Oh please. The Foreign Legion are mercenaries pure and simple, recruited from whatever country is in distress at the moment. I remember in the first gulf war the two units that stood on the road to Baghdad when we decided to call off the dogs was one of our airborne divisions and the Frenchicon 6th Light Armored Division which helped get them there.

The French and the Brits, together with the Canadians are the only Western European countries that have troops in Afganistan that actually fight. Everyone else has rules of engagement that effectively prevent their troops that from engaging in combat. The Germans are the absolute worst about that. As long as the French fight with us I'm not going to criticise their effectiveness or courage.

The French historically had poor leadership. They have a history of having good soldiers who have been let down by incompetent leadership who was always preparing for the last war.

As far as the piracy goes at least they went and got there folks back which is a lot more than we're doing right now.

I can't believe I'm in the position of defending the Frogs, they almost always give me a pain I can't locate but if they fight with us they deserve respect.

And Carey, Napoleon was a Corsican. Something the French don't like to talk about much.