[OT] Double standards?

Why would you assume that? The circumstances of the two incidents were entirely different. Besides, it's not the reporting of the Fallujah incident to which I object, it's the knee-jerk assumption of the Left that the Marine committed a war crime.

No, an over reaction. I dont know if it was a crime. The Military think it may be and took him out of the line. Unfortunatly unsavory things do happen, perhaps it should be left at that? The thread would have died by now if youd left it alone.

Bill,

Once a Frenchman, always a Frenchman, non?

You wrote: "Actually, I think they are some of France's best-trained, brave, and most professional troops (perhaps because almost none but the officers are actually French)".

I read that as saying that almost none of the FFL (other than officers) are Frenchmen.

As far as nationalities, the FFL probably cares little if your are French or not, i.e. "Legio Patria Nostra". They are satisfying the requirements of the French legal system by having Frenchmen enlist as Belgians or Luxemburgers.

As to your liaison with the FFL, I'd say that you can't forecast the percentage of nationalities (130 plus) of the Legion by seeing one sub-unit. I've seen Legion units that had a higher percentage of Africans such as Senegales, for example. I've also seen other units (such as the 2nd REP) that had a higher percentage of Europeans.

John Hairell ( snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com)

From: John Hairell snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com

I wouldn't admit if if I didn't have to but you may be right.

Yes. I suppose I did; almost none. That's because that's what I saw in the unit.

You could be right. I'm not a FFL expert; only commented on what I saw.

You are obviously better informed on the FFL than I am. As I said, my only exposure was to the unit I worked with in DESERT SHIELD/DESERT STORM and I believed what theie officers told me. It certainly isn't worth a long arguement over and I accept what you say as fact.

-- -- -- -- -- "We sleep safe in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm." George Orwell

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Al Superczynski wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

Those damn French, always butting into other people's business without UN approval. Can we bomb them next?

Bill,

No argument, just an interesting discussion.

Interestingly there's been some recent complaints within the FFL as far as assignments to various units, and accusations of institutional bias and racism, i.e. why do more Europeans go to the elite 2nd REP versus other units.

John Hairell ( snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com)

I thought winning wasn't their job. I thought dying gloriously was their job. It's easier to do that when you're on the losing side, isn't it?