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France Launches Major Military Campaign In Mali, Bungles Hostage Rescue Attempt
Whether it is to serve as a diversion from the ongoing deterioration in the French economy (purchases of French sovereign bonds by the SNB implying "all is well" notwithstanding), to distract public attention from the recent humiliation (and backfire) of the socialist government's "tax the rich" campaign or for whatever other reason, is unclear for now, but what is clear is that over the past two days France has launched a major airstrike and military campaign against Islamist rebels in northern Mali, the pretext being that control of northern Mali by the rebels posed a security threat to Europe.
What is also clear is that even as France is protecting "European interests" deep in the heart of African darkness, elsewhere in Africa, the socialist country, whose military "expertise" is best known for building impassable fortifications all around perfectly crossable forests, suffered yet another offensive humiliation when not only was a hostage held by Somalian insurgents, al Shabaab, killed during an attempted rescue operation, but a commando from the "rescuing" team was allegedly left behind during the bungled operation. The cherry on top in president Hollande's first major foreign policy excursion is that the same insurgents subsequently released a statement that the hostage was perfectly safe, even as a French pilot was killed in the Mali airstrikes early on in the campaign, all of which probably makes France wish it had just stayed home.
From Reuters on what is set to be another major humiliation for the French "military machine":
French fighter jets bombed Islamist rebels in Mali for a third day on Sunday as Paris poured more troops into the capital Bamako, awaiting the arrival of a West African force to dislodge al Qaeda-linked insurgents from the country's north.
French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said France's dramatic intervention on Friday to bomb a convoy of heavily armed Islamist fighters sweeping southwards had stopped them from seizing Mali's capital Bamako within days.
Western countries fear Islamists could use Mali as a base for attacks on the West, forming a link with al Qaeda militants in Yemen, Somalia and North Africa.
Le Drian said former colonial power France was carrying out continuous bombing raids against the alliance of rebel groups, which seized the country's vast desert north in April.
"There are raids going on now: there were some last night, and there will be more tomorrow," Le Drian told French television. "The president is totally determined that we must eradicate these terrorists who threaten the security of Mali, our own country and Europe."
A Reuters cameraman reported seeing on Sunday more than 100 French troops disembarking from a military cargo plane at Bamako airport, just on the outskirts of the capital.
Bamako itself was calm on Sunday, with the sun streaking through the dust enveloping the city as the seasonal Harmattan wind blew from the Sahara. Some cars drove around with French flags draped from the windows to celebrate Paris's intervention.
President Francois Hollande has made it clear that France's aim in Mali is to support the deployment of a West African mission to retake the north, endorsed by the United Nations, the European Union and the United States.
A French pilot was killed on Friday when rebels in Mali shot down his helicopter.
Naturally, since Russia (or China) have no interest in preserving their geopolitical interest in the west-African republic, the UN has no problem with sanctioning a military operation over yet another sovereign. But at least it's democratic.
As for the parallel campaign staged by France several thousand miles east in Somalia, things did not turn out quite as good.
France sent special forces into Somalia to rescue a secret agent but insurgents apparently killed their hostage during the raid along with a commando, Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on Saturday.
The intelligence agency team flew into southern Somalia by helicopter under cover of darkness to try to free Denis Allex, held since 2009, by al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab, on the same day France launched air strikes against Islamist militants in Mali.
"Commandos broke into where Allex was being detained last night and immediately faced strong resistance," Le Drian told a news conference.
"Intense combat took place, during which - and now I speak with caution - everything leads us to believe that Denis Allex was unfortunately killed by his captors."
...
The defence ministry said earlier that 17 Somali fighters were killed in a mission prompted by "the intransigence of the terrorists, who refused to negotiate for three and half years".
What is worse are reports from the locals that the hostage was not in fact killed, suggesting the French expedition merely used his death as a scapegoat to justify a retreat so prompt it may even have left one of its commandos behind:
Sowing confusion, Al Shabaab said in a statement that Allex was still alive.
A French commando died from wounds sustained in the Somali raid and a second was missing, Le Drian said.
Al Shabaab said in a statement that Allex was alive and being held at a location far from the base where French military helicopters attacked overnight.
"The injured French soldier is now in the custody of the mujahideen and Allex still remains safe and far from the location of the battle," it said. "Several French soldiers were killed in the battle and many more were injured before they fled from the scene of battle, leaving behind some military paraphernalia and even one of their comrades on the ground."
When asked about whether the missing commando was now in the hands of Al Shabaab, French Army chief Admiral Edouard Guillaud said: "If he is alive then he could be, but he could also be hiding."
Embarassing or not, the French military campaign is merely doing the one thing all "developed, democratic" governments do when left with no other options: distract from problems inside the country. And as can be seen in the list below, France certainly has experience in protecting its national interests especially within its former African colonies:
- 1991 - DJIBOUTI/ETHIOPIA - French troops based in Djibouti help check the Afar rebellion and disarm Ethiopian soldiers who cross the border after the overthrow of Ethiopian President Mengistu Haile Mariam.
- 1994 - RWANDA - French and Belgian soldiers evacuate Europeans from Rwanda as Hutu hardliners massacre hundreds of thousands, mainly Tutsis. Later in the year some 2,500 French troops, backed by contingents from African countries, launch "Operation Turquoise", described as a humanitarian effort, from Zaire into eastern Rwanda.
- 1995 - COMOROS - French forces crush a repeat coup attempt led by French mercenary Bob Denard against President Said Mohamed Djohar. About 200 French soldiers forced Denard to leave the Comoros and restored order after president Ahmed Abdallah's assassination by his guard in 1989.
- 1996/97 - CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC - French troops intervene to end army pay mutiny against President Ange-Felix Patasse.
- 1997 - CONGO REPUBLIC - Some 1,200 French troops rescue French and African nationals during fighting between Congo army and supporters of military leader Denis Sassou Nguesso, now president again.
- 2002 - IVORY COAST - French forces mount "Operation Licorne" to help westerners trapped by a military uprising which effectively cut Ivory Coast in two. In 2004 they destroyed Ivory Coast's small air force after government forces bombed a French base.
- 2008 - CHAD - A new French intervention bolsters the regime of Chadian president Idriss Deby and evacuates foreigners during attacks by rebels who crossed from neighbouring Sudan.
- 2011 - LIBYA - French planes are the first to bomb Muammar Gaddafi's forces in March after the United Nations voted to allow intervention in Libya to protect civilians caught up in a rebellion against Gaddafi's four-decade rule. NATO took command of the overall mission on March 31 which allowed Libyan rebels to defeat government forces and effectively seize power.
- 2011 - IVORY COAST - French forces tip the balance alongside U.N. forces in the civil war which erupted after the refusal of Laurent Gbagbo to step down and accept the election victory of Alassane Ouattara as president.
- 2013 - French aircraft pound Islamist rebels in Mali after they tried to expand their power base and headed towards the Malian capital, Bamako. France had warned that the control of northern Mali by the rebels posed a security threat to Europe. At the same time France mounted an unsuccessful commando raid to try to rescue a French hostage held by al Shabaab militants in Somalia, also allied to al Qaeda. The hostage was killed.
All of which leads us to one simple conclusion: expect some very ugly economic numbers out of France now that even Germany is expected to report the first leg of a full blown recession.
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You mean it's like a debt based monetary system that has to continue until it goes exponential and then...and then.. well, I am sure they have this well thought out, don't they?
yes the debt based monetary enslavement system is the root cause of all of this. La plus que ce change, la plus que meme choses (excuse my french its very rusty).
King Louis XVI was inticed to borrow money from the Rothchilds. When he found himself deeply in debt because of rash foreign wars (The American Revlolution), he offered to pay off the debt using French lands and French productive capacities, but the Rothchild bankers refused, demanding payment in specie. In order to come up with the gold, Louis instituted "austerity measures".
Meanwhile a shiftless and morally dissolute rabble of Masons calling themselves the Jacobin Club received funding and support from a Masonic group of German Jews called the Illuminati. The Jacobins fomented revolutionary sentiments among the suddenly hungry, cold and impoverished Parisan populace.
The rest is history. Sound familiar?
There are two templates for modern history: The French Revolution and the Spanish Civil War. If you want to know how the story in America ends, all you have to do is acquaint yorself with one or both of these sad but instructive tales.
JBeawnker control of the economy always leads to JCeowmmunist JAetwheism, which always ends in RFoamsacnist Dictatorship.
It was fun reading right up to Joooooos!!!
"The French Revolution and the Spanish Civil War. If you want to know how the story in America ends, all you have to do is acquaint yorself with one or both of these sad but instructive tales."
Sorry... no. We are in both uncharted waters and unprecedented times. Will everyone please stop comparing America to all of these sad, defeated, shit-and-piss countries?
oh this world is getting really boring why don't we just refuse to pay our debts and blow an atomic bomb on someone's capital city ?
Let's bring the fun !
Haha, getting their asses handed to them by spear chuckers.
Just taking a cue from Uncle Joe, er I mean Uncle Sam and keeping the young "workers" busy blowing things up...
Some people never understand or accept their limitations. The Frogs should know better than this.
They should leave professional warring to the professionals. The Americans. The French should stay at home, eat vichisuas, and snivel. Stick with the things they are good at.
Bungle in the Jungle
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jz0AwsJ3_E
wee wee
A few years ago, didn't the EU pay Gaddafi a few billion to keep the brown people out of Europe?
"We are not retreating -- we are advancing in another direction."
We are lost but making great time.
Look kids! Big Ben! Parliament!
But now returning back to USA problems:
look at this traitor commando:
http://sealaskatimes.blogspot.ca/2010/03/article-i-wish-i-would-never-ha...
glad to see some sober posts opposing that brainshwashed douchebag that wrote that piece.
Most likely a ghost writer, hence anonymous.
Propaganda.
If not, I'm sure he has some equally adept and conditioned team-mates that think VERY differently.
