Francois

Sorry for a late reply, I don't come often here, and first time in the part actually.
Better PM me if you want to get my attention, np.
I had a discussion with Gal not long time ago.
You have to understand that France will follow if the governement believes that it will achieve something on the overall picture.
The war against Iraq had no obvious interrest for the world peace at that time.
The war against terror had and still has one, definitively.

What you can see with all the above, it that France has been the second contributor to the WOT after the US.
Before Aussie and the brits.
Now, you have a lot of journalos, pushed by racist and other obscure reasons, and relayed by ppl like pdf27 and others, that will try to destroy the image of this country.

Now, we now have three M2KD + two KC135FR + C160s in rotation in North Afgan, plus army on the ground, and our involvement in the CTFs in the IO has not ceased since.

Why the small number?
Because it is enough.
We can send the whole air force also, but it is not needed.
If a bigger need appears, more planes/soldiers/ships will follow.
To shoot ten guys, why bring one zillion weapons?
French do not believe in overkill, which is rather an anglo-saxon approach.
Finally, to much asset costs too much, and our budget is not Pentagone's budget.

The reason the special forces were removed are out of the scope of this forum, unfortunatly, but other troops have been sent instead.
Look at the re-deployment of US and its allies military in the region, you may understand something.

I will tell you:
Give French a good reason, and some free space, and they will follow you.
At least, the US-MIL is starting to aknowledge that.

Now, you know, when the WOT started, suddenly everybody became aware of the Taliban's exactions.
I will tell you, in 1990, the year I was graduated, in the subways, you could see huge ads against the talibans and for helping the women forced to wear the burkah. I am not kidding.