Article

2002-12-15 East/Subsaharan Africa

The first contingent of reinforcements for the French military mission in Ivory Coast has arrived, according to military officials, despite a threat by the country's main rebel group to fight against them. The French news agency, AFP, said 150 paratroopers had landed at the international airport in Abidjan. France has broadened the mandate of its soldiers in Ivory Coast, authorising them to enforce - rather than just monitor - an October ceasefire between government forces and the rebels who now control the north of the country. The 1,200-strong French deployment is to be boosted by 500 troops in all.
Whoa! That's a difference! That's gonna bunch the bad guys' BVDs...
On Friday, a spokesman for the Patriotic Movement of Ivory Coast (MPCI) Guillaume Soro accused the troops of deviating from their peacekeeping mission, and demanded their withdrawal.
Toldja so...

Posted by Fred Pruitt 2002-12-15 09:16 am|| || Front Page|| [11134 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Funny, I don't recall them seeking UN aproval beforehand.

Posted by Joe Katzman 2002-12-15 11:11:34|| [www.windsofchange.net] 2002-12-15 11:11:34|| Front Page Top

#2 That's very unilateral of them. Did they look into the root cause of the rebels reasons for rebelling?

Posted by Steve 2002-12-15 19:17:32|| 2002-12-15 19:17:32|| Front Page Top

#3 You don't think the Frogs would ever expose their fighting machine to real conflict like in Iraq or Kosovo or Bosnia do you?

Posted by Jack 2002-12-16 06:10:37|| 2002-12-16 06:10:37|| Front Page Top

#4 With out U.N.approval!
Please correct me if I'm wrong but wasa it not the Frogs(excuse me,French)who were among the loudest critics of the U.S. taking unilaterial action aginst Iraq,now the do this.How very French of them.

Posted by raptor 2002-12-16 07:17:20|| 2002-12-16 07:17:20|| Front Page Top

#5 The French have had a battalion stationed in this country for years. They never "actually" gave up their colonies, especially in West Africa. Chad, Central African Republic, etc. all have had French millitary interventions.

Have the French accused of deviations is nothing new, either.

Posted by Chuck 2002-12-16 09:52:12|| [www.simmins.org] 2002-12-16 09:52:12|| Front Page Top

#6 Don't be simplie... I'd love to bash the French as well as the next guy but Africa is gonna be a problem in the future and its better them than the US.

But Pierre, you did such a fine job restoring order in the Ivory Coast, perhaps you should take the lead in the Sierra Leone crisis, and the Liberian bloodbath, etc, etc, etc. We would be glad to rent out space on C-130s if you need logistical help and we won't even force you to buy off our UN Veto.

Posted by Anonymous 2002-12-16 11:35:05|| 2002-12-16 11:35:05|| Front Page Top

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