What fun it would be to run away and join the French Foreign Legion
Unnnnhhhh -- let's rethink that a bit. From the
UK Telegraph:
French troops 'ran out of ammunition' in Afghanistan
Ten French soldiers killed by Taliban fighters last month in Afghanistan were woefully ill-equipped, according to a report citing a classified Nato document.
The "secret" file quoted by a Canadian newspaper said that the French troops ambushed on Aug 18 in a valley east of Kabul did not have enough bullets, radios and other equipment to sustain them through two days of fighting.
The report is likely to fan tensions ahead of a French parliamentary debate over President Nicolas Sarkozy's decision to send extra troops to Afghanistan. It promises to be heated, but Mr Sarkozy's decision will be approved as his ruling centre-right UMP party holds a strong majority.
According to the report cited by the Globe and Mail newspaper, the troops were forced to abandon a counter attack when the weapons on their vehicles ran out of ammunition only 90 minutes into the battle. One French platoon had just one radio, which was quickly knocked out, leaving them powerless to call for reinforcements.
The dead soldiers from that platoon "showed signs of being killed at close range", the report said.
Well, on one hand, I do thank N.A.T.O. for their help in the war on terrorism.
But I do wish that they had better intelligence (or would listen a bit more closely to ours...)
Posted by DaveH at September 21, 2008 7:18 PM