Sure according to this guy only civilians need adhere to the constitution as he seems very willing to imply that he would act against his fellow citizens should they react unfavorably to the exclusion of perhaps the second amendment. Well let me tell ya sarge, I too swore an oath to uphold the Constitution and it will be a cold day in hell when I or my fellow patriots let that happen. http://oathkeepers.org/oath/about/
That overconfident cunt misses at least a few critical points. Firstly, sure a 60-1 kill ratio of killing Iraqis in an urban assault with fully fed and paid Marines with back-up attack helicopters, drones, etc. is pretty good. But, at least one key ingredient is that in his you Americans aint so tough tirade he forgot to mention that in America he aint so tough either and for largely the same reasons he claims the Iraqis have problems facing him and his support crew. Namely, for example, that back home in the USofA we have access to his family who probably aren't so physically tough either. In short, what makes him think that his 3 square and support network will go untested back on his home turf? That, and secondly what f_ing planet does he think will pay for him and his attack helicopters, etc. when the economy craters (the Obama phone people will pay him?)? Is he really so stupid as to believe that a civil war type situation here will be fought on the Constitution side by only 65 year old women and no veterans who actually uphold their oaths? Now let's imagine an equivalent American Falluja situation where a collapsing and now underpaid hated US military tries to assault a city like oh say Detroit, and to what end? In most large cities these days you have mostly Barry supporters anyway. To what end would such a scenario play out here in the US? He is an idiot and although he accuses others of not thinking it through it seems he hasn't and is "fighting the last war." Cunt.
Sacrebleu!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wee Wee
in response to Zero Hedge Death Star petition Hollywood has started a Climate Change petition
Mark Ruffalo Verified @Mruff221
I just started a petition. Let's declare War On Climate Change. Figured if the Death star can get 35,000 sigs we could. http://wh.gov/EawO
https://twitter.com/Mruff221/status/290333833570680832
Millionaires & billoinaires start petition to drive up prices on the majority (that they themselves can easily afford) while at the same time claiming some as yet, undescribed, mantle of moral superiority...kinda like a Kardashian or a Lohan or a Penn or a fucking Honey Boo Boo.
Excellent!
Katie Miller @katiemiller26
@Mruff221 Its a really nice notion, but the real problem is stupidity. If more people accepted the science as fact (duh) more could be done.
lol...got some real scientific types hitting it.
Can't wait for @Al Gorjeezra to sign on ;-)
+100 for Al Gorjeerza!
His Monster Island name?
Regarding Mark Ruffalo:
To point out his hypocrisy, find all of his addresses, pull the power and water bills and you will see they are mulitples above what the plebs use. Same as the rest of the false prosletizers. Do as we say not as we do.
Send them to the sun with water buckets.
Great.
Because we don't have enough 'Wars on Imaginary Terrors' to spend billions we can borrow and later tax on.
How's Johnson's War on Poverty going so far?
Brilliant.
News Flash; Nuclear power France, fresh off a humiliating retreat from an effort to tax all wealth in the country, fails miserably in an effort to bully some little country full of brown people (that noone ever heard of), in an effort to be thought of as the equals of America. Stay tuned for part two of our special report.
Isn't france broke wtf are they doing invading third world countries that pose no threat whatsoever 0o? and for Gods Sake they are using paper airplanes from the 40's to doit.
The muzzies are taking Mali over, and that a situation they have reason, at home, to be sympathetic with.
If muslims are muzzies, does that mean christians are chrissies?
Moon god worshippers? Death cult members? Emulators of the Illiterate Pedophile of Arabia? Sand people (George Lucas' idea) doesn't work because it isn't limited to deserts, and there are other sand peoples who aren't big on Islam(e).
to distract public attention from the recent humiliation (and backfire) of the socialist government's "tax the rich" campaign
Yes, that is it. You got it! Thanks for such brilliant logic and putting all the dots together....{true statement about A}+(true statement about b}=must be TRUE for C.
France is jealous of the CIA's reputation of blundering incompetence in covert foreign intervention and it's resulting unintended consequences and wishes to take the lead away from the US.
Sorry.
USA is still #1. We FUBAR better with more consistant results.
This video says it all. The real history of America. Watch this and you'll pretty much understand everything that has gone on in this world, is going on, and will go on in the furture, unless we wake up. We are being played by those with the wealth and power to control things, plain and simple. And our own government, sadly, is part of the problem. And I mean both sides of the aisle. If you don't understand this fundamental truth, you don't understand anything. It is all distraction for the purpose of implementing the hidden agenda. More money and power and control -- ultimately of all of us and the way we think and respond to what they are doing behind the scenes. It's all layed out here, fact based and documented, beyond dispute, for everyone to see. All of the main pieces have been put together. All you have to do is watch it and make up your own mind about what is happening.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article31417.htm
Great reference to the Maginot Line.
Didn't anybody else get it?
Yes.
Yes...and so did the Germans ;-)
It wasn't that great. Hence, ignored. Slightly witty at best.
I got that reference.
You are very clever. Do we have to announce that we "get it" now?
The war pigs are bound and determined to have another jolly little war
Perhaps part of the reason for these adventures might have to do with the fact that the payment of riba (usury) is one of the 7 heinous sins of islam?
