.French assembly votes to continue Afghan mission
PARIS (AP) - The lower house of France's parliament authorized the government Monday to continue its military commitment in Afghanistan, and the prime minister pledged to add 100 extra troops following a deadly ambush there last month.
The National Assembly, parliament's lower house, voted 343-210 to keep the 3,300 French troops in Afghanistan and in support missions related to the deployment. The upper house, the Senate, votes later Monday. President Nicolas Sarkozy's conservatives control both houses of parliament.
The Socialist-led opposition largely voted against it, and called for a new strategy.
The vote was steeped in domestic political wrangling and came amid continued controversy over the killings of 10 French soldiers in an ambush by insurgents east of Kabul, the Afghan capital, on Aug. 18 - the biggest single combat loss for international forces in Afghanistan in more than three years.
Lawmakers held a moment of silence to honor the soldiers, whose killings sparked questions of French and NATO leaders on whether the troops were adequately trained, equipped and backed-up during the ambush.
Prime Minister Francois Fillon said withdrawing the troops "would be leaving the terrain open to the Taliban and al-Qaida.
"It would be leaving the Afghan people in the hands of their torturers," Fillon said. "It would be exposing ourselves to a resurgence in international terrorism. It would be breaking all our international commitments."
Fillon announced that 100 reinforcements would be in place within "several weeks," along with extra helicopters, drones, listening devices and mortars.
Sarkozy, who says Afghanistan is a critical front in fighting terrorism, has struggled to convince the French about the need for the mission. At least two polls in recent months showed a narrow majority of respondents favoring a French withdrawal.
MyWay
Thank god the French are sending more "helicopters".
The National Assembly, parliament's lower house, voted 343-210 to keep the 3,300 French troops in Afghanistan and in support missions related to the deployment. The upper house, the Senate, votes later Monday. President Nicolas Sarkozy's conservatives control both houses of parliament.
The Socialist-led opposition largely voted against it, and called for a new strategy.
The vote was steeped in domestic political wrangling and came amid continued controversy over the killings of 10 French soldiers in an ambush by insurgents east of Kabul, the Afghan capital, on Aug. 18 - the biggest single combat loss for international forces in Afghanistan in more than three years.
Lawmakers held a moment of silence to honor the soldiers, whose killings sparked questions of French and NATO leaders on whether the troops were adequately trained, equipped and backed-up during the ambush.
Prime Minister Francois Fillon said withdrawing the troops "would be leaving the terrain open to the Taliban and al-Qaida.
"It would be leaving the Afghan people in the hands of their torturers," Fillon said. "It would be exposing ourselves to a resurgence in international terrorism. It would be breaking all our international commitments."
Fillon announced that 100 reinforcements would be in place within "several weeks," along with extra helicopters, drones, listening devices and mortars.
Sarkozy, who says Afghanistan is a critical front in fighting terrorism, has struggled to convince the French about the need for the mission. At least two polls in recent months showed a narrow majority of respondents favoring a French withdrawal.
MyWay
Thank god the French are sending more "helicopters".
posted by madtom at 7:14 PM
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