France may take NATO command post in U.S.

[margotb822]

Source: International Herald Tribune

PARIS: France is in talks on taking control of two NATO command posts, including a prestigious one in the United States that has never been led by a foreign commander, defense officials said Thursday.

Such a move could also be accompanied by the injection of hundreds more French troops into NATO, a European defense official said. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because no deal had been finalized.

President Nicolas Sarkozy has been looking to tighten France's links with NATO, particularly ahead of the defense alliance's April summit meeting in Strasbourg and Kehl, Germany, that will celebrate its 60th anniversary.

The European official and a French military official said France was in talks to put a French general in charge of two command posts: one in Norfolk, Virginia, responsible for laying out the long-term vision of the Atlantic alliance, and the other an operational command based in Lisbon.



Read more: http://www.iht.com/articles/2009/02/05/europe/nato.4-423881.php

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Wow, this is a big deal, both militarily and for our international relations.

[cobalt1999]

1. Someone needs to post this on a republican site.

Just to watch their heads explode.

The French on U.S. soil and in charge. :rofl:

[Redstone]

2. God, yes, what a riot that would be!

Redstone

[OregonBlue]

3. Is that someone you? Go for it.!! Better yet, send it to LOU.

[bdab1973]

4. French have been in the US...

We had a French exchange officer in my old squadron...great guy, actually. Some of our joint staff positions are filled with French officers, also here on US soil. The Germans actually have two fighter squadrons based in New Mexico, something else many people don't know.

The French pilot in our squadron would always remind us there's a major difference between the French people and the French government...something I'm sure Americans have said abroad before as well regarding our country. For what it's worth, the French government places a large premium on displaying and promoting French supremacy and they love bragging rights. However, I've found that most French citizens I've met are all pretty good people, and many of them are as sick of their government in Paris as we're sick of our government in DC.

[8 track mind]

5. I took this picture last year of the NATO command post

Sorry couldn't resist :rofl:

[sasquatch]

6. Feche le vaz!

:rofl: