Too Easy

Making jokes about the French military is an all too easy way to get a cheap snicker from most people. But as I like to say – stereotypes grow from a little bit of truth.

The French jumped in the with US and help sponsor that Hezbullah hudna with the UN. Now that it comes time to pony up the troops to intervene between the Israelis and those wacky Hezbullah rocket lobbers, the French have some concerns.

Despite expectations that France would provide the bulk of a planned 15,000 strong UN force, Paris said Thursday it would send 200 troops to reinforce the UN mission in Lebanon.

While it said France was prepared to command the enlarged force, it also called for safety guarantees for its soliders before making further commitments.

…

Polish newspaper Rzeczpospolita said: “France made a huge diplomatic effort so that resolution 1701 could be voted. Now it’s France that is holding up the application of this resolution.”

It said that “Paris does not want its soldiers to run the risk of being caught in the crossfire, with Hezbollah militants on one side and the Israeli army on the other“.

Look, I don’t mind that the French might not want to shed blood for Israel. It isn’t their fight, and I can respect that. But taking the lead on a deal that is built around the West supplying forces, and then refusing to offer forces isn’t really all that helpful.