France Gives 'Non-lethal' Military Aid to Syria Opposition
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
France is providing the Syrian opposition with "non-lethal" military aid, Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said Wednesday.
Speaking on BFMTV-RMC radio, Ayrault said France had responded positively to a request for help from the rebels seeking to overthrow Syrian President Bashar Assad.
"On the military level, what we have done is we have responded to a request by the Syrian National Council and the Syrian resistance to provide a certain number of non-lethal elements... means of communication and protection," Ayrault said.
The premier reiterated that there was no question of France becoming directly involved in military action in Syria without U.N. backing, citing the example of former U.S. president George W. Bush's 2003 Iraq invasion.
"We have the example of Iraq where George Bush alone decided to go to war," Ayrault said. "We were opposed and we were proved right. It ended in chaos."
Ayrault also reiterated France's position that Assad must step down, a day after Syria's deputy prime minister indicated that the regime was open to discussing the leader's departure.
22 August 2012, 12:53
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Dear France, take pen and paper, you want to end the war quickly, then start nothing, here's the shopping list. Shoulder held Stinger anti air missiles, Shoulder held wire guided anti tank TOW or MILAN missiles. M2.50 Browning heavy caliber machine guns and lots of rounds. Toyota or Mitsubishi light trucks with fuel supply trucks. Good communications gear, including a good quantity of Iridium and IsatPhone Pro. Send in a few French military advisers who would assist in coordination then followed by political advisers for a orderly transition to democracy. The FSA and the SNC have done wonders so far, fighting and holding off a much better armed army, the West or the US do not need to intervene militarily, provide the hardware mentioned, and the Free Syrian people will do the rest. Points noted?
