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Europe
Will France invoke NATO's Article 5 to declare war on Islamic State?
2015-11-16
[JP] To confront comprehensively the Islamic State terrorist attacks on French soil, there have been calls for France's President Francois Hollande to invoke Article 5 of the NATO Treaty, which ensures mutual defense for its members, but neither Hollande nor the military alliance has activated the provision.

The lack of a declaration of war from Hollande and NATO is a window into the courtyard of the EU's gingerly foreign policy posture.

In short, it can be argued the EU failed to internalize the oft-quoted comment from the Russian revolutionary Leon Trotsky: "You may not be interested in war, but war is interested in you."

Rewind to 2001. After a group of al-Qaida terrorists smashed planes into the World Trade Center and Pentagon, killing nearly 3,000 Americans, NATO triggered Article 5 to announce military support for the US in the event the US chose to wage war against the terrorists.

Article 5 states that "an armed attack'' against European and North American members, as well as Turkey, "shall be considered an attack against them all.'' As a result, NATO members are obligated to impose military force on a NATO adversary.

Republican presidential candidate Marco Rubio is ahead of the Europeans, saying Sunday: "We should invoke Article 5."

However, the French-born Israeli political scientist Dr. Emmanuel Navon told The Jerusalem Post on Sunday that Hollande has a "stronger case for article 5" because NATO members UK and US are already fighting Islamic State.
Posted by:Besoeker

#14  As per CNN, FRANCE is claiming that it is NOT in any Post-Paris/Bataclan "Clash of Civilization" agz Muslims.

A roundabaout, PCorrect-Deniable way for the French to say "No" to declaring war andor to invoking NATO.

ITS 1940, + PARIS DEMANDS TO CLAIM THAT GUDERIAN, MANSTEIN, ROMMEL + 7TH PANZER, ETAL. NAZI WEHRMACHT FORCES ARE N-O-T AT THE BORDERS WAITING TO INVADE???
Posted by: JosephMendiola   2015-11-16 21:48  

#13  Oooooh, I so like that idea. Settle them among the kaffir. Can't wait to hear the whining about the inheritance of 'slavery' (which they engaged in long before anyone on that side of the Atlantic ever knew of the Western Hemisphere).
Posted by: Procopius2k   2015-11-16 16:07  

#12  "Obama's true believers in the USA are not just going to evaporate as long as they keep getting their bennies."

Works for me, #11 AH. Since they love Bambi so much, and he can do no wrong in their eyes, move ANY Syrian invaders that Bambi brings into the U.S. into their neighborhoods.

Paybacks are hell.
Posted by: Barbara   2015-11-16 15:46  

#11  Would Obama veto it? How would that play out during the election? Obama's true believers in the USA are not just going to evaporate as long as they keep getting their bennies. In their eyes, every Obama does is right, and anyone who objects to that is a racis.
Posted by: Anguper Hupomosing9418   2015-11-16 15:36  

#10  A Congressional declaration of War... Would Obama veto it? How would that play out during the election?

The Dem debate showed clearly the Dems need to change their mascot to the ostrich.
Posted by: rjschwarz   2015-11-16 15:31  

#9  Would be interesting to see Turkey's reaction.
Posted by: Iblis   2015-11-16 14:39  

#8  ...not if they register as Democrats to vote. Then treason is OK. It's called legal precedent.
Posted by: Procopius2k   2015-11-16 09:41  

#7  If you declare war on the caliphate do not waste the opportunity

because that triggers treason laws

they can be used against caliphate fans within your borders

and this in fact is more useful than bombing overseas. Wipe them out within the US

that means ban sharia courts - because sharia is the enemy ideology

deport/lock up for treason all those who engage in sharia or promote the caliphate

that is what we need here. Half of michigan would go overnight. Good.
Posted by: anon1   2015-11-16 09:37  

#6  So Jeraldo hates migrants! (Can we play this game too? Make them live up to their own rules.)
Posted by: Procopius2k   2015-11-16 09:09  

#5  Just heard Jeraldo Rivera say live on TV that Congress should declare war against ISIS whether bammy agrees or not. He also said we should stop accepting refugees from Syria.

Having a daughter stuck in the 'kill zone' appears to have altered his thinking somewhat.
Posted by: Besoeker   2015-11-16 09:03  

#4  Just heard Jeraldo Rivera say live on TV that Congress should declare war against ISIS whether bammy agrees or not. He also said we should stop accepting refugees from Syria. This is pretty much as though Mikey Bloomberg came on TV and announced he will buy every man woman and child in America a gun. Interesting times ahead, perhaps...
Posted by: M. Murcek   2015-11-16 09:00  

#3  France is a full member of NATO; it rejoined the military structure in 2009.
Posted by: Steve White   2015-11-16 07:49  

#2  I just saw a post yesterday which observed France is not a member of NATO, so there is no agreement to invoke.

Another reason France did not join the NATO response after 9/11. They were not obligated to do so.
Posted by: Bobby   2015-11-16 07:33  

#1  No.
Posted by: g(r)omgoru   2015-11-16 06:06  

00:00