French, Malian forces capture Gao rebel stronghold

The silence from those who were posting here “the French will surrender or run away” is deafening.
Where are those clueless fools now?
The French have been fighting wars and battles for over 2000 years, they won most of them, and they can definitely fight.

For some of us Americans, it was never about whether or not the French could fight. The issue here is whether it was a wise decision to intervene in Mali. Personally, I have to wonder if the short-term benefits of the intervention will outweigh some of the short AND longer-term consequences (collateral damage, reprisal attacks on Tuaregs, resentment from some Arab countries, etc)

I wish french stop messing in the internal matters of another countries.
Did not they got the lesson US got from Afghanistan. Mali.s militant will never give in to French or any one. They know what they are doing and well determined in their objectives
French will be giving a bloody nose followed by humiliation before they leave Mali.
Did not got the lesson from Algeria war in 60s & 70s. Jim

I wish all success to the French military putting themselves in harms way. Remember the lessons of Dien Bien Phu and don’t get ahead of yourselves.

Congradulations President Obama, on keeping us OUT of yet another third world islamic conflict. We have no right to tell France or anyone else what to do. It’s called autonomy. As France & Mali’s ally, we could lend our logistical support if asked, as in Libya.

France’s fighting history doesn’t matter much here. What matters is how they’ve behaved in recent history, and they’ve shown time and again to run when the going gets tough. I hope I’m wrong this time. They have the opportunity to shake this perception now in Mali.

@JapanViewer
So post the “time and time again when the French ran in recent history” so the rest of us can learn from you. I would like to see some examples to back up your statment.
“Professional academic historians do not bash the French and their willingness to fight and win”
“At the climatic Battle of Dien Bien Phu in 1954, French forces, many of them legionnaires, were completely surrounded by a large Vietnamese army and were defeated after two months of tenacious fighting.”

A list of French conflicts. Mostly lost:
” – Gallic Wars
- Lost. In a war whose ending foreshadows the next 2000 years of French history, France is conquered by of all things, an Italian. [Or at ths time in history, a Roman -ed.]

- Hundred Years War
- Mostly lost, saved at last by female schizophrenic who inadvertently creates The First Rule of French Warfare; “France’s armies are victorious only when not led by a Frenchman.” Sainted.

- Italian Wars
- Lost. France becomes the first and only country to ever lose two wars when fighting Italians.

- Wars of Religion
- France goes 0-5-4 against the Huguenots

- Thirty Years War
- France is technically not a participant, but manages to get invaded anyway. Claims a tie on the basis that eventually the other participants started ignoring her.

- War of Revolution
- Tied. Frenchmen take to wearing red flowerpots as chapeaux.

- The Dutch War
- Tied

- War of the Augsburg League/King William’s War/French and Indian War
- Lost, but claimed as a tie. Three ties in a row induces deluded Frogophiles the world over to label the period as the height of French military power.

- War of the Spanish Succession
- Lost. The War also gave the French their first taste of a Marlborough, which they have loved every since.

- American Revolution
- In a move that will become quite familiar to future Americans, France claims a win even though the English colonists saw far more action. This is later known as “de Gaulle Syndrome”, and leads to the Second Rule of French Warfare; “France only wins when America does most of the fighting.”

- French Revolution
- Won, primarily due the fact that the opponent was also French.

- The Napoleonic Wars
- Lost. Temporary victories (remember the First Rule!) due to leadership of a Corsican, who ended up being no match for a British footwear designer.

- The Franco-Prussian War
- Lost. Germany first plays the role of drunk Frat boy to France’s ugly girl home alone on a Saturday night.

- World War I
- Tied and on the way to losing, France is saved by the United States [Entering the war late -ed.]. Thousands of French women find out what it’s like to not only sleep with a winner, but one who doesn’t call her “Fraulein.”.

- World War II
- Lost. Conquered French liberated by the United States and Britain just as they finish learning the Horst Wessel Song.

- War in Indochina
- Lost. French forces plead sickness; take to bed with the Dien Bien Flu

- Algerian Rebellion
- Lost. Loss marks the first defeat of a western army by a Non-Turkic Muslim force since the Crusades, and produces the First Rule of Muslim Warfare; “We can always beat the French.” This rule is identical to the First Rules of the Italians, Russians, Germans, English, Dutch, Spanish, Vietnamese and Esquimaux.

- War on Terrorism
- France, keeping in mind its recent history, surrenders to Germans and Muslims just to be safe. Attempts to surrender to Vietnamese ambassador fail after he takes refuge in a McDonald’s.

The question for any country silly enough to count on the French should not be “Can we count on the French?”, but rather “How long until France collapses?”

“Going to war without France is like going deer hunting without an accordion. All you do is leave behind a lot of noisy baggage.”