View Full Version : France Declares war on Al-Qaeda
variablebinary
07-28-10, 01:17
France, is slowly but surely getting fed up with their numerous Islamic issues.
They've now decided to join the fray against Al-Qaeda.
Good!
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100727/ap_on_re_eu/eu_france_al_qaida_hostage
http://militaryupload.com/uploads/french-foreign-legion.jpg
http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/4660/32n2010226k010338.jpg
PARIS – France has declared war on al-Qaida, and matched its fighting words with a first attack on a base camp of the terror network's North African branch, after the terror network killed a French aid worker it took hostage in April.
The declaration and attack marked a shift in strategy for France, usually discrete about its behind-the-scenes battle against terrorism.
"We are at war with al-Qaida," Prime Minister Francois Fillon said Tuesday, a day after President Nicolas Sarkozy announced the death of 78-year-old hostage Michel Germaneau.
The humanitarian worker had been abducted April 20 or 22 in Niger by al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb, and was later taken to Mali, officials said.
The killers will "not go unpunished," Sarkozy said in unusually strong language, given France's habit of employing quiet cooperation with its regional allies — Mauritania, Mali, Niger and Algeria — in which the al-Qaida franchise was spawned amid an Islamist insurgency.
ThirdWatcher
07-28-10, 02:33
It's good to see France stand up for what's right.
Send in the Legionnaires :)
France Declares war on Al-Qaeda
There's a joke in here somewhere, I know it.
ChicagoTex
07-28-10, 03:21
The guy in the first pic may be the most badass looking frenchman I've ever seen.
A little late to the party, but good on France for stepping up and, most importantly, putting their troops where their mouth is.
The guy in the first pic may be the most badass looking frenchman I've ever seen.
I was thinking the same thing. He must be a Legionnaire and not French.
I am thinking he looks like a Pac islander of the farther south kind
Maori ?
Jake the Muss off "Once Were Warriors" (a movie about Maori mostly known for epic barfight beatdown scenes) is what he looks like, LOL.
I am thinking he looks like a Pac islander of the farther south kind Maori ?
Exactly what i was thinking. The tats even look Maori.
A little late to the party, but good on France for stepping up and, most importantly, putting their troops where their mouth is.
The French operate through out africa and in parts of the middle east, the only place they didn't participate was the invasion of Iraq.
I am having a hard time identifying their weapons?
France, is slowly but surely getting fed up with their numerous Islamic issues.
They've now decided to join the fray against Al-Qaeda.
Good!
I am having a hard time identifying their weapons?
The stock looks like its from an HK MR556 or whatever they're calling them these days.
The big SOB was photographed at shomali plains, if that helps identify him, looks like a Marine, but can't make out the patch.
variablebinary
07-28-10, 05:03
I am having a hard time identifying their weapons?
FAMAS first pic and HK416 2nd pic
Jake the Muss off "Once Were Warriors" (a movie about Maori mostly known for epic barfight beatdown scenes) is what he looks like, LOL.
LOL, that French Marine looks like he was pulled right out of the Once Were Warriors cast. Yes, he is a Marine http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troupes_de_marine
Here is a better version of the pic where it is easier to see the FAMAS. You know he's badass because look at his weapon compared to the guy behind him, and also notice the plate carrier difference.
http://i40.tinypic.com/30d8akp.jpg
Gutshot John
07-28-10, 07:23
I was thinking the same thing. He must be a Legionnaire and not French.
He's tahitian.
VooDoo6Actual
07-28-10, 07:46
+1 Maori
Gutshot John
07-28-10, 07:57
Maori are New Zealanders. If he were Maori he'd be in the Foreign Legion, not the Troupes de la Marine.
Tahiti is French Polynesia and there are many Tahitians in the French military, I've known several. The French Marines tend to be colonials.
Tahitians are also known for their ornate tats featured on that guy's arm. IIRC even the word "tattoo" is derived from Tahitian.
I'm 99.99% sure he's Tahitian.
What % of the population in france muslim?? Just curious.
seems to me they need to join the fight against all violent / extremist instead of just naming out war on el-caca.
Gutshot John
07-28-10, 08:50
What % of the population in france muslim?? Just curious.
seems to me they need to join the fight against all violent / extremist instead of just naming out war on el-caca.
Less than 10%. You really don't get many Arab extremists in France... the bad ones are mostly just thugs. They drink, get high, they go clubbing and in general love American hip-hop.
As to your second point some countries just can't do anything right. Years ago we complained when France didn't have our zeal against AQ and now we complain when it exceeds our own.
I think we would do well to be grateful for their involvement because there is a good chance that they'll be shouldering much of that burden in the coming years given the Obama administration.
GermanSynergy
07-28-10, 09:18
IIRC the French Paras and other specialist troops are recieving HK 416/417 for ops in Afghanistan.
I've also noticed some French troops with USP 9's in pics. Certainly an improvement over 25+ y/o FAMAS (no longer in production by GIAT/NEXTER) and the locally produced 92G clone & ancient MAC 50 pistols....
