Allons enfantes de la Patrie
By Mahons On January 26th, 2013My congratulations to the French Army for knocking back the Islamic extremists in Mali who had been threatening to overrun that country. One of the best invasions by a former colonial power since the Beatles came to America. Here is hoping that the infusion of backbone assists the poorly performing armed forces of Mali, and that the contribution by other African nations (who have also committed troops to assist Mali) helps turn back the tide in this clash between civilization and Islamic extremists.
As Victor Laszlo said to the house band at Ric’s in Casablanca, “Play La Marseillaise!”
The danger is that in such vast areas these fellas will just melt away and regroup once the enemy stands down or leaves.
Only by hunting them down and destroying their military capability wikk their threat be neutralized.
The other worry has to be that with Muslims from various western nations going off to fight and gain battle experience, the more western societies will have to be vigilant.
It would be so easy for well organised groups to wreak havoc in western nations or even to take hostages.
At least the frogs have put Mali on the map. Most of us wouldn’t have been able to tell Mali from a Mole on our backsides until the cheese eating surrender monkeys invaded the God/Allah foresaken place
This isn’t even the end of the beginning, to paraphrase Churchill.
Beating the militants back is easy for a modern army. The tough part will be the thing that started this new jihadist front in the first place. Much more difficult than fighting open war is either getting the people in the northern provinces to give up their goal of independence and accept a central authority (and first of all setting up a central authority worthy of acceptance) or talking Mali into accepting independence for the north. The north has always been a lawless place, and the govt in turn tried to assert itself, the usual way by oppressing tribes who would otherwise have been indifferent (many of the main tribes in the north are nomads who still move about freely between Mali and Algeria and Libya etc.).
If the govt had come to some sort of deal earlier, the Jihadists would not have had an opportunity to move in. Whatever the French do, “shock ‘n awe” is not an option. They have to treat the people in the north fairly and with respect, unless they want to drive them totally into the arms of the Jidhs.
Is this going to be France’s Afghanistan ?
“cheese eating surrender monkeys”. What is this insult based on?
Lighten up Allen – It was just a jokey reference to the famous Bart Simpson quote. No need to go all heavy about it. As Bart would say “Chill dude or eat my shorts”
““cheese eating surrender monkeys”. What is this insult based on?”
Colm is being provocative Allan, Go away and write something else humorous. Your first attempt was pretty good,
When did Allan write something humorous ? Unless that is you are referring to all his postings
He said that Phantom has Fact Avoidance Disorder. That made me chuckle.
Pete
Blimey. It’s easy to make you laugh then !
“When did Allan write something humorous ? Unless that is you are referring to all his postings”
“Let’s see now. Phantom has Fact Avoidance Disorder, petr has debateaphobia, Agit has severe and terminal judeophilia, colm is quiptocratic (thinks that a quip is as good as evidence in a debate). Only those who agree with me on most things are sane.”
The man has wit. I like it!
Agit8ed
All I can say is that each quip of mine – however short and pithy – has more substance than all of Allan’s evidential postings put together
I agree Mahons, the French are doing okay.
They don’t have to prove anything to the Russians, so it won’t take on the dimensions of the Afghan campaign either.