French panties twisted over photo
Earlier, I linked to an article about al-Shabab distributing a photo of a dead French soldier. Now, I’m sure some of the French are outraged over it, but the photo above is the one that gets them really angry. From NBC;
Photographer Issouf Sanogo of the Agence France-Presse news agency and Yann Foreix of Le Parisien were drawn to the soldier, whom they photographed. The bandana is an accessory sold for fans of the violent military game “Call of Duty.” At first glance, the soldier bears eerie resemblance the character Ghost from the video game.
Advertise | AdChoicesFrench military officials aren’t happy about the image, according to newspaper Liberation in Paris.
“This is unacceptable behavior,” said Col. Thierry Burkhard. “This image is not representative of action by France in Mali.”
Never mind that “French Defense Minister Jean-Yves LeDrian said over the weekend that the goal is the “total reconquest of Mali,” and that the French military would not “leave any pockets of resistance.”"
Looks to me like that French soldier is just getting into the spirit.
And since I’ve been picking on the French all day today, The Duffel Blog’s David Brooks picks on them, too. If the French don’t like it, maybe they shouldn’t have elected Hollande.
January 23rd, 2013 at 1:52 pm
Color me strange, but I think that picture is AWESOME!!
January 23rd, 2013 at 1:52 pm
I gotta get me one of those!
January 23rd, 2013 at 1:54 pm
@2: You can order them from most motorcycle accessory businesses. In fact, if you ever watch the movie “Wild Hogs”, Tim Allen wears one towards the end of the movie.
January 23rd, 2013 at 1:58 pm
Not going to link it, but you can get it from Amazon.com. I expect they’ll go quick now.
January 23rd, 2013 at 1:58 pm
“But this image has a more chilling effect, somehow, perhaps because it signifies the conundrum of war: the liberating army as a symbol of freedom, but also of looming death.” (NBC story)
That’s a conundrum? An occupied or terrorized people are freed by the killing of their occupiers or terrorizers? I guess I don’t know what conundrum means.
As for the pic, that soldier means to have his enemy say “Oh shit!” Nothing wrong with that. Scaring one’s enemy by sight and sound is nothing new. But to a few Frenchies, it’s “unacceptable behavior.” Jeez. Gotta love dem froggies.
January 23rd, 2013 at 1:58 pm
No problem here.
January 23rd, 2013 at 2:02 pm
I just hope things turn out better for the French soldier than they did for “Ghost”.
January 23rd, 2013 at 2:05 pm
aren’t some of the SEAL teams wearing these also?
January 23rd, 2013 at 2:08 pm
Reminds of the rebels in one of those African countries, Liberia maybe. They wear outlandish, gaudy attire to “frighten” their enemies. ‘Course they also believe that after being blessed by entrails or something that bullets will swerve away from them. Might have something to do with the copious amounts of khat they consume.
January 23rd, 2013 at 2:08 pm
Wow. I didn’t know they have trees in Mali. I’m impressed.
January 23rd, 2013 at 2:13 pm
Your country asks you to leave your home and familiy, become proficient in warfighting, travel to chaotic war zones, encounter barbaric enemies and then kill them.
But please, don’t look too scary when you do it.
January 23rd, 2013 at 2:17 pm
This is stupid as shit on two accounts. One for military men getting upset over it because it’s not politically correct but the other because it’s just stupid. I remember a couple of these types of photos of US military in Iraq wearing similar garbage and they were collectively laughed at by their own combat arms troops.
Notice the guys in the back all relaxed getting shit done while G.I. Peire over there is loaded up for war like ze Germans are enroute.
January 23rd, 2013 at 2:18 pm
Hey, its Morgan Freeman, eh, what? Oh sorry, I meant thats former Boston Celtic great Bill Russell…
- George Stinkingpoopolous
January 23rd, 2013 at 2:20 pm
Similar:
http://budk.com/product/Apparel/Facemasks/ABS-Military-Skeletal-Soldier-Full-Face-Mask/pc/3006/c/0/sc/3018/174665.uts
January 23rd, 2013 at 2:23 pm
@13. Gaaaaaaad Dammit. Why did you bring Bill Russell up in this? He is a helluva guy. He’s everything Morgan Friedbrain isn’t: intelligent, skilled, and worthy of wide admiration.
January 23rd, 2013 at 2:43 pm
French… Total conquest…. LOL
January 23rd, 2013 at 3:00 pm
Here’s the ones I was talking about.
http://www.jpcycles.com/product/130-046
http://www.jpcycles.com/product/130-025
January 23rd, 2013 at 4:48 pm
@16
Regardless of personal disdain for a country and their people, the French remain one of the most experienced COIN forces in the world. They’re actually good at what they do.
January 23rd, 2013 at 5:02 pm
@3
I remember driving home on I-95 one Halloween and looking into my rearview at a biker wearing one of those masks. I did a double take, believe me.
January 23rd, 2013 at 5:08 pm
Ok fellas, what am I missing? What’s the problem?
January 23rd, 2013 at 5:17 pm
@20. No problem, YatYas, it’s just that the Frenchies are at it again, this time dropping their baggettes all Paris because of the pic.
January 23rd, 2013 at 5:18 pm
Here, put this between all ann Paris in cmt 21: “over.” Thanks.
January 23rd, 2013 at 5:39 pm
Omgarsh! A soldier looking intimidating! Sacre …what ever the french say!
January 23rd, 2013 at 5:54 pm
Not only that he wasn’t wearing a PT reflective belt. French needs to step up their “Chickenshit” to catch up with the bullshit other Armies put out.
January 23rd, 2013 at 6:10 pm
Jeez, the French were some of the most sadistic brass knuckled peoples on earth…after all they made the guillotine and the prison on Devils Island French Guiana world famous.
I like this French fella
The Inspector – Cirrhosis Of The Louvre
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gWP9Fck4C0&list=PL053AFC8538783C0C
January 23rd, 2013 at 8:27 pm
@23. Blue? Blu? In any event, tat guy Sacre blows a lot.