I've had the pleasure, and I'm not impressed. They have spiffy uniforms though.

If the jokes are tired, don't read them.

 

Quote:

several of their pathetic efforts since then against tyranny make them currrently quite suspect.

Oh right. Thank you..uh Chile?

 

Being a Marine I have had the pleasure of interacting with many foreign services but not the French. I do recall once in a port of call in Africa I saw a protest in front of the French embassy. A bunch of African protesters were yelling and getting fired up and it looked like they were going to charge the gates. The French sent one guy, Legionnaire I think, out to deal with the crowd. He goose stepped it across the road in pure close order drill fashion and came up to what was obviously the inciter, an old heckling woman. He stopped in front of her looking like he was going to pin a medal of achievement but instead he very swiftly butt stroked her with his rifle, faced about and goose stepped it back to the embassy. The protest sort of fizzled out after that. Don't know what happened to the old woman. I went back to the ship and reported what I saw and we left shortly after. That's my experience with the Frenchies. Still not sure what they're made of.
I gotta go now. Going to climb the Nam-song tower today. Enjoy your weekend. K6

 

Thank YOU Kilo6 for enabling me to enjoy my weekend, with my children in a safe town.

And thank you too krusty1

 

Any group of people who came up with the Ménage ŕ trois is alright by me. I kind a like French kissing too.

I envy them for all their vacation time as well. I'd sure like have more time to ride. I'd love that 35 hour work week too.

 

Hmmmm.....

 

When I was in 2/75, we went through the French Foreign Legion jungle course in Guyana.

I hate to say it, but it smoked us. Tough one for us to swallow. We did the US Army jungle school in Panama right afterwards, and it was a piece of cake in comparison.

Say what you will about post-War French foreign policy, but when they send their soldiers somewhere, it gets cleaned up (Chad, Zaire, etc.). And before someone brings up Dien Bien Phu, just acknowledge that generals and governments all over, including ours, misread the situation in that part of the world.

My opinion of the French soldier is based my personal experience with them, not on heresay.

We can criticize their government's foreign policy, though.....as long as we criticize everybody's.

At the end of the day, the French are our allies. They may disagree with certain presidents, but presidents come and go--friendships last longer. If you don't believe that, go to France.

 

I thought Vespas were Italian

 

The French Legionnaires are a whole nuther animal...many of them aren't French, they're professional military people from all over....they're like 'amped up' US Marines.

And Faber....where the hell have you been hiding out? Lurking? We missed you.

 

Good to be missed. Good to be back.

Work has been hellish. Gross.

The FFL guys are led by French officers, who do the same things as the légionnaires. They are trained by French, etc. They were all bad-***. ANd so were the Marines I got to train with who, sooner or later, came to Ft Benning to learn some advanced soldiering (just flicking a little crap, my friend--you know I got nothing but respect for the Corps)

Off to my other job now: ski instructor. Kinda rather sleep in today, tho (yawn)