Reuters drops the big secret this morning. If France wants to send some French soldiers adventuring in Mali, it calls Uncle Sam.
"PARIS (Reuters) - The United States has started transporting French soldiers and equipment to Mali as part of its logistical aid to French forces fighting Islamist militants in the north of the country, a U.S. official said on Tuesday."
Two points:
This can send a fellow's mind skittering across the past 99 years of American history. He's thinking of all the wars, beginning with Black Jack Pershing's anti-Kaiser campaign and continuing through our "lend-lease" to Churchill, to Vietnam, and the various bloody Sand Box errors. You try to think of U.S. overseas wars which did not begin with benign "logistical aid." Not many. "It's only money folks. We ain't agonna put even one American boy in harm's way." *
And because our client this time is la Belle France, the same fellow is likely to recall a certain arrogance of late 20th Century Paris. "F--k no you can't fly your evil, imperialistic planes through our air space."
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*There a difference this time. In most of the other crusades we owned the money we gave away. Here in 2013, we'll need to secure an increase in our MasterCard limit. Call Peking.
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