troung

Sarkozy Says France Could Add Troops in Afghanistan

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By REUTERS
Published: December 23, 2007

KABUL, Afghanistan (Reuters) — In a surprise visit to Afghanistan on Saturday, President Nicolas Sarkozy of France said France might increase its troop presence in the country to help defeat the Taliban-led insurgency.

“There is a war going on here — a war against terrorism, against fanaticism, that we cannot and will not lose,” he told reporters who accompanied him on the trip.

He said that French troops, currently about 1,900, would continue to help build Afghan security forces, in particular by training the Afghan Army and police. Mr. Sarkozy said a decision on any increase in troop numbers would come in the next few weeks.

Mr. Sarkozy’s visit, his first since he became president in May, was largely symbolic, given the small number of French troops here. But it signaled a continued shift in French foreign policy toward greater cooperation with Washington and its allies in the fight against terrorism.

The French president held talks with Afghanistan’s leader, Hamid Karzai, over rising opium production and the country’s poor security situation — two issues of central concern to Mr. Karzai and the foreign nations serving here. The past two years have been the bloodiest since the overthrow of the Taliban in late 2001, with more frequent attacks by the group, particularly in the south.

Mr. Sarkozy said France, which has lost 13 soldiers here, “had paid the price in blood” for helping consolidate democracy in Afghanistan.

French forces are mostly stationed in the relatively secure capital, Kabul, and France has repeatedly been urged by NATO members in Afghanistan to dispatch its forces to eastern and southern areas, where Taliban militants are most active. It was unclear whether any increase in French troops would address those concerns.

On Tuesday, the Taliban’s leader, Mullah Muhammad Omar, called on foreign forces to withdraw from Afghanistan.

Mr. Sarkozy appeared to address that development on Saturday. “What is certain is that we have not wanted to give the signal of departure, that would have been a despicable signal at a time when one sees the ravages inflicted by terrorism in the world,” he said.

Britain, which has about 7,800 troops operating in Afghanistan, is expected to increase its troop levels here as it withdraws its forces from Iraq, but no formal announcement has been made.

Australia’s new prime minister, Kevin Rudd, also visited Afghanistan on Saturday for talks with Mr. Karzai. Mr. Rudd, who was elected on Nov. 24, spoke of his country’s continuing support for Afghanistan. He pledged an additional $110 million in aid over the next two years.
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troung

February 9, 2008
Nicolas Sarkozy offers French troops to join Canadians in fighting the Taleban in Kandahar
French President Nicolas Sarkozy
Michael Evans, Defence Editor

President Sarkozy rode to the rescue of beleaguered Nato forces in southern Afghanistan yesterday when he offered to deploy French troops alongside Canadians in Kandahar.

The French leader has been the most forthcoming of Nato leaders in answering the urgent call to help the troops fighting Taleban insurgents.

After Canada’s repeated warnings that it would pull its 2,500 troops out of Kandahar if no other alliance member came to support them, France has been the only country to hint at sending reinforcements.

French and Canadian officials are discussing the logistics of operating a combined force. A delegation was sent to Paris from Ottawa yesterday.
Related Links

* Canada threatens to end Kandahar mission

* Nato launches rearguard action over Afghanistan

The move by the French was being seen as further evidence of President Sarkozy’s willingness to draw closer to the alliance, with the possibility of France rejoining Nato’s integrated military stucture, from which President de Gaulle withdrew in 1967.

Canada wants 1,000 extra soldiers to fight in Kandahar, but the indications so far are that Paris has a smaller-sized force in mind. A French diplomatic source said that decisions would not be made public until the Nato summit in Bucharest in April.

If France meets only a proportion of the required 1,000 extra troops, another Nato country will have to make an offer to ensure that Canada keeps its 2,500 soldiers in Kandahar. Canada has asked Poland to deploy troops but at the Nato defence ministers’ informal meeting in Vilnius yesterday, Bogdan Klich, the Polish minister, said there were no plans to send its 1,200 soldiers, based in eastern Afghanistan, to the south because of the increased risks. “This province doesn’t meet our baseline criteria, which hinge on reducing the risks to our contingent,” he told a Polish newspaper. However, Poland confirmed it would raise its troop numbers in Afghanistan to 1,600 later this year. Norway said it planned to send another 200 troops to add to its present 500.

British diplomatic sources said there were no obvious candidates yet for the appointment of UN special envoy to Afghanistan, after President Karzai’s rejection of Lord Ashdown of Norton-sub-Hamdon.

troung

France denies decision to reinforce deployment in Afghanistan
Submitted by Indian-Muslim on Mon, 02/11/2008 - 13:14.

* International

PARIS, Feb 11 (KUNA) -- France denied here on Monday any firm decision to reinforce its military deployment in Afghanistan, saying that discussions on this were ongoing with it partners in the NATO alliance.