Certainly an interesting development, and I wish the French good luck in the fight against AQ.
I was thinking the same thing. He must be a Legionnaire and not French.
Plenty of Legionnaires are French especially in the officer ranks. I've spent a lot of time with the Legion as well as other French forces who were all quite good.
I don't know where people get the idea this is new or that it is just AQ they have been fighting all this time. France has been in Afghanistan for some time as well as other locations. They were smart enough to not buy into the Iraq lies though. Hence freedom fries and the general stupidity about being anti-France from people who don't know anything and don't mind being lead about by the nose by propaganda. I have seen plenty of French forces die and be wounded fighting a common enemy so I am not inclined to be amused by the Bill O'Reillys of this work spewing their nonsense about France because they declined to be involved in invading Iraq.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_forces_in_Afghanistan
There's a joke in here somewhere, I know it.
Something about a day late and a dollar short........... the rest of the free world was outraged about 9/11 and terrorist........... and just now years later France is "over it big time"........ yeah French guns for sell never fired and only dropped once.
dirksterg30
07-28-10, 10:48
Plenty of Legionnaires are French especially in the officer ranks. I've spent a lot of time with the Legion as well as other French forces who were all quite good.
I don't know where people get the idea this is new or that it is just AQ they have been fighting all this time. France has been in Afghanistan for some time as well as other locations. They were smart enough to not buy into the Iraq lies though. Hence freedom fries and the general stupidity about being anti-France from people who don't know anything and don't mind being lead about by the nose by propaganda. I have seen plenty of French forces die and be wounded fighting a common enemy so I am not inclined to be amused by the Bill O'Reillys of this work spewing their nonsense about France because they declined to be involved in invading Iraq.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_forces_in_Afghanistan
What "Iraq lies" would those be? Also, if memory serves, French politicians & companies were involved in the 'Oil for Food' scandal. I don't suppose that might have something to do with French opposition to OIF? http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2004/mar/21/20040321-101405-2593r/
What "Iraq lies" would those be?
Presumably the ones about there being WMDs in the country that in fact did not exist, and the assertions that there were WMDs being based on very thin evidence such as radio chatter that Colin Powell used to try to make the case for the war (or that Bush told him to use to make the case for the war that Powell thought was a bad idea, to be more accurate).
CarlosDJackal
07-28-10, 12:05
Presumably the ones about there being WMDs in the country that in fact did not exist...
Tell that to the Kurds. :rolleyes:
Article about the Survivors of the Attack (http://legacy.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20040317/news_1n17halabja.html)
Iraqi Kurds mourn victims of gas attack.. (http://www.institutkurde.org/en/info/iraqi-kurds-mourn-victims-of-gas-attacks-20-years-ago-1205848598.html)
BBC Article (http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/march/16/newsid_4304000/4304853.stm)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chemical_weapons_Halabja_Iraq_March_1988.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a7/Halabja1.jpg
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1416/802657156_dc48132f0d.jpg
You do know that we (the US) sold Saddam the very same weapons that we are still looking for, right?
There's a joke in here somewhere, I know it.
There will be plenty of jokes around if they surrender to AQ... :sarcastic:
I don't think that the question is the capability of the French fighting man. The question is rather the willpower of the French politician and the French populace.
RogerinTPA
07-28-10, 15:43
Plenty of Legionnaires are French especially in the officer ranks. I've spent a lot of time with the Legion as well as other French forces who were all quite good.
I don't know where people get the idea this is new or that it is just AQ they have been fighting all this time. France has been in Afghanistan for some time as well as other locations. They were smart enough to not buy into the Iraq lies though. Hence freedom fries and the general stupidity about being anti-France from people who don't know anything and don't mind being lead about by the nose by propaganda. I have seen plenty of French forces die and be wounded fighting a common enemy so I am not inclined to be amused by the Bill O'Reillys of this work spewing their nonsense about France because they declined to be involved in invading Iraq.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_forces_in_Afghanistan
I've never been really impressed with the French Army except for the Legionnaires. FYI, the only French in the Legion are the NCOs and Officers until recently. IIRC, regular French citizens couldn't serve until a few years ago.
Tell that to the Kurds.
You mean all the way back in 1988? Ok, why haven't we invaded Iran, too, given that they used chemical weapons during that conflict as well?
I just remember hearing Colin Powell making his "pitch" to the UN about invading Iraq, and thinking "that's all he has to show that they have chemical weapons?" Then thinking, "didn't we invade them, at least into the southern part of the country, in the early 90s? Didn't see much then, did we?"
The rest of the world was skeptical for good reason. People point to French politics in their not participating. One could just as easily point to even more petty motivations that GWB had for picking a fight with Saddam Hussein given the history between Hussein and GWB's father.
Far be it from me to defend the French, but were it not for the French would we have won the Revolutionary War?
I am having a hard time identifying their weapons?
