A preview of Lebanon.

FRANCE IN REFUSAL TO JOIN FRAY

September 20, 2006 (Mirror) - British soldiers are being put at risk because of France's refusal to send troops to Afghan trouble spots a senior defence source warned yesterday.

Minister Des Browne is said to be "at the end of his tether" at French lack of willingness to act.

And there are growing fears the entire mission could be in jeopardy unless Nato can find an extra 2,500 troops to go in and fight the Taliban.

A senior defence source said: "It is up to the other big countries to act. Germany has problems because of their constitutional bar on sending troops into combat zones.

"But France has the capablities. It is not enough for them just to sit around near the airport."

We do not doubt the mettle of today's French soldier in battle, but he must be in battle to put his mettle to some use. That he is absent from the fray in Afghanistan we surmise is a political calculation by the craven Élysée. Best to avoid any messy engagements with the Taliban and their Islamite auxilliaries, as these are sure to cause problems back home. Of course, such a calculation reneges France's pledge of assistance and her attendant obligations.

For Jack the worst of possible scenarios is for France to apprehend or to have a hand in the apprehension or deaths of Messrs. bin Laden or Zawahiri. The French are very cool about al-Qaeda fatalities out of respect for the grieving locals.

PFFT (What is this?): Sitting pretty 5 | Rayonnement français 0