France has just over 1,000 troops in Afghanistan, mostly located in relatively quiet areas around the capital Kabul. There are also a number of military combat instructors working with Afghan troops and France now has a detachment of three Mirage 2000D and three state-of-the-art Rafale fighters deployed in the troubled Kandahar area in the south.

The United States has called for a reinforcement of the 43,000 NATO and International Security and Assistance Force (ISAF) troops in Afghanistan and has been critical of the commitment of some participating nations there.

A NATO summit in Bucharest in early April is due to discuss troops to its deployment in Afghanistan but that was emphatically denied here as it is a politically hot topic. Other sources said that 250 extra men for a more troubles zone in Afghanistan was more realistic.

There was also talk that France could deploy its "Le Clerc" main battle tank in Afghanistan, but these rumours have not been confirmed ways to improve the situation on the ground, where Taliban militias are proving resilient and combative.
"We are reflecting today at the best way to help the emergence of a stable Afghanistan," French Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Pascale Andreani said in a briefing.

She recalled a visit to Afghanistan last December 22 by President Nicolas Sarkozy, during which he stressed the need to stabilize the situation and pursue French efforts in training the Afghan army, an area there the French military has been significantly involved.
France has upgraded its involvement at that level by deploying four operational combat trainer units (OMLT) and more are planned, although no specifics were given.
The Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said that "the key to success is the commitment of the international community. It is for this reason that the President of the Republic decided to reinforce our presence in the OMLT (Operational Training Units)." There has been speculation here that France is willing to add 700 "Concerning the sending of eventual reinforcements, no decision has been taken. We deny any information that gives credence to the contrary," Andreani said.
"Decisions will be taken at the NATO Summit in Bucharest. Thats the moment when the President of the Republic will announce them," the spokeswoman indicated.

troung

French Rafale jets take off from Afghan base for first time

13 hours ago

KANDAHAR AIR FIELD, Afghanistan (AFP) — Two French Rafale fighter jets took off from the main NATO air base in southern Afghanistan for the first time Monday in support of international efforts against extremists.

The multi-purpose jets, which arrived at the base in the volatile southern province of Kandahar last week, set off on an air patrol with French Mirages also stationed at the Kandahar Air Field, an AFP correspondent said.

Rafale aircraft, in service for two years, took part last year in a four-month mission in support of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) but were then based in Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan.

Their relocation to the Kandahar Air Field, a base for 11,000 soldiers from 25 countries, has put them in one of the most volatile parts of Afghanistan where a Taliban-led insurgency was at its fiercest last year.

A Canadian general commands ISAF forces in southern Afghanistan, where French jets operate alongside Dutch F-16s and British Harriers.

Canada has warned it will withdraw its 2,500 troops at the start of 2009 unless NATO sends 1,000 extra troops, as well as helicopters, to back their mission in Kandahar.

France is in talks with Canada about deploying French reinforcements in the south, Canadian Defence Minister Peter MacKay said Sunday.

France's 1,515 soldiers in ISAF are based mostly in Kabul and surrounding areas.

cirrrocco

very nice pictures...Thnx troung..

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VarSity

Good point: Get in the French boys! Glad to see they are getting involved more

Bad point: Now I cant take the mikky out of the French as much

troung

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troung

France breaks promises on troops: Taliban
International News
Agence France Presse

KANDAHAR: The Taliban militant group Saturday accused French President Nicolas Sarkozy of breaking his promises after he pledged to send hundreds of extra troops to Afghanistan.

Sarkozy announced during the NATO summit in Bucharest during the week that France would send an additional battalion, or about 700 troops, to the country, which would free up US troops to serve as reinforcements in the volatile south.

"The NATO-member countries are not only making baseless promises to Afghans but they do so to their respective nations," a statement by the Taliban leadership council, which was read by a rebel spokesman to AFP over the phone said. "A good example is current French President Sarkozy. During his electoral campaign, he promised to focus on withdrawing French troops from Afghanistan," it said, accusing him of breaking his word.

cesm

thx for all these informations about french participation, Troung.

A little funny french touch :

Rafale is still unable to drop a precision guided bomb without the help of another (expensive) plane (like a Mirage 2000D or an old SEM-5). This will be corrected soon (this year ?), but the first flight was in 1986 and Rafale entered in service in 2002.

Actually the best anti-taliban french aircraft seems to be the 30 years old SEM-5 (Super Etendard Modernisé - standard 5), the bomb-truck of French Navy. One big problem : after 4 or 5 hours it runs out of oil (not fuel, lubricant !) and must land.

Still wanting some french help ?

cesm

It's time to change the planes. I've read the 3 Mirage 2000D and 3 Rafale will soon leave Afghanistan, and 3 SEM and 3 other Rafale will replace them.
Rafale is still unable to drop a bomb alone, this time it may be a "US approvement" problem with the new weapon (AASM).