French President Hollande in Afghanistan on troop visit

[Amster Dan]

Source: BBC World Edition

French President Francois Hollande has arrived in Afghanistan on a previously unannounced visit.

Mr Hollande, who took office earlier this month, flew into Kabul and is expected to spend only a few hours in Afghanistan, visiting French soldiers. He is also expected to hold talks with Afghan President Hamid Karzai.

Mr Hollande wants to withdraw all French combat troops from Afghanistan by the end of 2012, a year earlier than the deadline set by Nicolas Sarkozy. Mr Hollande is said to want to "explain himself" to French soldiers, and make the reasons for the decision clear to them.

There are currently 3,350 French soldiers serving in Afghanistan - the fifth largest contributor to the Nato force.

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-18202545

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Yeah: 3,350, so fuck you, neocons, and fuck you, Jay Leno! I am disgusted by the way France has been treated since 2003, when they were smart enough NOT to plunge into our fucking fool's errand in Iraq! Vive!'

[pa28]

1. Oh yes I still remember.

The French relied on the findings of Hans Blix and pointed to the fact the Iraqi's were opening up everything and cooperating with inspections.

I also remember freedom fries and the crack about "cheese eating surrender monkeys". Less tolerant Frenchmen think we are subhuman idiots and sometimes it seems they are right.

[JustAnotherGen]

2. Amen on your comments

Thats why I add a point of traveling there, and often during the Bush Administration. Aside from having good friends in several different Vars - they got it. I'll never forget the dinner party where I had it laid out point by point that 1) they had fought ths war in Afghanistan before and it could not be won and 2)Iraq was our Algeria.


Something about absinthe, Bush, and Condi was a vache - good times were had by all!

I'm thrilled Hollande is in there. It should have been Royale five years ago - but I'll be happy the French have someone with an overwhelming need to make sense NOW. Better late than never.

[JDPriestly]

3. I hope he will be safe while in Afghanistan.

He is messing up the plans of some very nasty, very powerful folks.

Good luck to Hollande. Finally, a human being who is not a corporate stooge in charge of an industrialized country. Can you believe that? How did the French get the courage to do it? To vote for someone who didn't just repeat the ideas of big business?

[joanbarnes]

4. Oui. Je dit Vive la France!