Bernard Henry-Lévy speaks about French troops in Afghanistan

via LaurenceJarvikOnline: Bernard Henri-Levy on Afghanistan. Original article in Gulf News.

First, the Taliban’s state of mind: the fact that they hate the French only a little less than they hate the Americans, and that the clever minds who thought they might get into the Taliban’s good graces by keeping a low profile and being discreet and ingratiating – even collaborating with them – were sadly mistaken.

Then there is the fact that they are not “resistance fighters”, “religious students” or anything of the sort. Instead they are motivated by cynicism, choosing to celebrate a recent military success by displaying trophies and parading around as in ancient times.

(…) for years and years, the French have had elite commandos fighting shoulder to shoulder with the American Special Forces in the Afghan mountains.

The report reminds these people – and this is key – that France is fighting a war over there, a real war that also happens to be as undeclared as the war it fought in Algeria 50 years ago.

Thanks to JCDurbant, we have several statements by French politicians about this (my translation):

This is a policy of aligning under the United States, even when we know the past errors and when we are seeing hte future errors. Marine Le Pen

Not a man, not a coin for an imperialist war! The death in combat, last August, of ten young soldiers has reminded abruptly to French people that, without being consulted, their army is engaged with the American soldiers and those of NATO in a bloody war that brings them painful memories of those held against the Vietnamese and Algerian peoples. French Communists

Sept 20th: demonstrations for the withdrawal of Imperialist troops from Afghanistan LCR

– we say no to any French commitmment to the American interests which are not those of the great majority of the American people who has pronuounced several times against the intervention.

– freedom and independence from the Afghan people based on the right of every people to decide for themselves (note: of course, the Taliban were going to let Afghan people decide freely for themselves). The Workers Party

Well, it’s curious that both far-right and far-left think the same: that this is a war fought for the USA, without remembering French obligations due to NATO treaty and that US fought in the Vietnamese war because French asked them to save their asses.

Related posts:

• French Minister of defense denies reports that denounced French troops’s lack of equipment.
• French troops unprepared for Taliban ambush: report.
• Paris Match Taliban photos shock France.