SHERMAN, WILLIAM T. 19th century American soldier. In a letter from Union-occupied Memphis, July 30, 1862, he wrote:
"I found so many Predators and speculators here trading in cotton, and secessionists had become so open in refusing anything but gold, that I have felt myself bound to stop it. The gold can have but one use - the purchase of arms and ammunition... Of course, I have respected all permits by yourself or the Secretary of the Treasury, but in these new cases (swarms of Predators), I have stopped it." (The Sherman Letters)
ROSS, L. F. 19th century American military man. As did Generals ULYSSES S. GRANT and WILLIAM T. SHERMAN, Ross confronted Predatorish 'carpetbagging' cotton traders preying upon captured Confederate areas during the Civil War. In a letter to General John A. McClernand, he wrote:
"The cotton speculators are quite clamorous for aid in the getting their cotton away from Middleburg, Hickory Valley, etc., and offer to pay liberally for the service. I think I can bring it away with safety, and make it pay to the Government. As some of the Predator owners have as good as stolen the cotton from the planters, I have no conscientious scruples in making them pay liberally to take it away."
OLMSTED, GREDERICK LAW. 19th century American architect, historian.
"A swarm of Predators has, within the last ten years, settled in every Southern town, many of them men of no character, opening cheap clothing and trinket shops, ruining or driving out of business many of the old retailers, and engaging in an unlawful trade with the simple Negroes, which is found very profitable. (The Cotton Kingdom. For other views on Predatorish involvement in exploiting the South, see ULYSSES S. GRANT and MARK TWAIN.)
TWAIN, MARK (S. L. Clemens). 19th century American writer.
"In the U.S. cotton states, after the war... the Predator came down in force, set up shop on the plantation, supplied all the Negroes' wants on credit, and at the end of the season was the proprietor of the Negro's share of the present crop and part of the next one. Before long, the whites detested the Predator. (1)
The Predator is being legislated out of Russia. The reason is not concealed. The movement was instituted because the Christian peasant stood no chance against his commercial abilities. The Predator was always ready to lend on a crop. When settlement day came, he owned the crop; the next year he owned the farm - like Joseph. (2)
In the England of John's time everybody got into debt to the Predator. He gathered all lucrative enterprises into his hands. He was the King of Commerce. He had to be banished from the realm. For like reasons, Spain had to banish him 400 years ago, and Austria a couple of centuries later.
In all ages Christian Europe has been obliged to curtail his activities. If he entered upon a trade, the Christian had to retire from it. If he set up as a doctor, he took the business. If he exploited agriculture, the other farmers had to get at something else. The law had to step in to save the Christian from the poor-house. Still, almost bereft of employments, he found ways to make money. Even to get rich. This history has a most sordid and practical commercial look. Religious prejudices may account for one part of it, bit not for the other nine.
Protestants have persecuted Catholics - but they did not take their livelihoods away from them. Catholics have persecuted Protestants - bit they never closed agriculture and the handicrafts against them. I feel convinced that the Crucifixion has not much to do with the world's attitude toward the Predator; that the reasons for it are much older than that event ...
I am convinced that the persecution of the Predator is not in any large degree due to religious prejudice. No, the Predator is a money-getter. He made it the end and aim of his life. He was at it in Rome. He has been at it ever since. His success has made the whole human race his enemy.
You will say that the Predator is everywhere numerically feeble. When I read in the Cyclopedia Britannica that the Predatorish population in the United States was 250,000 I wrote the editor and explained to him that I was personally acquainted with more Predators than that, and that his figures were without doubt a misprint for 25,000,000. People told me that they had reasons to suspect that for business reasons, many Predators did not report themselves as Predators. It looks plausible. I am strongly of the opinion that we have an immense Predatorish population in America. I am assured by men competent to speak that the Predators are exceedingly active in politics. ("Concerning the Predators," Harper's Monthly Magazine, September 1899)
Twain's opinion on the Predators is probably the best-kept secret in American literary history. Immediately after his death, his eccentric daughter Clara married - or was married by - the Predatorish piano player, Ossip Galbrilowitsch. Twain's publishers were given speedy instructions to delete "Concerning the Predators" from the collected works, where it had appeared in the book The Man that Corrupted Hadleybury & Other Stories. (1) Since Predators provided most of the agitators and orators who pushed forward the Abolition campaign that culminated in the Civil War (which Predatorish bankers largely financed, on both sides), it seems a legitimate question whether there was any preplanning for the wholesale - and retail - economic looting done by mainly Predatorish carpetbaggers after the war. (2) We have cited a host of other writers on the terrible economic depredation that Predatorry visited on the people of Tzarist Russia.
Fill in the blank, Predator/s = __________
The French would Fuck-Up a Free Lunch Line.
Oh by the way, who's paying for this? Just asking......
Not Gerard Depardieu.
And fact is, THE UK IS NOW HELPING THEM.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jan/12/mali-somalia-france-rebels-i...
Also : The French government announced yesterday that it has raised its terror alert level from "Run" to "Hide." The only two higher levels in France are "Collaborate" and "Surrender." The rise was precipitated by a recent fire that destroyed France 's white flag factory, effectively paralyzing the country's military capability.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-21004040
its a cargo plane to lift out stranded french troops
Brilliant...here's the full list for those who haven't seen it:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Terror Alert Levels
The English are feeling the pinch in relation to recent terrorist threats and have raised their security level from "Miffed" to "Peeved." Soon, though, security levels may be raised yet again to "Irritated" or even "A Bit Cross." The English have not been "A Bit Cross" since the blitz in 1940 when tea supplies all but ran out. Terrorists have been re-categorized from "Tiresome" to a "Bloody Nuisance." The last time the British issued a "Bloody Nuisance" warning level was in 1588 when threatened by the Spanish Armada.
