Editorial Note: The following news reports are summaries from original sources. They may also include corrections of Arabic names and political terminology. Comments are in parentheses. Share this article with your facebook friends

 

Charlie Hebdo Paved the Way to Charles de Gaulle Aircraft Carrier to Begin French Attacks on Iraq and Syria

February 23, 2015

Editor's Note:

Now, the French imperialist endeavor is in full force and speed in the Middle East. In addition to launching air strikes on Iraq and Syria from the French air bases in Jordan and the UAE, the Charles de Gaulle French aircraft carrier has joined the NATO campaign to destroy the Islamic State, keep Sykes-Pecot borders dividing Arabs, and participate in the preparations for the emergence of the Israeli empire, from the Nile to the Euphrates.

Like the Canadian and Australian participations in this NATO imperialist campaign, there had to be a fanfare of terrorist attacks, like Charlie Hebdo and the supermarket attacks in Paris, to justify this French participation in the ongoing war on Arabs and Muslims. Such staged terrorist attacks aim at keeping the populations in NATO countries hypnotized, under control, and without opposition to the war.

The French imperialist-capitalists learned their lessons. They were barred from looting Iraq after the 2003 US-UK invasion. This time, Sarkozi led the war on Libya and Hollande now is in full-force participation in the NATO wars in Iraq and Syria.

Charlie Hebdo Affair Has Many of the Characteristics of a False Flag Operation By Paul Craig Roberts and Alex James

 

France's flagship Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier makes it way through the Mediterranean Sea while on mission March 26, 2011

 

France deploys aircraft carrier against ISIS in Iraq - ministry

Russia TV, February 23, 2015 10:18

France has deployed its Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier against the Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS) in Iraq, as part of the US-led military campaign, French media report, citing government officials.

"The integration of the Charles de Gaulle in the operation... (in Iraq) begins this morning," a member of Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian's staff told AFP.

The agency reports that the first Rafale fighter jet took off from the aircraft carrier on Monday morning. The warship was sailing about 200 kilometres (120 miles) off the coast north of Bahrain in the direction of Iraq.

Jets sent from the carrier reach Iraq twice as fast as those, flying from their base in the United Arab Emirates.

France announced sending the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier for use in military operations against the Islamic State in Iraq in mid-January. The decision was made in the wake of the deadly Paris attacks, when Islamist gunmen killed 17 people at the offices of the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo and a kosher supermarket.

French President Francois Hollande told military personnel back then that the Charlie Hebdo massacre “justifies the presence of our aircraft carrier.”

France joined the US-led coalition carrying out air strikes against IS militants in Iraq in September. It has declined to participate in the aerial campaign against the group in Syria, where the government of President Bashar Assad has condemned the attacks on Syrian territory.

The Charles de Gaulle carrier is the largest Western European warship currently in commission, and is France’s only nuclear-powered surface vessel. The ship can carry 20 to 25 aircraft, including Super Etendard strike fighter jets, Rafale M multirole fighter jets and Aster missiles.

The carrier is currently accompanied by an attack submarine, several frigates, including a British anti-submarine boat and a refueling ship, Reuters reports.

France operates nine fighter jets from its base in the United Arab Emirates and six Mirage fighter jets from Jordan.

 

French aircraft carrier begins Iraq operations: French sources

PARIS Mon Feb 23, 2015, 4:34am EST

(Reuters) -

France's Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier has started military operations against Islamic State in Iraq, a French army source said on Monday.

"The carrier and its naval group has officially started missions as part of its Chammal operation in Iraq," the source told Reuters in a reference to the name of the mission.

A second source said the carrier would be engaged for several weeks.

Le Figaro newspaper, which is accompanying Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian ahead of an official announcement he is set to make on the carrier on Monday, said the first reconnaissance and possible air strikes in Iraq took place in the morning.

France was the first country to join the U.S.-led coalition in air strikes in Iraq against Islamic State insurgents, who have also taken control of large parts of neighboring Syria during the course of the civil war there. However, it has ruled out striking the group in Syria.

The carrier is accompanied by an attack submarine, several frigates, including a British anti-submarine frigate and a refueling ship.

France has nine fighter jets, a maritime patrol aircraft and a refueling plane at its base in the United Arab Emirates as part of its Iraq mission. It also operates six Mirage fighter jets from Jordan.

With the Charles de Gaulle, there are now more than 3,000 French military personnel involved in the operation.

(Reporting By Marine Pennetier and John Irish; Editing by Andrew Callus)

 

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