French Air Strikes Over Mali
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French Air Strikes Over Mali
Hi, I think there's no topic yet about this latest war.
Since friday the French decided they had to intervene to prevent Islamists overtaking Mali. Those already occupy half the country.
It seems french fighters stationed in Tsaad were there first. They apparently were already stationed there for some time (apparent having good low flying opportunities..
During the week-end Mirage2000 and Rafales were added. Unclear to me if the rebels were really stopped or are still advancing.
Airstrikes seem to concentrate in the narrow part of the country. Lots of countries around that seem moderately stable and have a history of violent civil wars, corruption, natural resources and tribal links.. I hope this won't spread..
http://nationalpostnews.files.wordpr...iattacksb.jpeg
Since friday the French decided they had to intervene to prevent Islamists overtaking Mali. Those already occupy half the country.
It seems french fighters stationed in Tsaad were there first. They apparently were already stationed there for some time (apparent having good low flying opportunities..
During the week-end Mirage2000 and Rafales were added. Unclear to me if the rebels were really stopped or are still advancing.
Airstrikes seem to concentrate in the narrow part of the country. Lots of countries around that seem moderately stable and have a history of violent civil wars, corruption, natural resources and tribal links.. I hope this won't spread..
http://nationalpostnews.files.wordpr...iattacksb.jpeg
Last edited by keesje; 15th Jan 2013 at 08:06.
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Uh...Viva La France!
...but uh...why is this fighter pilot using a map like Granny Yokum? A little Nav system up-grade for our French Air Force friends please.
Granny Yokum Low level Attack
...but uh...why is this fighter pilot using a map like Granny Yokum? A little Nav system up-grade for our French Air Force friends please.
Last edited by Temp Spike; 15th Jan 2013 at 12:10.
Temp Spike, what do you mean by "near mach" in your criticism of the low level training route?
keesje: thanks for posting that video. That training route looks like a lot of fun.
keesje: thanks for posting that video. That training route looks like a lot of fun.
Pray tell how you use Tac Air to defeat an Insurgency without committing overwhelming numbers of ground forces?
Are current day military leaders and politicians unable to grasp the lessons of Iraq and Afghanistan.....after having been there for years?
Are current day military leaders and politicians unable to grasp the lessons of Iraq and Afghanistan.....after having been there for years?
Is there any reason to deny the Tuareg a homeland? Maybe the lines on the map are wrong, and there is a natural border/breaking spot somewhere in the northeast of Mali.
As to homelands:
Kurds don't get one
Pashtun don't get one
Muslims in Bosnia get one
Kosovars get one
Jews get one
Slovaks get one
Ethnic Kuwaitis get one. (Heh, I expect some laughs at that one
)
Who gets to choose?
As to homelands:
Kurds don't get one
Pashtun don't get one
Muslims in Bosnia get one
Kosovars get one
Jews get one
Slovaks get one
Ethnic Kuwaitis get one. (Heh, I expect some laughs at that one
)Who gets to choose?
Last edited by Lonewolf_50; 15th Jan 2013 at 15:37.
Pray tell how you use Tac Air to defeat an Insurgency without committing overwhelming numbers of ground forces?
Are current day military leaders and politicians unable to grasp the lessons of Iraq and Afghanistan.....after having been there for years?
Are current day military leaders and politicians unable to grasp the lessons of Iraq and Afghanistan.....after having been there for years?
The French plan is for ECOWAS troops to attempt to recover control of the NE half. I can't see that happening though. The only African troops in ECOWAS with any desert experience are Burkina and Niger. They would have to rely on French armour and air support.
It'll be interesting to see the outcome of the cabinet meeting today. UK top brass are apparently opposed to intervention, but there will be a lot of political pressure on Cameron to lend more support. French are also piling on pressure to Germans and Italians. Wouldn't be surprised if we end up giving more air support.
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SASless...I agree.
Mechanized Infantry will be required. Accompanied with airmobile light Infantry and lots of attack helicopters. BUT, contact with these antagonists must be made first because they are not all terrorists being merely paid by terrorists to cause trouble and if it’s a jobs program they want, well that is preferable to war and mass slaughter.
Mechanized Infantry will be required. Accompanied with airmobile light Infantry and lots of attack helicopters. BUT, contact with these antagonists must be made first because they are not all terrorists being merely paid by terrorists to cause trouble and if it’s a jobs program they want, well that is preferable to war and mass slaughter.
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Ethnic Kuwaitis get one.
I really can't see that the West can keep sending (always too small, and always too late) "fire brigades" to quell the ever-growing number of political spot fires (set, almost always by the same AQ mob, it would seem) ad infinitium.
For one, we (the West) are broke, (even if too many of our citizens, particularly those with their hands out for endless government-supplied 'free stuff', haven't accepted that yet), and secondly, (particularly, but not only, those very same people with their hands out for 'free stuff') are tiring of their governments spending borrowed money to fix these many spot fires.
Imagine if WW2 had been fought the way we're dealing with this serious threat (for threat it is) to our society and way of life? It would still be going on today. The people we're (only 'semi') fighting respect only one thing - overwhelming strength. Until that is shown to them - and more importantly, to the men who are bankrolling them**, and in no uncertain terms, the ratchet is just going to go on tightening more and more.
** I for one think that the people in power in the West know exactly who those men are, but are unwilling to confront them.
I find myself almost expecting to see Barak Obama stepping off Air Force One waving a piece of paper declaring "peace in our time".
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Andu....*...
Or another Bush debacle declaring mission accomplished a decade before the fact. Try Muesli. Wheaties are for children with anabolic steroid dreams of mindless grandeur.
Last edited by Temp Spike; 15th Jan 2013 at 21:54.
Wait a Mo'.....were we not told the Guvmint was taking down all the financial support for the AQ Team? I know a lot of folks breathed a lot easier....in DC/London and Saudi when Bin Liner got whacked as he could probably tell some tales and name some names that folks would really not wish to see in the Morning Newspapers.
Near mach, 80 feet off the ground
FWIW we live near a town that "hosts" one of the "Regiment Chasseur Parachutistes" so many of my kids' school friends have just been deprived of mama or Papa TFN (and FWIW they've lost a few in Afganistan).....It's far to easy to resort to stereotypes and crack jokes about the French and white flags, personally I wish them the best of luck.
Last edited by wiggy; 15th Jan 2013 at 23:26.
French Military are preparing for a long term offensive:
Mali : "Cette guerre est un engagement de long terme"
In France, it is regarded as the "second half of the Libya campaign", since the instability in Mali was a direct consequence of the Libya campaign. I think it inevitable that UK will increase its contribution sooner or later.
Mali : "Cette guerre est un engagement de long terme"
In France, it is regarded as the "second half of the Libya campaign", since the instability in Mali was a direct consequence of the Libya campaign. I think it inevitable that UK will increase its contribution sooner or later.
Temp spike
The navy put that banner up, not Bush.
The press jumped on it. Kinda the same way people think Palin said she could see Russia. Nothing like wanting it to be true to mislead the liberal sheep.
The navy put that banner up, not Bush.
The press jumped on it. Kinda the same way people think Palin said she could see Russia. Nothing like wanting it to be true to mislead the liberal sheep.
Last edited by West Coast; 16th Jan 2013 at 07:13.