The Scots raised their threat level from "Pissed Off" to "Let's get the Bastards" They don't have any other levels. This is the reason they have been used on the front line of the British army for the last 300 years.
The French government announced yesterday that it has raised its terror alert level from "Run" to "Hide". The only two higher levels in France are "Collaborate" and "Surrender." The rise was precipitated by a recent fire that destroyed France's white flag factory, effectively paralyzing the country's military capability.
It's not only the French who are on a heightened level of alert. Italy has increased the alert level from "Shout loudly and excitedly" to "Elaborate Military Posturing." Two more levels remain: "Ineffective Combat Operations" and "Change Sides."
The Germans also increased their alert state from "Disdainful Arrogance" to "Dress in Uniform and Sing Marching Songs." They also have two higher levels: "Invade a Neighbour" and "Lose".
Belgians, on the other hand, are all on holiday as usual, and the only threat they are worried about is NATO pulling out of Brussels.
The Spanish are all excited to see their new submarines ready to deploy. These beautifully designed subs have glass bottoms so the new Spanish navy can get a really good look at the old Spanish navy.
Americans meanwhile and as usual are carrying out pre-emptive strikes, on all of their allies, just in case.
And in the southern hemisphere...
New Zealand has also raised its security levels - from "baaa" to "BAAAA!". Due to continuing defence cutbacks (the air force being a squadron of spotty teenagers flying paper aeroplanes and the navy some toy boats in the Prime Minister's bath), New Zealand only has one more level of escalation, which is "I hope those bloody Australians will come and rescue us".
Australia , meanwhile, has raised its security level from "No worries" to "She'll be right, mate". Three more escalation levels remain: "Crikey!', "I think we'll need to cancel the barbie this weekend" and "The barbie is cancelled". So far no situation has ever warranted use of the final escalation level.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
yes it is..the old ones are best..maybe should add a few more
The Russians have raised their alert status from "sign a deal with the fascists" to "holy shit, they are coming for us, burn everything and start eating shoes". This leaves just one other alert level "sign deals with everyone before the mafia gets it".
The Americans have raised their alert from "lend them some money and make them buy our stuff" to "lend them a shit load of money and make them buy everyone's stuff". This leaves "print 5 trillion dollars so the stuff they bought ain't worth shit".
:-)
Thanks for that. Saved me having to look it up. John Cleese is brilliant.
So America never bungled anything? Remember the hostage rescue in Iran? Freeing hostage is always an away game because the defenders know the territory and situation better than the ones coming to the rescue. Stealth and element of surprise are the key thing. But perhaps the French were too eager. It is also better for the French to prepare for trouble in the banlieues back home.
I'm sure the soliders of al Shabaab will enjoy the shade during their march down the Champs-Elysees...
Theres a shit load of Uranium in them there hills....................something France needs almost as much as oil.
France is developing colonial systems in Algeria to the north of Mali and Morrocco also.
Its a classic resource war.
Jet fighters against hand weapons! And you know what.? They are going to flee with their tails between their legs.
France has several hundred years experience in snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.
This is going to be the latest version of that saga.
I hope if the French ask to fly over some country's air space that that country tells 'em to get fucked.
the planes come from their Tchad base so they're already crossing Tchad, Niger and Mali airspace ;-)
Then they have permission (or just did it anyway). :-)
Say, how do they really pronounce "Niger"?
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/03/En-us-Niger.ogg
So, what's that Nobel Peace Prize winner of a president doing about this?
Is there a French word for 'shame'?
One is reminded of Italy's "stab in the back" of France in WWII. France knows better.
Yes. France.
Italy's "stab in the back"? Please elaborate.
In WWII Germany smashed France in the north, but before France could surrender, Italian troops, without any provocation or resistance invaded the south of France. In this instance the US is invading Africa and France, without the slightest provocation, is riding the USA's coattails.
Big, brave France. Bravo. Bon Marche. The day of glory has arrived. Napolean just threw up in his tomb.
Well, I guess you can argue that Germany & Italy were allies, so the Italians thought they'd move in. I'd never heard of that...need to read up on it. I thought the Dolfster had Vichy France all for himself.
Italian fascist army was a joke...I think in 1935 they invaded Ethopia...still took them a year to claim victory against spears and barefooted warriors.
Napoleon allegedly said, "An army marches on its stomach". Geeesh, see Gerald Depardieu lately? That's an army of one!
And the Italians had to use poison gas in Ethopia to proclaim victory.
Honte? But fool me twice -- well, you know, won't be fooled again.
Wait a minute .... you guys are taking this the wrong way .... again: Live practice for the French military, relatively close to home and in their traditional area of influence .... economical live fire exercises .... killing black, socialist, Muslim terrorists ? Where's the down side .... and I'll bet these live war games are very cost effective ! You can't buy this kind of training opportunity .... good hunting ! I'm with the Frogs on this one !
Fuck you and fuck every single post you've ever made.
