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Latest update: 23/06/2011
- Afghanistan - Afghanistan war - France - Nicolas Sarkozy
Sarkozy announces 'gradual withdrawal' of troops from Afghanistan
Following US President Barack Obama’s announcement of a withdrawal of 33,000 US troops in Afghanistan, French President Nicolas Sarkozy released a statement saying that France would also begin a “gradual withdrawal” of its forces.
By FRANCE 24 (text)
France will begin a "gradual withdrawal" of its troops in Afghanistan in line with the American strategy announced by US President Barack Obama Wednesday night, the French presidency announced in a statement on Thursday morning.
According to the statement from the Elysée Palace, Obama called Sarkozy to discuss their “common engagement in Afghanistan” before giving his address. “France shares the American analysis and objectives and is pleased about President Obama’s decision,” the statement read.
Obama’s announcement that the 33,000 additional US troops he ordered in Afghanistan will be withdrawn by the summer of 2012 indicates a shift in strategy following what the US president described as a fulfillment of many of the mission’s key goals.
After speaking with Obama, Sarkozy and his cabinet reaffirmed that France would “remain fully engaged with its allies alongside the Afghan people to see the transition process through,” according to the statement.
France currently has 4,000 troops in Afghanistan. 62 French soldiers have died in the mission since the end of 2001. Nine of those deaths have been this year, making 2011 one of the deadliest years for the French military in Afghanistan.
A full withdrawal of coalition troops from Afghanistan is expected by summer of 2014.
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Sarkozy announces 'gradual withdrawal' of troops from Afghanista
The announcement of the French leader to start gradual exit from Afghanistan is representation of the heavy discontentment of Europeans about the protracted Afghan war. Yet it is a pointed and reminded that Europe is yet to liberate itself from the clinch of Washington, it will always wait for Washington to blow the whistle then take action.
Nationing building doesn't work
How is fixing Afghanistan going to solve the main problem of radicalism and extremism? Their are extremist all over the Middle East and North Africa. Winning in Afghanistan is not the end of the war on terror.Terrorism starts with radical and extremist views; it is also very hard to stop. Europe and the United States are starting to see extremist in there own socities. Just today, two men try to attack a military base in Seattle. How is nation building in Afghanistan going to solve the extremist and radical views of young adults?