How many French troops are in Afghanistan right now?

[Dr Fate]

I need a link to respond to a bone-head family e-mail. Thanks in advance.

>
> The AP and UPI reported that the French Government announced after
the
> London bombings that it has raised its terror alert level from Run to
Hide. The
> only two higher levels in France are Surrender and Collaborate.
>
> The rise in the alert level was precipitated by a recent fire which
> destroyed
> France's white flag factory, effectively disabling their military.

[SouthernDem2004]

1. It is funny though....

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

2. What's so funny about it?

I think it's rather bigoted

[SouthernDem2004]

4. Sorry, I have a sense of humor... /nt

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

5. Again, explain what is so funny for the humor impaired then?

It's the sort of thing I would expect people yucking it up about on a right wing board

[SouthernDem2004]

6. So we have a different sense of humor. I find it amusing. /nt

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

7. All I am asking is why?

I think it's a simple question. Some people laugh at black jokes, but we wouldn't post them here and expect people to think they are funny.

Do you consider the French to be cowards?

[SouthernDem2004]

10. Lol, you continue to try and insult me. I find that amusing also...

Why would I bother answering your question when you are being uncivil?

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

11. Is it uncivil to ask you why you think a joke calling the French cowards

is funny?

I said nothing uncivil. I pointed out the fact that some people find racist jokes funny but we wouldn't yuck it up about them here.

I simply asked a question. How is that insulting and uncivil. Certainly, you have the courage of your convictions to rely on, no? How is asking you about what you find humorous insulting? If anyone insulted it was you by inferring that I had no sense of humor since I did NOT find it funny.

[SouthernDem2004]

14. I will answer your question with a question:

What's the difference between an American and an American bomb?
The bomb is smart enough to know where to find Iraq.

What do they call "Hee Haw" in Alabama?
A documentary

How many Amerikans does it take to buy a gallon of gas?
Answer: 250,000 to seize it and one to pump it.


Are any of these funny to you?

[Dr Fate]

15. Those jokes fall into the "It's funny cuz it's true" category.

The pro Iraq War/Bush joke you like does not.

See the difference?

And I like the old Hee-Haws, for the record. When I was 10 years old I saw Jerry Lee Lewis destroy his piano on that show and it was burned into brain ever since!!!!

Do you have any links about French troops fighting terror or not?

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

16. The first and the third are, the second is not

The first and the third have a ring of truth to them, the second is a regional slur.

Now I've answered your questions, please answer mine. What is so funny about a joke that portrays the French as cowards...if you read the posts below about the number of troops they supplied in Afghanistan, then nothing could be further from the truth. The French became portrayed as cowards by the RW media for standing up to Bush and using their votes on the security council to vote against going to war in Iraq. Is that cowardly?

[SouthernDem2004]

18. Fair enough...

Why do I find them amusing?

Because while in the Army I had the good fortune to cross train with soldiers from several European countries. We always made jokes about each others countries and it was all taken as just that, a joke. Guess we were not as sensitive as others.

French cowards? I can tell you French soldiers are not cowards. Their government and civilians have made some unfortunate and bad decisions in the past though. I do not blame the military for those just like I do not blame our military for the current war in Iraq.

The French have been joked about as cowards looong before Bush beacme president. Basicly since WW II.

Someone said jokes are only funny when they are true. That is just false. The first joke I posted you had no problem with is not true. It is just an unfair generalization like the French joke.

[Dr Fate]

19. The "someone" was me- *I* said that- and I am still right.

Jokes, myths, stories, etc are only entertaining when there is a bit of truth in there somewhere.

Most Americans could not find Iraq on an unlabeled map- that is a plain old fact.

But enough of this silly agruing about what is funny and what is not!

To each his own, I suppose!!!!

[Dr Fate]

13. Where did NSMA insult you or exibit uncivil behavior?

LOL! I'm usually the one who does that!!!

Sounds like you are evading her pointed questions to me.

[Dr Fate]

12. Humor is only funny when it is based on fact: "It's funny cuz it's true."

This "humor" is based on idiotic RW talking points with no basis in fact.

[Mass]

3. For chickenhawks, may be

but I do not see what is funny there.

[Mass]

8. 1300, 650 being in Kabul

http://radiofranceinternationale.fr/actufr/articles/067/article_37659.asp

Sorry, my ref is in French.

[Mass]

9. Here in English (this was last year)

http://www.info-france-usa.org/news/statmnts/2004/defense_budget070804.asp

With the Navy contribution to OEF, a total of 1,470 French troops are involved in the stabilization of Afghanistan. They will amount to 1,820 with the arrival of Eurocorps in Kabul during the summer.