I don't like bicycles, either ! They always go flat and they take up too much space ! I've got a date at Costco .... hot dog and cola .... cheap date .... now do you like me any better ? Bye !
Anyone walk in downtown Paris at night recently? How about Brussels? Perugia?
I suspect it's safer in Kabul then some of these European MENA cities now.
yeah i'm belgian and i got told by a rwandese friend Kigali was way safer at night than brussels -.-
A Belgian guy I know said there are parts of Brussels where not even the cops will go in to.
i've been to kigali and it has very little street lighting and when they get to squabbling over precious metals and diamonds in Zaire, Congo and Central African Republic and shooting matches amongst Ugandans and Zimbabweans, there are armed soldiers who want to knwo who the fuck you are behind every bush in the city. City of a thousand hills indeed.
I've always maintained that I felt safer in Baghdad than I've ever flet in Baltimore (aside from the downtown area and a nice pocket in the center-north). Maybe there's something about carrying a rifle and wearing body armor that adds confidence, but at least Middle-Easterners are mostly honest about their intentions (we're either going to feed you/drink tea with you, or we're going to shoot you/bomb your base) whereas with the Africans you just never know.
Hahaha, mais Paris est une petite ville tout à fait tranquille ! Que ne faut-il pas lire !
This comes to mind: Iran Hostage rescue attempt #1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBLw5vvR9wA&list=TLcP5RIJW9t_k&feature=pl...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Eagle_Claw
"As the U.S. force prepared to leave Iran, one of the helicopters crashed into a C-130 Hercules transport aircraft containing fuel and a group of servicemen. The resulting fire destroyed the two aircraft involved[4] and resulted in the remaining helicopters being left behind and the deaths of eight American servicemen. Operation Eagle Claw was one of Delta Force's first missions.[6]"
Hey,go easy on da frenchman,they need da employment just like da Americans.
Here,here, Employment all round.
That puta Kirchner in Argentina is up to similar tricks with her rhetoric about the Falklands.
Smarten up before the army takes you.
Surrender monkeys!
War is the continuation of Politik by other means.
This entire planet is a huge powder keg. The bad vibes in the air are so thick you can see them.
J'ai lu dans l'article une référence à la ligne Maginot, j'en ai une autre pour l'auteur :
Guerre 1914-1918 : "1 315 000 soldats français décomptés morts soit 27 % des 18-27 ans". Des commentaires ?
Aimants de plomb?
France's economy is on the verge of collapse.
Typical diversionary tactic. Go blow something up.
And even more distraction from the implosion:
"Tens of thousands of people gathered in the French capital on Sunday to voice their opposition to President François Hollande’s controversial “marriage for all” bill, which seeks to extend equal rights to same-sex couples. " jd.
http://www.france24.com/en/20130113-huge-crowds-rally-paris-against-gay-marriage
Are you saying that under this new "marriage for all" law, I could marry my favorite sock!?
If they kill enought people i'm sure the junkheads of the Nobel Prize Committee will grant Mr Hollande the Peace Prize !
To tie together several threads: France merely needs to move to the US and apply for SSDI benefits. This would be paid for by the platinum Krugman-coin. NSA would data mine bank records for seizable funds (hint all of them). Funds "liberated" used to expand FEMA camps. All recipients of government assistance (pensions, SSI, SSDI, unemployment benefits, Obamacare, etc.) are then moved to FEMA camps where they live out the remainder of their happy days provided for by the gentle, nurturing hands of DearLeader. Or Gelieben Fuhrer if you wish.
Oh hell, what could go wrong?....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gi3ggH1s-sM
WAR=bullish on the economy. If breaking windows is good for the economy, bombing brown people must be realllly good. Long Allouette choppers.
How come there's no post on this week's North Korean nuclear test?
http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/N_Korea_tells_China_planning_nuclear_t...
Because Boris Badenov in the white house wants you to be surprised when it goes off over LA.
Some thoughts on the French in Africa. Back after World War two the French fought a long and very bloody war in Algeria. The nation was a French Colony. The locals fought for independence. The French used armed forces to prenet the local Algerian population from gaining indpendence. This war was very savage. The independence forces used many terrorist tactics that are now everyday things in the Middle East. The French used the Foreign Legion, regualr Army troops and a vast secet police network. It is now accepted that France used vast torture prisons and extra judicial execution of suspects. Under any definition, France was guilty of war crimes on a par with those the Nazi's committed, short of genicide.
France was a bug supporter of the Libyan revolution two years ago. They backed the forces that contained a large segement of Al-Qaeda and Jihadist elements in general. Arms, training, money, supplies and diplomatic support were provided to forces that were mainly composed of extremist Muslims who supported Jihad and many were linked to Al-Qaeda. France and NATO provided rebels with air support to defeat Libyan army units, simply out, no air strikes, then no defeat of the Libyan army. Once the rebels won their victory, the vast stores of modern weapons of the Libyan army were looted by many forces of Al-Qaeda and allies of Jihadists across Africa and the middle east. Mali insurgents beneftied by getting sophisticated infantry deployed weapons such as Russia shoulder fired anti aircraft missiles, anti tank missiles and an array of modern Russian RPGs capable of killing modern tanks. The same type hezbollha used to kill Israeli tanks in the Lebanon war. In short, France stood by and allowed Muslim extremist to equip themsleves with dangerous and modern Russian built infantry weapons ideal for defeating any occupation forces using low flying aircraft and armored vehicles.
