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French intervention in Mali


Panzer_Leader

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This RT article has some nice images of French VAB APCs and the Panhard ERC 90 Sagaie in Mali: http://rt.com/news/mali-rebels-france-troops-086/

Interestingly, Wikipedia states the ERC 90 was purposely selected to equip particular units instead of the more capable AMX-10RC because the AMX-10RC "was not suitable for transport by the French Air Force Transall C-160 or its allies' Hercules C-130 aircraft due to size and weight issues. In addition, most of the bridges in Africa had only a 6 to 8 ton load capacity ". That show's a bit of foresight on the part of French defence planners in my opinion.

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Just heard that U.S. planes are going to transport the French equipment to Mali.

http://www.defensenews.com/article/20130117/DEFREG02/301170025/U-S-Provide-Transport-Planes-French-Forces-Mali?odyssey=nav%7Chead

I find that amazing, considering they didn't let us overfly their country on air raids into Libya, etc. Now we're helping "the accordion" go to war. :/

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I find that amazing, considering they didn't let us overfly their country on air raids into Libya, etc. Now we're helping "the accordion" go to war. :/

I assume it's not in the United States' interest to have a failed state harbouring jihadists in North Africa, on Europe's southern border. I'm also sure the administration is grateful a European nation is taking the lead, thus relieving the US of the burden at a challenging time (Afghanistan withdrawal, budgetary pressures) and as strategic competition intensifies in the East. This probably trumps any historical scores to be settled.

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The French have a history (Chad, Niger, Ivory Coast) of doing this sort of thing well. The decisive factor will probably not be defeating the insurgents, who are currently operating as paramilitaries in a fairly "easy for a Western military to deal with conventionally" fashion, but instead how long the intervention takes place. If we're in long enough to allow the gov't to stabilize itself militarily, they should be able to finish suppressing the insurgency while the Westerners return home for tea and medals.

If it is perceived as being an easy thing to make up for the embarrassing debacles in Afghanistan/Iraq, I think more Western gov'ts will jump aboard the Mali mission just so they can point to a success. Hopefully that doesn't dick up the French track record.

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Hopefully that doesn't dick up the French track record.

I suggest the Americans are in there specifically to 'dick up' the French effort. After all, how would it look if the 'cheese-eating surrender monkeys' actually proved better at doing this sort of thing that good 'ol Uncle Sam. :)

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Dark, don't get Tjay wrong. I'm reading more a sidekick to a stereotype cheerished by some in the US, then against the french.

I don't think many people here, and esp. not those with a mil. backraound would belittle french military capablilities.

I f.e. like the "can do" attitude as shown in Lybia: a chopper with one HOT, is better then NO-HOT...and then sending in Gazelle Helies on quiete succesful night raids

edit: thats the crux with political topics, there will allways be the point where internet-disskussion becomes pointless

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As I read it, it was an euphemism.

I take it as " Not bad for just frenchies/banana eaters/whatever".

In the end there is that idea that french don't worth more than any other nationalities, wich is the main idea of racism.

Sorry about the misunderstanding - I was attempting to be ironic. That description of the French was, I believe, coined by a particularly gung-ho American some years ago - which was why I put in insie qotation marks. I was having a little dig at them, not you or yours. :redface:

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Bonjour DarkLabor,

J'ai aussi l'impression que Tjay ne voulait dire qqechose de négatif sur l'armée Française, au contraire (quoique son choix de mots n'était peut-être pas très judicieux).

Bien à toi,

K

Many thanks Koen - you have it correct. Humour sometimes doesn't translate across the language barrier too well. :(

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Let's erase this mess and start over.

Maybe this will help? Based on this article (http://bigstory.ap.org/article/residents-say-islamists-leave-mali-town-diabaly) it looks like French and Mali government forces have attained the line Niono-Mopti. A look at Google Maps shows how sparse this AO is and how much territory is not under effective central control: http://maps.google.co.nz/maps?q=niono,+mali&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=X&ei=aYf8UNT9AbHdigLcroCoBw&ved=0CAsQ_AUoAA

Edited by Panzer_Leader
Corrected typo
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Sorry Tjay.

I misundertood the true intention of what you posted.

I must admit that I over react due to the increase of french baching/trolling. That forced me to stop playing WOT and other "fun" games...

Let's erase this mess and start over.

Pas problem, mon ami. :)

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To get back to the subject, I suspect that the French et al will have to agree to the nationalist's goals or risk involving themselves in an insurgency in Azawad, as opposed to the risk of protracted fighting in just Kidal.

Speaking of which, how willing are the French people to be involved in another long drawn out conflict? Are they being prepared for such?

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Let's erase this mess and start over.

No need to be embarrassed. I applaud everyone involved who let civility, rather than their emotions to prevail.

Anyway....

I know nothing about the situation but that article that Panzer Leader posted has raised some red flags in my mind. I have to ask, why is France militarily involved?

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I know nothing about the situation but that article that Panzer Leader posted has raised some red flags in my mind. I have to ask, why is France militarily involved?

For one thing, Mali is a former colony of France.

There was a UN effort on the way, involving some African countries (mostly ECOWAS countries) to supply the boots on the ground, but current events moved faster.

That's when France decided to move in, not waiting on the UN and/or ECOWAS.

- Rump

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