 11:45|| 2008-08-19 11:45|| Front Page Top

#6 From AP:
About 100 insurgents ambushed a group of French paratroopers as they climbed a mountain pass, killing 10 soldiers in a militant stronghold outside the capital.

France's top military official, Gen. Jean-Louis Georgelin, said most of the French casualties came in the minutes after the team was climbing a mountain pass. The fighting lasted into nightfall, he said.

Posted by ed 2008-08-19 12:01|| 2008-08-19 12:01|| Front Page Top

#7 An Afghan official said that four of those soldiers had been kidnapped by insurgents and killed.

Captured and murdered is more like it.
I wouldn't wanna be the next Talis that go up against the French.

Posted by tu3031 2008-08-19 12:29|| 2008-08-19 12:29|| Front Page Top

#8 Afghanistan was never winnable for a bunch of geopolitical reasons. This will push the Euros toward that realization.

Get past the tranzi agenda of Afghanistan = good UN approved war; Iraq = bad US unilateral war.

Posted by phil_b 2008-08-19 13:36|| 2008-08-19 13:36|| Front Page Top

#9 From the BBC...

French defence officials said about 100 soldiers - from France, the US and Afghanistan - were on a reconnaissance mission when bad road conditions forced them to stop their vehicles. A group of French soldiers was sent ahead on foot to check the terrain, but they were ambushed by Taleban fighters and nine were killed.

A tenth French soldier was killed when his vehicle overturned on the road.

An Afghan intelligence officer told the BBC the troops had been ambushed from several directions. "The Taleban and al-Qaeda forces used heavy machine guns and other weapons. They fired from mountains and gardens," he said.

The fighting went on for 24 hours and it is understood that reinforcements had to be called in to airlift the troops to safety.

Posted by tu3031 2008-08-19 14:21|| 2008-08-19 14:21|| Front Page Top

#10 My gratitude, a crisp salute and a prayer for France and it's paras.

Notre Père

Notre Père, qui es aux cieux,
Que ton nom soit sanctifié,
Que ton règne vienne,
Que ta volonté soit faite sur la terre comme au ciel.

Donne-nous aujourd'hui notre pain de ce jour.
Pardonne-nous nos offences
Comme nous pardonnons aussi à ceux qui nous ont offensés.
Et ne nous soumets pas à la tentation,
mais délivre-nous du mal,
car c'est à toi qu'appartiennent le règne,
la puissance et la gloire, aux siècles des siècles.

Amen.

Posted by Besoeker 2008-08-19 14:32|| 2008-08-19 14:32|| Front Page Top

#11 I'm not sure about the French paras, but if it had been the Foreign Legion, the attackers would find themselves hunted down like rats and eliminated. If I were a citizen of Afghanistan, I'd be VERY careful around French forces for the next six months or so.

God grant you rest in peace, honored sirs.

Posted by Old Patriot">Old Patriot 2008-08-19 16:13|| http://oldpatriot.blogspot.com/]">[http://oldpatriot.blogspot.com/] 2008-08-19 16:13|| Front Page Top

#12 9 paratroopers, 1 legionaire I read in one of the stories.

Posted by tu3031 2008-08-19 16:18|| 2008-08-19 16:18|| Front Page Top

#13 Their paras are the real deal, but probably more likely to stay on leash than the FL if that's what Sarko wants. They may just have to be patient before they can get even. Or subtle. Nuanced.

Posted by Nimble Spemble 2008-08-19 16:38|| 2008-08-19 16:38|| Front Page Top

#14 Our gratitude and respect to these soldiers.

Posted by lotp 2008-08-19 19:23|| 2008-08-19 19:23|| Front Page Top

#15 Ambush in tight terrain and some buildings. All deaths were in first hour. Battle took many hours, not just 3, and we piled up the Talib dead.

I did not know that the Legion was operating in Afghanistan. If so, their ROE are probably far looser than the paras.

Posted by Chuck Simmins">Chuck Simmins 2008-08-19 23:35|| http://northshorejournal.org]">[http://northshorejournal.org] 2008-08-19 23:35|| Front Page Top

#16 and just got looser

Posted by Frank G">Frank G 2008-08-19 23:36|| 2008-08-19 23:36|| Front Page Top

23:56 ed
23:54 ed
23:52 ed
23:51 ed
23:45 ed
23:37 Chuck Simmins
23:36 Frank G
23:35 Chuck Simmins
23:31 Chuck Simmins
23:29 One Eyed Croper9058
23:29 trailing wife
23:24 Glenmore
23:23 Frank G
23:13 Pappy
23:13 Red Dawg
23:11 Jaws
23:09 Frank G
22:47 JosephMendiola
22:41 JosephMendiola
22:39 Deacon Blues
22:24 Large Omusose6011
22:22 Frank G
22:22 CrazyFool
22:22 JosephMendiola