Sunday, August 20, 2006
France Shows Its Yellow Streak Again
In the run-up to the Iraq war, France blocked every chance of bringing sanctions on Saddam Hussein. Then, afterward, they claimed that if the army in Iraq were under some UN command, or UN mandate, they would be happy to send troops.
Well, the UN has mandated a force in Lebanon to monitor the cease-fire there, and after promising to send troops, what has France done? Chickened out, as usual.
And Jacky Chirac once again proves that he is a criminal thug who belongs in prison, not leading a country. And now he deserves a place in the Hypocrites Hall of Fame.
France Declines to Contribute Major Force for U.N. Mission
So, that whole thing about making the force in Iraq a "UN mandate" was also full of crap.
Lesson: Never trust the French.
In the run-up to the Iraq war, France blocked every chance of bringing sanctions on Saddam Hussein. Then, afterward, they claimed that if the army in Iraq were under some UN command, or UN mandate, they would be happy to send troops.
Well, the UN has mandated a force in Lebanon to monitor the cease-fire there, and after promising to send troops, what has France done? Chickened out, as usual.
And Jacky Chirac once again proves that he is a criminal thug who belongs in prison, not leading a country. And now he deserves a place in the Hypocrites Hall of Fame.
France Declines to Contribute Major Force for U.N. Mission
France on Thursday rebuffed pleas by U.N. officials to make a major contribution to a peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon, setting back efforts to deploy an international military force to help police a cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah, according to U.N. and French officials.
French President Jacques Chirac said Thursday that France would contribute only 200 additional troops to the U.N. operation in southern Lebanon, which the Security Council wants to expand from 2,000 troops to 15,000. Chirac said that a force of about 1,700 French troops and crew members on warships off the coast would provide logistical support.
Senior U.N. peacekeeping officials said they had hoped France would send thousands of troops, forming the backbone of a large and robust mission that would spur other countries to join. Under a Security Council resolution adopted last week, the U.N. force is to help 15,000 Lebanese soldiers take control of southern Lebanon as Israeli soldiers withdraw.
[...]
The decision was prompted in part by the French military's anxiety over serving under U.N. command, diplomats said.
So, that whole thing about making the force in Iraq a "UN mandate" was also full of crap.
Lesson: Never trust the French.
