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France: No More Combat Troops for Afghanistan

Minister says France will consider sending extra trainers

By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff

Posted Jan 29, 2010 2:09 AM CST
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(Newser) – The 7,000 reinforcements NATO has promised to send to Afghanistan along with the American surge won't be coming from France. French officials have ruled out sending more combat troops to the country but will consider sending more trainers for Afghanistan's army and police, Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner told CNN after a London summit.

"No more fighters. We are in charge. We don't want to send more troops to fight," Kouchner said. France currently has some 3,500 troops in Afghanistan. The minister, asked about Gen. Stanley McChrystal's surge strategy, said French officials are "concerned by the position of the Afghan people and the government, the legitimate government of Afghanistan." He noted that Hamid Karzai's government is adopting a different approach toward the Taliban with its "pay for peace" plan.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy has made his opposition to the Afghanistan troop surge clear.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy has made his opposition to the Afghanistan troop surge clear.   (AP Photo/Claude Paris, Pool)
French Foreign Legion troops at Tora Forward Operating Base pay tribute to an Afghan soldier killed by an IED during a joint NATO/Afghan patrol nearby.
French Foreign Legion troops at Tora Forward Operating Base pay tribute to an Afghan soldier killed by an IED during a joint NATO/Afghan patrol nearby.   (AP Photo/Alfred de Montesquiou)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 7 comments
submarinesoup
Feb 11, 2010 3:22 AM CST
Wusses.
Rob
Jan 30, 2010 4:14 AM CST
"We are in charge." Did the French really say that? n'importe quoi!
stuck-in-paris
Jan 29, 2010 8:13 AM CST
We need these guys here to patrol the shopping malls and metros

 
Afghanistan • Taliban • France • Hamid Karzai • Bernard Kouchner • NATO troops • Afghanistan war • French troops • Afghanistan troop surge

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