Friday, July 08, 2005

The French then and Now

Twenty years on, specter of Rainbow Warrior still haunts France

Just one question: Operation SATANIC? What the hell kind of code name is that? Granted, Operation Blowing Up Birkenstock Wearing Hippies, while more accurate, doesn't exactly roll off the tongue. But I would think the French are creative enough to come up with something better. Perhaps the task of naming an offensive action was too novel, with their traditional maneuvers named Operations: Take Flight, Hide Like the Wind and Run Away like Something that Runs Away Very Quickly Indeed.

Look at us Americans. We may invade some pissant country at the drop of a hat, but we usually have pretty cool operation and code names for our wars and police actions.

1983 Grenada invasion- Urgent Fury
1989 evacuation of dependents from Panama- Blade Jewel
1989 invasion of Panama- Just Cause
1990-91 First Gulf War- Desert Shield, Desert Storm, and then Desert Sabre

We'll ignore Operation Enduring Freedom as an aberration of America's martial poeticism.

1 comment:

Red A said...

France's computer generated operational plan for the defense of France from Luxembourg's attack.

Operation White Flag