French Air Strikes Over Mali
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Well, I suppose it's always easier to agree with yourself than with others, indeed 
"NATO works great and is efficient, but it knows only one pace: its own". Another quote from another senior officer, re: Libya experience.
Finally, one should also remember the same kind of "frustration" reported by US troops in the early years of Afghanistan campaign, re: fire restrictions imposed on French assets by Paris (CAVEATs).
Bonnet blanc et blanc bonnet.
Cheers
AZR.
"NATO works great and is efficient, but it knows only one pace: its own". Another quote from another senior officer, re: Libya experience.
Finally, one should also remember the same kind of "frustration" reported by US troops in the early years of Afghanistan campaign, re: fire restrictions imposed on French assets by Paris (CAVEATs).
Bonnet blanc et blanc bonnet.
Cheers
AZR.
I've said it before, the French don't mess about and certainly do a good job of resisting external influence when it comes to acheiving their objectives. I don't think they're "putting the boot into NATO" or the EU, it's simply a very valid statement of fact. The bigger the forum/alliance/consortium, the longer it takes to reach agreement and to act.
I never saw Lewis Carroll as a military commentator before, though.
I never saw Lewis Carroll as a military commentator before, though.
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Important aerial activity those last days above north-Mali.
Le mamouth: Importante activité aérienne au-dessus du nord-Mali (actualisé)
2 more Rafale in-theatre, which (as the first ones did) did strike from France for their first flight (not just a ferry flight, then). The pic shows a crew of two, meaning the 1/91 is likely to be involved.
Le mamouth: Importante activité aérienne au-dessus du nord-Mali (actualisé)
2 more Rafale in-theatre, which (as the first ones did) did strike from France for their first flight (not just a ferry flight, then). The pic shows a crew of two, meaning the 1/91 is likely to be involved.
Courtney, the French political RoE restrictions in Afghanistan, back when I was involved on the operational side, made some of their missions virtually worthless. The folks in uniform were very frustrated by that state of affairs, but they did indeed adhere to their national guidance.
I can appreciate how the French feel, with the shoe now being on their foot, when their operational helpers can't or won't play with "the full deck" once the op has started.
I won't get all humorous and indluge in schadenfreude: quite frankly, any internal friction we "the good guys" run into just makes it easier on the Jihidi twerps upon whom we are trying to deliver ordnance.
Gall me that such makes the enemy's job easier.
I can appreciate how the French feel, with the shoe now being on their foot, when their operational helpers can't or won't play with "the full deck" once the op has started.
I won't get all humorous and indluge in schadenfreude: quite frankly, any internal friction we "the good guys" run into just makes it easier on the Jihidi twerps upon whom we are trying to deliver ordnance.
Gall me that such makes the enemy's job easier.
Last edited by Lonewolf_50; 28th Jan 2013 at 17:46.
I understand what you say, Lonewolf. My experience whilst at CENTCOM would support that. I think the French were still recovering from their fall out with the USA at the time, but they were so keen to be in the thick of it - in all respects.
In a way, that's what I was saying, though. Like all of us, we tend to be less constrained when we go it alone than when we're in a multinational effort. The difference I see at the moment is that the French do seem quite willing to step up and get on with it. I'm thinking their front-seat role in Libya and now in Mali.
cuefaye, not sure if your were asking me or what examples you mean. If I have guessed correctly, the above, in military terms I was thingking of the Françafrique; their excellent work on the ground (in particular) in Bosnia, a number of nasty ops in AFG, Côte d'Ivoire, Chad, Somalia, Djibouti. Just examples. Oh, and (head above the parapet) their latter nuclear tests in the Pacific - as an example of ignoring World opinion and putting their interests first. That's what I was talking about.
Kevlar at the ready!
In a way, that's what I was saying, though. Like all of us, we tend to be less constrained when we go it alone than when we're in a multinational effort. The difference I see at the moment is that the French do seem quite willing to step up and get on with it. I'm thinking their front-seat role in Libya and now in Mali.
cuefaye, not sure if your were asking me or what examples you mean. If I have guessed correctly, the above, in military terms I was thingking of the Françafrique; their excellent work on the ground (in particular) in Bosnia, a number of nasty ops in AFG, Côte d'Ivoire, Chad, Somalia, Djibouti. Just examples. Oh, and (head above the parapet) their latter nuclear tests in the Pacific - as an example of ignoring World opinion and putting their interests first. That's what I was talking about.
Kevlar at the ready!
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The United States is providing tankers to support the French Air Force.
They were too scared of terrorists to let us overfly France for Eldorado Canyon, but now that the shoe is on the other foot we in the United States are Mr. Nice Guy once again.
PS: We're kicking people out of our Air Force because we can't afford to pay them. Who is paying the costs of these tankers?
They were too scared of terrorists to let us overfly France for Eldorado Canyon, but now that the shoe is on the other foot we in the United States are Mr. Nice Guy once again.
PS: We're kicking people out of our Air Force because we can't afford to pay them. Who is paying the costs of these tankers?
Last edited by JimNtexas; 28th Jan 2013 at 21:58.
They were too scared of terrorists to let us overfly France for Eldorado Canyon,
As Courtney rightly said: "the French don't mess about and certainly do a good job of resisting external influence when it comes to acheiving their objectives"
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They were too scared of terrorists to let us overfly France for Eldorado Canyon
http://www.zerohedge.com/sites/defau...-091709-lg.jpg
That was before he became the bad guy again...
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Last edited by LT Selfridge; 28th Jan 2013 at 23:32.
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Lybia is much closer to France then to the US. See it as the french bombing Mexico from Canada. Maybe they thought long term interests would be hurt. That proved to be truth after 9-11 when Ghadaffi proved helpfull in tracking down AQ terrorist in the middle east, making him good guy.
And the French had nothing to do that that.
French got the message that night as well. A GBU delivered to its embassey in return to having to hit the tanker many more times than should have been required.
Last edited by West Coast; 29th Jan 2013 at 01:37.
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Jim
Interesting view point here;
The French Connection | Center for a New American Security
Politics eh!
Interesting view point here;
The French Connection | Center for a New American Security
Politics eh!
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"French got the message that night as well. A GBU delivered to its embassey in return to having to hit the tanker many more times than should have been required."
+ 1
+ 1
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Gadaffi, nope if it only was that simple. Gaddafi and the west both hated Al Qaeda and were fighting silently together.
CIA delivered Gaddafi Libyan rebels for 'torture' and waterboarding was 'more widespread than agency will admit' | Mail Online
Al Qaeda backs Libyan protesters and condemns Gaddafi | Reuters
Confusing this realities, supporting bad guys, makes you wonder who is on the right side.
http://timesonline.typepad.com/.a/6a...ee6b970d-800wi
Anyway the US public seems to be a bit confused now about the french taking aggressive successful action, twice. That not how its supposed to be?!
CIA delivered Gaddafi Libyan rebels for 'torture' and waterboarding was 'more widespread than agency will admit' | Mail Online
Al Qaeda backs Libyan protesters and condemns Gaddafi | Reuters
Confusing this realities, supporting bad guys, makes you wonder who is on the right side.
http://timesonline.typepad.com/.a/6a...ee6b970d-800wi
Anyway the US public seems to be a bit confused now about the french taking aggressive successful action, twice. That not how its supposed to be?!
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I sympathize, it must be difficult.
Courtney & wiggy got it right IMFO (In My French Opinion).