This article urges President Trump to push France to back efforts in Syria and Iran to fight terrorism.
While I welcome French diplomatic support on those fronts, I've long felt that France, building on their former colonial role in much of the region and on their Mali expedition, should take the lead in fighting jihadis in Libya and points to the west and southwest.
America, with our other allies, has the military power to handle Syria and Iran without the relatively small increment that France could add.
I'd rather have France take the lead to prevent northwest Africa from becoming a problem that requires our serious intervention.
France and Europe would benefit from a calmer and more prosperous Africa that doesn't send jihadis and mass numbers of migrants poorly equipped to assimilate into Europe.
Given that Macron has abandoned the goal of removing Assad from power in Syria, I'd rather have the French involved where we can more closely align our interests.
Macron should open the French front in Africa. For the glory of France, of course.
About Me
- Brian J. Dunn
- I live and write in Ann Arbor, Michigan. University of Michigan AB and MA from Eastern Michigan University. One term in the Michigan Army National Guard. Former American history instructor and retired nonpartisan research analyst. I write on Blogger and Substack. Various military and private journals have published my occasional articles on military subjects. See "My Published Works" on the TDR web version or under the mobile version drop-down menu for citations and links.