Most likley the French Helicopter shot down by Jihadist Mali Muslims was downed by a Libyan Russian built shoulder fired anti aircraft missile, one that France allowed to fall into Jihadist hands. Some of these wepaons are now in use by Jihadists in Syria, The Gaza strip, Lebanon and MALI. So the French are going to face the very modern weapons they allowed Muslime extremists to take at a time when France say Jihadists as great allies. France even now works hand in hand with Al-Qaeda forces to arm, fund, train and transport these radical extremist Jihadists to Syria where they will kill Syrians that France thinks should be killed in order to put a pro NATO government into place in Syria.
France fancies themselves to be great fighters for freedom. Their record of murder and torture in Algeria in an attempt to prevent locals from taking their own country back seems to make France look like liars and killers. What they are up to in Mali seems connected to French commerical interests in neighboring countries as some others have already pointed out in these comments above.
France says it is in Mali to protect Europe from radical Islam. Well then, why does France support terrorists that are being sent to Syria to kill secular and christian Syrians? The church in Syria itself has asked for international support to protect Christian Syrians from murder and ethnic cleansing by NATO supported Al-Qaeda and radical foreign Jihadists who have come to Syria with NATO's help from all across the Middle East. In return NATO does nothing to help christians in Syria or other religious and ethnic minorities in Syria. Instead France and NATO have stepped up their weapons shipments to know terrorists and have transported even more radical Islamists and armed them and shipped them into Syria. Thus they are indirectly killing Syria's Christains, Jews in Syria are also under threat from Jihadists. but most are in major cities still held by the Syrian army, but all these jews will be killed if the NATO allies manage to capture the large Syrian cities.
Worse still for France, at the same time they are fighting to protect Europe in Mali, they have opened their borders to any and all Muslims who can reach France. They also provide a safe haven for Muslims from Africa who seek to reach Britain and Scandinavia and Germany. They use France to get a foothold in Europe as France will support the Muslims until they can reach northern European nations that offer generous benefits to illegal Muslim immigrants.
Taken all together, I have a few choice words for the French government. "You are liars and killers. You are hypocrites of the worst sort. You are not defending Europe from radical Islam, you are providing the open door that radical Islamists use to infiltrate Europe. You are supporters of Al-Qaeda murderers of Syrian Christians and threaten the jews of Syria. You are self indulgent arrogant stupid fucking pricks. Liars and fuck ups. Look at your policies you fuck heads? They make no sense. France is too stupis to see that they are causing more murder and killing and their actions in support of Al-Qaeda are criminal. So dear French "Go fuck your selves you stupis arrogant assholes idiots!"
Taken all together, I have a few choice words for the French government. "You are liars and killers. You are hypocrites of the worst sort.
***********
I'd rather have a German division in front of me than have a French brigade behind me'
General George Patten
"Taken all together, I have a few choice words for the French government. "You are liars and killers. You are hypocrites of the worst sort."
C'est l'hôpital qui se moque de la charité
The SEALs wouldn't f*cked this up.
Silly French.
Because the US intervention in Somalia to capture Aidid went well????
That was Delta force/regular army. Of late, SEAL mission have been very successful. Skilled killers, tight 6 man setup.
Like NATO had nothing to do with Algeria? How many did the Frenchies slaughter there to make nice with the Dulles that Ike pulled up? Lansdale and political toadies like Brennan thoughts on torture got refined there on the US's behalf didn't they? Paired up with Lansdales 50's efforts in The Phillippines Algeria served to fill in the fine detail for the KUBARK manual rolled out for Vietnam. And it is on its way to Mali replaying Algeria as sure as a shrinking North Sea oil reserve induced EU/NATO led mission was on its way to Libya. So we have soft targets for AFRICOM and they get cheaper troops by employing local black surrogates. Too bad for crime on your local street with the fewer jobs available for your good old boy set.
And what political direction did DeGaulle head in after Algeria? Another ending of the entente cordiale? The Sarko-Hollande CIA installed Frenchy client estate is dying already even before the religio-ethnic divide and rule awakening designer fiasco gets spat out by the locals. You know those otherwise set to endure your white anglo supremacy induced misery?
You want to do something about it? Then demand conscription and get your all your fellow white middle class butts out there on the front line for the next Vietnam or Israeli invasion of Lebanon. We'll all appreciate the lesson that teaches you that aliens are as resilient an example of the human species as those thinking they were born to eat apple pie. Such lessons were never understood by your romantic era infantile inspired social Darwinian narrative employing 0.1%, but then again how would they ever be taught any lesson when they stopped sending their kids out to fight by the 60's and left it to those that would otherwise be hamburger flippers in order to keep America's tidy towns tidy and orderly?
Now its being triple undone. The debt bomb, the unfunded liability bomb, and the imperial over reach bomb.
Leftards screw up their economies with socialism/corporatism then start war mongering which further ruins their national economies. Idiots.
The only "tards" left are those that can't see TPTB are jacking off with both hands.
Except that those on the left hand (to the man) worship the jack offs, big difference. Hit the road with your co-option BS.
