French Consider Role in Afghan Fight
By JAMEY KEATEN
Associated Press Writer
PARIS - French special forces could take part in a U.S.-led ground operation in Afghanistan, and the government may also deploy surface-to-air missiles to protect sensitive sites at home, France's defense minister said Thursday.
Alain Richard, speaking on LCI Television, said France is now in the "planning phase" with U.S. military officials about a possible joint ground operation. He said there is no limit to what France's role might be _ although he said a decision on action hadn't been made yet.
"Because this series of limited ground operations is surely going to last for some time, in effect it is possible that French special forces may be associated with lending a hand," Richard said.
On Wednesday, President Bush said he believed the war on terrorism would take at least two years. U.S. special operations troops aboard an aircraft carrier were ready for search-and-destroy missions in Afghanistan, U.S. officials said.
"What the United States is developing is a series of limited actions on different, well-targeted sites, and it's absolutely not a step toward taking overall control of the entire territory," Richard said.
He said planning and deployment for such a mission could take several weeks, and added that British special forces were also likely to participate.
Richard said in response to a question that the government may deploy surface-to-air missiles to protect important civil and military sites across France.
Nuclear fuel producer Cogema confirmed Thursday its La Hague nuclear facility, which reprocesses nuclear waste, is on a list of sites that the government has said it will protect.
"Our objective is ... to reinforce the security of these sites _ and the first step is air defense, which may be complemented by ground measures directly coordinated with the air force," Defense Ministry spokesman Jean-Francois Bureau said during a weekly briefing.
The ministry said France is taking the measures purely as a precaution and has received no threats to such sites.
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