French prepare for attack on "last Islamist stronghold"

"French prepare for attack on "last Islamist stronghold""

I hope they've got all civilians out of Marseille!

So much for the "long war" which the Islamists promised France.

"French prepare for attack on "last Islamist stronghold"

That's right, last islamist stronghold in Mali. Then you have about 100 islamist strongholds in France, the UK, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland and Austria.

So much for the "long war" which the Islamists promised France.
Ian, UK

You sound like Bush a decade ago. He thought the war would end in a matter of weeks.
Well we all know the answer to that.

France secured its uranium resources in Mali. Fortunately nobody noticed the economic motivation because spin doctors were able to blame everything on Islamism.

So much for the "long war" which the Islamists promised France.
(Ian, UK, 4 February 2013 13:45)

The US took control of Afghanistan within two weeks of starting its campaign and more than a decade later they are preparing to leave with their tails between their legs. Same with Iraq and they ran away from the arena after losses of over 8000 dead.

I doubt that the French will be there more than 12 months because the Islamists will use the same tactics as in Iraq and Afghanistan. It will be a repeat of Vietnam in 1950s.

The US took control of Afghanistan within two weeks of starting its campaign and more than a decade later they are preparing to leave with their tails between their legs. Same with Iraq and they ran away from the arena after losses of over 8000 dead.

I doubt that the French will be there more than 12 months because the Islamists will use the same tactics as in Iraq and Afghanistan. It will be a repeat of Vietnam in 1950s.
(sj, 5 February 2013 02:46)

France has already stated it doesn't plan on being there in 12 months time. Quick war, train the local army and get out of there ASAP. It'll be like Iraq, but it'll be a much shorter victory. Then France will have a nice energy deal with Mali and France will be happy!

And I don't understand what you're on about with Iraq. We went in there (unofficially) for regime change, oil and gas. We came away from Iraq with regime change, oil and gas. There was instability in Iraq following the regime change, but now it is relatively stable. Do you really think the West cares if the locals blow each other up every now and again? The West (including Aussie-land) got exactly what they wanted out of Iraq.

Afghanistan is different. It is un-winnable. The British Empire couldn't hold it in the 19th Century, Soviets in the 1980's and NATO now. Let Afghanistan become another Iran I say.

France secured its uranium resources in Mali. Fortunately nobody noticed the economic motivation because spin doctors were able to blame everything on Islamism.

So much for the "long war" which the Islamists promised France.
Ian, UK

You sound like Bush a decade ago. He thought the war would end in a matter of weeks.
Well we all know the answer to that.

"French prepare for attack on "last Islamist stronghold"

That's right, last islamist stronghold in Mali. Then you have about 100 islamist strongholds in France, the UK, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland and Austria.

So much for the "long war" which the Islamists promised France.

"French prepare for attack on "last Islamist stronghold""

I hope they've got all civilians out of Marseille!

So much for the "long war" which the Islamists promised France.
(Ian, UK, 4 February 2013 13:45)

The US took control of Afghanistan within two weeks of starting its campaign and more than a decade later they are preparing to leave with their tails between their legs. Same with Iraq and they ran away from the arena after losses of over 8000 dead.

I doubt that the French will be there more than 12 months because the Islamists will use the same tactics as in Iraq and Afghanistan. It will be a repeat of Vietnam in 1950s.

The US took control of Afghanistan within two weeks of starting its campaign and more than a decade later they are preparing to leave with their tails between their legs. Same with Iraq and they ran away from the arena after losses of over 8000 dead.

I doubt that the French will be there more than 12 months because the Islamists will use the same tactics as in Iraq and Afghanistan. It will be a repeat of Vietnam in 1950s.
(sj, 5 February 2013 02:46)

France has already stated it doesn't plan on being there in 12 months time. Quick war, train the local army and get out of there ASAP. It'll be like Iraq, but it'll be a much shorter victory. Then France will have a nice energy deal with Mali and France will be happy!

And I don't understand what you're on about with Iraq. We went in there (unofficially) for regime change, oil and gas. We came away from Iraq with regime change, oil and gas. There was instability in Iraq following the regime change, but now it is relatively stable. Do you really think the West cares if the locals blow each other up every now and again? The West (including Aussie-land) got exactly what they wanted out of Iraq.

Afghanistan is different. It is un-winnable. The British Empire couldn't hold it in the 19th Century, Soviets in the 1980's and NATO now. Let Afghanistan become another Iran I say.