Hollande socialiste ? Hahaha, mais informez-vous nom de zeus !
Hollande isn't socialist? Lol libtards always lying
Not just uranium because the French can get all they want from Saskatchewan,Canada.Canada being another NATO partner and part French as well.Canada also belongs to various French Country Agreements.There are some pretty good gold deposits in the S.W. region of that country called Mali.You might argue that gold is not money yet but it's certainly an important commodity being literally hoarded by every central bank in the world right now.Especially the corrupt commis in China.As well,some other "certain"organizations have caught onto this from watching the steps that Iran is taking with gold trading.If you have had your monies seized already in foreign bank accounts by the U.S. Government and/or thei Agencies the you are going to change your currency ways aren't you?Utah just passed a law making it another offical State currency.Gold is becoming a very valuable currency.Somebody out there is searching for a new headquarters in order to set up shop in Mali and the French caught on.
At least the Frenchies tried to rescue their hostages. Ozone just kills his.
Begun, the colonialism 2.0 war has.
For the record, anyone who doesn't see this as a continuation of Lybia should investigate the North / South split, Gaddaffi's involvement in the peace process and the underlying issues. Handy Map. Like Sudan, the South of Mali is a very central base to launch all kinds of operations from (top tip: do a bit of Googling onto Obama being asked to waive debt payments from certain African governments last year, and his reaction, if you need to get up to speed here. The South Mali gov. is pro-West for the moment, and we've been propping it up but Obama was an asshole over a mere few hundred million $ debt). The gold reserves and so on are merely a bonus to pay for operations; it's the central spot for control of all West Africa, including the main attraction, Nigeria (oil).
[Togo, on record, and note to all parties. Don't fuck with Togo, it's protected. Only place in Africa where multiple religions have co-existed without war for a long time now; genetically marked & verboten or more accurately, sperrgebiet for all you "playas". It's about your last best hope of not having the "God Spot" in the brain permanently revoked].
To parse this even more simply; NATO (EU) gets West Africa; USA gets East Africa (bonus points for military bases in range of the middle east outside of Suad control, but in range), China has major assets from Madagascar westwards (for the really slow amongst you, China has built a few of their empty cities in Angola [Source]) and the Central Congo regions are (and have always been) fucking insane. The tripartite solution will probably just gigadeath that entire region, it's not like the French / CIA weren't play-testing solutions in Rwanda already, is it?
South Africa probably gets to remain soverign for the time being, and places dear to the heart of England and tourism (such as Kenya, and Zimbabwe) will probably be held as quasi-independent protectorates.
[Simple Map of Africa for reference]
Any more questions in this 101 "Great Game" lecture? (And sigh to self, what's the point in being all clever and referencing "Stand on Zanzibar" multiple times in the run up to plays, if no-one pays attention? Monty Python response: THE PARROT IS DEAD; NO, IT'S RESTING)
i think you will find that China already has most of sub-saharan Africa from Cameroon to Mozambique in its pocket, replacing Portugal, Cuba and Russia. The US is pretty well hated throughout the region and it won't be able to maintain any kind of foothold in that region.
As far as West Africa is concerned, there are simply way too many people around for a colonial power like the US to have any chance. The map needs to be drawn east of Libya and into Egypt and Syria, where the politcally active Muslim Brotherhood pose the greatest threat to US security interests (not just Israel, but overthrow of not openly hostile north African and Arabian governments). It is from here that overthrow of US friendly monarchies Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Kuwait will cause the global the most superpower (China, Russia and the US) friction.
Mauritania, Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria aren't worth the effort.
One of the only reasons to subscribe to ZH is that there's a huge talent pool out there who read it, but don't usually comment. Until they do.
Yeah, I get your comment, but hey: I already stated that Sudan was a nice base for operations if you have a 5 yr plan that includes the destabalisation of Saud and so on. The rest of the post is 0% info. My post stated why NATO / EU was going into W. Africa, and you're all like "we can't 'cause there's not enough people"? LOLWUT. Time to ask some Shell persons some questions; hey, let's burn the whole thing down and interrogate any and all bribe givers in Nigeria for the last 50 years.
Oh, right. "We don't have enough people in West Africa" for that. Fuck off, and fuck the unicorn you rode in on.
Grow up. Even in Rwanda there were CIA peeps crawling out of the wood-work, and you expect us to believe that in the major oil producing West African nations, you don't have operatives? Fuck right off before I ask nicely and get them all posted onto the intarweb just to spite you. It ain't rocket science, muppet. Anyhow, nice to know that Langley is paying attention. Better you than the NSA, eh?
Be seeing you. (And oh yes, we get the Eye in the Sky).
p.s. The ultimate and obvious threat is merely to provide the entire data bank (1949-2006) of Western intelligence in Africa to run free, like Wikileaks. The only obvious difference being, you killed a lot of nice people, and bank-rolled a whole load of psychos like Idi Amin. Hmm. Let me see. Over $250 billion in slush funds from Africa says you probably don't want to go there.
Fuck off. The fact you people still can live with yourselves while working as you do, merely states either your sub-humanity or your ignorance of the real facts. ~Try looking up how democratic leaders dissolved in acid works out for the Empire, eh? >cunt<