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French Reject Larger Role in Afghanistan

April 04, 2008

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Many people in France are against their president’s proposal to deploy more soldiers to Afghanistan, according to a poll by BVA released by Sud-Ouest. 68 per cent of respondents oppose Nicolas Sarkozy’s plan to increase the number of French troops in the country.

Afghanistan has been the main battleground in the war on terrorism. The conflict began in October 2001, after the Taliban regime refused to hand over Osama bin Laden, prime suspect in the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York and Washington. Al-Qaeda operatives hijacked and crashed four airplanes on Sept. 11, 2001, killing nearly 3,000 people.

France committed troops to the war on terrorism in Afghanistan. At least 781 soldiers—including 12 French—have died in the conflict, either in support of the United States-led Operation Enduring Freedom or as part of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) led by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

In May 2007, Sarkozy, candidate for the centre-right Union for a Popular Movement (UMP) and former interior minister, won the presidential run-off with 53.06 per cent of the vote. Sarkozy appointed François Fillon—who had been his adviser and presidential campaign leader—as prime minister.

On Apr. 2, Fillon discussed France’s proposal, saying, "Afghanistan plays a large role in our security, and thus our freedom. (...) The deployment could be of the order of several hundred extra soldiers." Socialist Party (PS) parliamentary leader Jean-Marc Ayrault dismissed the idea as an "Atlantic obsession," adding, "Who can believe that adding war on top of war will stop it. We refuse this sinking into a conflict without a goal and without an end."

Polling Data

Do you support or oppose Nicolas Sarkozy’s plan to increase the number of French troops in Afghanistan?

Support

15%

Oppose

68%

Not sure

17%

Source: BVA / Sud-Ouest
Methodology: Face-to-face interviews with 970 French adults, conducted on Mar. 28 and Mar. 29, 2008. No margin of error was provided.