Kinda looks like an HK but cant tell for sure... They sure as hell have a lot of confidence in their Eotech's... Yikes!
ThirdWatcher
07-28-10, 16:24
I don't think that the question is the capability of the French fighting man. The question is rather the willpower of the French politician and the French populace.
The same statement could apply to US.
variablebinary
07-28-10, 16:34
For those that didnt read the article, here is why france is pissed off.
http://msnbcmedia1.msn.com/j/ap/france%20al%20qaida%20hostage-2131468213_v2.grid-6x2.jpg
A photo released Monday July 26, 2010 by the City of Marcoussis, south of Paris, showing French aid group Enimilal member, Michel Germaneau, in 2007. The leader of al-Qaida's North African branch (AQIM) said in a message broadcast Sunday that the 78-year-old French engineer was killed in retaliation for the killing of six al-Qaida members in a raid. Humanitarian worker Michel Germaneau was abducted April 22 in Niger. (AP Photo/Mairie de Marcoussis/Enmilal)
SeriousStudent
07-28-10, 19:19
Help from a friend is always welcome in a fight.
I wish them a swift victory over our common enemy, and a safe return home for all their warriors.
CarlosDJackal
07-28-10, 20:14
You mean all the way back in 1988? Ok, why haven't we invaded Iran, too, given that they used chemical weapons during that conflict as well?
I just remember hearing Colin Powell making his "pitch" to the UN about invading Iraq, and thinking "that's all he has to show that they have chemical weapons?" Then thinking, "didn't we invade them, at least into the southern part of the country, in the early 90s? Didn't see much then, did we?"
The rest of the world was skeptical for good reason. People point to French politics in their not participating. One could just as easily point to even more petty motivations that GWB had for picking a fight with Saddam Hussein given the history between Hussein and GWB's father.
I think you missed the point. My point is it is a well-dcumented fact that SH had WMDs and yet people like to say that he never had them.
Anyone who thinks that we invaded Iraq solely because of WMDs (or Oil, or human rights volation, etc.) is a lemming. If people actually bothered to do their own research on what that particular real estate means in the strategic sense, they would understand the real reason we went there. History can sometimes provide some very good clues to why we do what we do.
Besides, wasn't the UN sending in Nuclear Weapons Inspectors for years even before 09/11/01? :rolleyes:
ICANHITHIMMAN
07-28-10, 21:11
I saw a few french soliders every now and then south of Kandhar in 2003, 2004 time frame. They all spoke english and where nice guys.
I think you missed the point. My point is it is a well-dcumented fact that SH had WMDs and yet people like to say that he never had them.
I didn't say he never had them. I said that the evidence that he had them in 2002/2003, which was the reason Bush gave to Congress and the rest of the world when we asked them to help us invade, was incredibly weak. Because it was. And I said that we never found any after we invaded Iraq (in 1991 AND 2003) which further confirmed my personal belief, and that of many others, that the evidence (and thus the ostensible reason) for the invasion was crap. The Bush administration implored both Congress and the UN to invade Iraq because SH was supposedly keeping WMDs in violation of UN mandates and he posed a threat to the region as a result. The problem is that there wasn't a whole lot on which to base that assertion and, not surprisingly, we found out that he didn't in fact have any after we spent billions of dollars and thousands of lives so far to blow up and now rebuild the country.
Anyone who thinks that we invaded Iraq solely because of WMDs (or Oil, or human rights volation, etc.) is a lemming.
Yes, which was exactly my point as well about why the U.S. has been rightly criticized about its supposed reasons for invading Iraq. Had Bush/Powell said "this guy is an unstable shithead who controls and/or threatens real estate that is key to national security," I would have understood. Instead we got a dog and pony show that the world rolled its eyes at and, more importantly, any rational American rolled his eyes at.
variablebinary
07-28-10, 21:58
I saw a few french soliders every know and then south of Kandhar in 2003, 2004 time frame. They all spoke english and where nice guys.
I lived just outside of Paris for a few months. Nearly everyone spoke English. Most of the people I met were very chill too.
ICANHITHIMMAN
07-28-10, 22:11
I lived just outside of Paris for a few months. Nearly everyone spoke English. Most of the people I met were very chill too.
Good to know that they where all cool. I have never met any other french people besides the soliders. They where small I remeber that not like the guy in the pic is that a legion patch?
GermanSynergy
07-28-10, 22:19
I was thinking the same thing. He must be a Legionnaire and not French.
French Marine. The anchor is the insignia for the Troupes de Marine...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troupes_de_marine
variablebinary
07-29-10, 00:58
As a reminder, the French have been involved in Afghanistan from day one. . They will just be upping operations in Africa, where a lot of shit heads that need killin' are hiding.
They just chose not to get involved in Iraq. They are still a ally though.
http://nsimg.casimages.com/img/jpg/07103011353867661369877.jpg
http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/687/patrouilledanskaboulhe0.jpg
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/383/observationsv0.jpg
http://img708.imageshack.us/img708/5223/picture006m.jpg
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