[Greeby]

17. I get real pissed off

When these knuckle-draggers say this kind of crap about the French. It's a dishonour to all the French men and women who gave their lives in WWII and in the conflicts since. :mad:

Maybe they hate France, because unlike certain Americans, they learned from their Vietnam

[Frederik]

20. I really don't know where

people get this impression of the French military from. It is the second, third or fourth most capable and professional conventional force in the world (I don't know where you would place Russia these days), some (including the last US commander in Europe/SACEUR) say their expeditional capabilities are better than the British, making them second only to the US. They are currently building a second aircraft carrier. They also have the third largest nuclear arsenal, after the US and Russia. In a few years they are going to deploy the new barracuda class of nuclear submarines, which will be fitted with cruise missiles to allow long-range and deep strikes. They have recently deployed the new state of the art Rafale fighters, which, like the fighters they replace (Mirage etc.), are made to carry tactical nuclear weapons.

They make absolutely every military item from rifles to jeeps and tanks to fighter jets in France or in joint projects with Germany, Britain, Spain etc. France is not a market for the US military-industrial complex, which may be part of the reason why the French military is frowned upon in America.

As for cracking down on Islamist terrorism and extremism, they have done a much better job than Britain, which has been criticized from many quarters for letting radical groups like the Muhajiroun and the Hizbut Tehrir carry on as they please.

And as for alert level, the last time I was in Paris (last year), every train station was guarded by soldiers carrying assault rifles.


Rafale B, Armée de l'Air

[Dr Fate]

21. Do you have any links for this great info?

I generally like to have documentation when I argue. Do ya have anything?

[Frederik]

24. Here's a few

weapons systems:
Rafale:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rafale

Force d'Action Navale:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Force_d'Action_Navale

Barracuda:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barracuda_class_submarines

Contributions to "Enduring Freedom":
"France has been one of the largest contributors of naval and air forces to Operation Enduring Freedom. A carrier battle group, led by the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle and comprising 24 aircraft, was deployed from December 2001 through June 2002 and carried out 10% of coalition air operations, including 30% of reconnaissance missions. Currently there are more than 4,200 French military personnel operating in and around Afghanistan. The French Air Force has deployed C-160 Transall and C-130 Hercules transport aircraft to Dushanbe, Tajikistan, as well as two refuelling aircraft to Manas, Kyrgyzstan, for humanitarian assistance, coalition airlift support and aerial refuelling. Six Mirage 2000 fighter aircraft have also deployed to Manas to provide close air support capability. Maritime patrol aircraft deployed in Djibouti are participating daily in intelligence, surveillance and sea reconnaissance missions. French engineers helped construct runways, a tent city and a munitions storage facility at Manas."
http://www.naa.be/default.asp?SHORTCUT=247

This is somewhat off-topic, but interesting, on the French outlook:
"“Would you have us buy ‘off the shelf’ from Boeing or Lockheed Martin?” He snorted impatiently: “We’d end up like Saudi Arabia.” "
http://www.nwc.navy.mil/press/Review/2003/Winter/sc-w03.htm

Here's a report from the Rand corporation on the global engagement of the French military:
http://www.rand.org/publications/MR/MR1185/MR1185.appc.pdf

On French cooperation with the CIA/US Military in the "war on terror":
"John McLaughlin, the former acting CIA director who retired recently after a 32-year career, described the relationship between the CIA and its French counterparts as "one of the best in the world. What they are willing to contribute is extraordinarily valuable"."
http://mypetjawa.mu.nu/archives/099887.php

[Dr Fate]

25. Perfect- I appreciate it.

About 50 people will be reading your pst shortly.

Thank God Al Gore invented the internets.

[redwitch]

22. I always think of the French as brave.

Everything I have read about the resistance movement during the 2nd world war lead me to that conclusion. The French are always in on peacekeeping missions that actually make sense to me. Just because they chose not to follow us into the current disaster does not make them cowards. In fact i think it makes them a whole lot smarter than US. And I found the joke somewhat offensive, sorry mon ami.

[GeorgeBushytail]

23. France helped the US faster than the US helped France

France came to our aid a lot faster than we came to their aide in either WWI or WWII. It took the US over 2 years to come to France's aid after their HOMELAND WAS INVADED BY GERMANY. France sent soldiers to Afghanistan to help US when we were attacked by 4 hijacked planes.

Not to mention the fact that there would be no US without the French fleet's help during the Revolution.

Before WWI French military doctrine emphasised the elan of the soldier and quick attacks. They got a defensive trench war.

Before WWII France built the Maginot line and emphasized defense. They were blitzkrieged.