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    France Is Sending a Large Naval Force to the Middle East
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    France Is Sending a Large Naval Force to the Middle East

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    1. tree_boom on

      > Over the next 48 hours, Mr. Macron said, France will send eight frigates and two helicopter carriers to the region. It has already deployed the Charles de Gaulle, its sole aircraft carrier, to the Mediterranean and sent a frigate and air defense systems to Cyprus after it was targeted early in the war by Iranian drones and missiles.

      What on earth is he wanting such a force to even do? The article suggests:

      > Later, aboard the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle stationed in the Mediterranean, he explained that the naval presence was intended to protect French citizens in the region, guard against attacks on France’s allies and, potentially, escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz.

      Protecting citizens and allies is a ridiculous suggestion for what is probably close to every ship of the French Navy that’s current available for tasking. The last one rings slightly more true, and is expanded on:

      > In recent days, Mr. Macron has been working to organize an international escort force to ensure that the strait, the conduit for about one-fifth of the world’s oil supply, reopens to oil tankers and container ships once it is safe to do so. So far, several European nations “are ready to do it with us,” he said, along with India and other Asian countries. He noted that he had spoken with President Masoud Pezeshkian of Iran about the proposal on Sunday.

      Maybe? That would be impressive if he could arrange an international force to do that…but how are they going to deconflict with the Americans? And why do they need to do it kinetically if the Iranians are willing to talk about it? Why would the CdG be involved in that given the air-base in the UAE? What would the Mistrals be for?

      I confess I am baffled by the movements lately. Normally things make a lot more sense.

    2. Kronos_1729r on

      This comes after French President Emmanuel Macron met with **Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides** and **Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis** in Paphos, emphasizing that **”an attack on Cyprus is an attack on Europe”** and pledging full European solidarity.

    3. KingKeane16 on

      Where was this support for countries when Russia was breaching european air space

    4. lulzcam7 on

      19/23 main warships are at sea (the CdG, 13 frigates, 3 helicopters carriers, 2 suppliers).

      The only ones at dock are in maintenance.

    5. Reggio_Calabria on

      Following days of intense air bombings killing thousands and disrupting maritime flows passing through a narrow strait, « victory » is declared by obese german-named nazi warmonger ~~H. Göring~~ D. Trump.

    8. bukowsky01 on

      It’s an interesting excercise in any case, the CdG steamed from the Baltic to Crete in less than a week, along with its escorts (parts at least), with replenishment along the way.

      The Marine Nationale also managed to basically push out everything operational in a surge. It is a pretty impressive display of capability.

      Either way, the force display comes handy at the moment, when it is clear that little is respected but force. It is likely we will need to evacuate Lebanon, and depending on how things work out elsewhere, having some assets in place will not hurt.

    9. MyPigWhistles on

      If only there was European solidarity over the ongoing, illegal, Turkish occupation of Cyprus. 

    10. Traditional-Talk4676 on

      It’s great to show we are prepared and can pull this off without the US (and if there’s one country that can do it in Europe, it’s probably France). 

      I just hope to God this doesn’t create more problems like friendly fire (the muricans are led by AI and hegseth.. a child and robots) or losing ships to the Iranians. Russia would be very interested in providing targeting data too… hope our navy is at least joined by other EU countries there 

    11. AblatAtalbA on

      Do you people really think that 2 drones justify this much power? With the US ships moved to Iran. Israel remains uncovered in the Mediterranean, in case of an escalation with other countries. The drone that hit Cyprus was not from iran as the ministry of defence confirms. It was yet another false flag to justify this move. The Greek ships are already near Israel.

      https://www.thenational.scot/news/25909109.drone-hit-raf-base-cyprus-not-launched-iran–mod-says/

    13. BaddonAOE on

      Most of people here do not understand the real meaning of this force deployment.

      This is simply to show that we do not need US to do it.

    14. contigo510 on

      It’s a curiously over the top reaction from France and it serves little military utility. It’s also quite apparent that an EU country is not being actively targeted, and the low cost, low tech drone that dented the roof of a hangar that was the target in a British overseas territory (we aren’t in the EU, and neither are the sovereign base areas) has not been followed by a salvo of missiles. Counter drone systems are and have been at Akrotiri for a long time and are being bolstered in a sensible, proportionate fashion.
      Sending dozens of warships to ‘defend’ Cyprus feels like willy waving

    16. Appropriate_M on

      Protecting oil tankers, refineries etc. Assume presence will also deter nuclear holocaust if there’s madness around.

    19. Major_Boot2778 on

      Can someone explain to me how ships in the Eastern Mediterranean are going to be used to open back up the Strait of Hormuz, as the article says? I keep seeing this pop up in different places and it doesn’t make sense to me, but there’s probably a simple explanation.