Elite French special forces units to help protect TdF

[cadence90]

Originally Posted by Black Dog

Oh, it is a bit funny...

No, it really is not.
At least, I do not see the humor in this case.

[ultraman6970]

What would be interesting is to see uncle sam sending people there to save them "again" :P

[sfscott]

Originally Posted by Anarchist

Not even remotely funny.

Actually, I think it is.

Q: Why are French boulevards lined with trees?
A: So Germans can march in the shade.

[pbarry]

There are elite, special, or undercover forces on the sidelines and in the crowd on the final stage on the Champs Elysees. Have been for decades.

[sg8357]

Originally Posted by Anarchist

Not even remotely funny.

Ein Volk, Ein Reich, Ein Euro!

[Louis]

What's really funny is that any one of those French GIGN guys could take on any 10 of the loud-talking "Freedom Fries" guys on this forum, even with one arm tied behind his back and blindfolded.

[cadence90]

Some things posted on this forum are really stupefying.

[572cv]

Originally Posted by Black Dog

Oh, it is a bit funny...

No, not really, if you really think about it.

The French are our allies, our friends, and these special forces are as tough as nails. Why they get a bad rap in this country is beyond me, except that we Americans seem to have the ability to form prejudices seemingly at will. The French saved our country at the outset. Look up Admiral DeGrasse and Yorktown. Develop a new respect for what they are as a collection of peoples, and what they have developed as a country. Then, carry that sense of discovery on to other countries, and peoples. Especially to places where people have a passion for bicycles, our common passion. Lets find and support the strengths of nations that might possibly envision doing the same for us, instead of tearing down without any particular sense of understanding.

End of rant.....sorry.

[veggieburger]

Have you heard about the new French tank? It's 6 speeds! One forward, 5 reverse.

[skiezo]

They are a bunch of top notch anti terror guys. I think it is a good idea but I do not think the the french government should foot the bill for a private function.
I did some training with these guy about 25 years ago as well as the FFL.
It is just sad that it has to come to such drastic measures.

[cadence90]

Originally Posted by skiezo

They are a bunch of top notch anti terror guys. I think it is a good idea but I do not think the the french government should foot the bill for a private function.

It is just sad that it has to come to such drastic measures.

Aren't there anti-terror, etc., special services now present at big US sporting events like the Super Bowl? Perhaps not, I don't know; but after Boston I would think and even hope so.

I think the threat, especially in Paris this summer, will be very real (since it has already been declared) and should be policed at very high levels.

It is horribly sad, but also horribly real.

[rustychisel]

... maybe just a little bit funny. Irreverence is okay when tempered with wisdom.

The gendarmerie running the rolling closures are plenty tough enough for us cissies.

Anyway, in 2009 my partner and I were in Castelnaudary - home of the cassoulet - having dinner at a bar on the town square. It just happens to be the nearest town to the base of the 4th Foreign Legion, and the bars were packed. There was more bulging bicep than tight t-shirt, if you get my meaning... definitely not the sort of place where you would want to start a brawl.

[Black Dog]

Originally Posted by 572cv

No, not really, if you really think about it.

The French are our allies, our friends, and these special forces are as tough as nails. Why they get a bad rap in this country is beyond me, except that we Americans seem to have the ability to form prejudices seemingly at will. The French saved our country at the outset. Look up Admiral DeGrasse and Yorktown. Develop a new respect for what they are as a collection of peoples, and what they have developed as a country. Then, carry that sense of discovery on to other countries, and peoples. Especially to places where people have a passion for bicycles, our common passion. Lets find and support the strengths of nations that might possibly envision doing the same for us, instead of tearing down without any particular sense of understanding.

End of rant.....sorry.

Ok. First of all I come at this from Canada and my 1st language is French as are my ancestors. People can both have deep respect for a nation and still poke some fun too. No nation or culture is perfect past or present. Not everything need be a simple dichotomy.

[Louis]

Originally Posted by rustychisel

It just happens to be the nearest town to the base of the 4th Foreign Legion, and the bars were packed. There was more bulging bicep than tight t-shirt, if you get my meaning... definitely not the sort of place where you would want to start a brawl.

Wusses - you could have taken them no problem...

[rustychisel]

yeah, right...

and that nice man looks like he might be French Samoan. Can you imagine one of his life decisions: member of the meanest rugby team on the planet or joining the Legion Etrangere?