EUROCORPS 2012 role for 2014 Afghanistan Troops Withdrawal helped by MultiNational know-how +Libya ?

*Strasbourg/EUROCORPS HQ/Angelo Marcopolo/- New ISAF Chief of staff, EUROCORPS Commander, French General Olivier de Bavinchove, speaking to Strasbourg Journalists including "EuroFora", in a Tele-Conference from Kabul, pointed at the European Army Corps' genuine Multinational Experience, as due to play a key role during its crucial 2012 mission at Afghanistan as ISAF's  Head of Staff in order to prepare the WIthdrawal of International Foreign Troops planned for 2014, but left open the answer to a more Topical question on recent Political developments, which might have a decisive influence :

Could EUOCORPS' 2012 crucial role for the 2014 Troops' Withdrawal from Afghanistan be helped in real practice by the recent developments in "New Libya", which "mark the end of Civilisations' clash", as French President Sarkozy has stressed from the outset at the conclusion of the September 2011 International Conference to help the new, coalition government, composed of various former Rebels, from Islamists up to Christians, Jews or atheists, etc., who struggled together against Tanks and Canons of the former Colonel Kadhafi regime in the name of Freedom and Democracy with the help of Europe ?

Many converging Facts clearly indicate the importance of that politicaly strategic question, which is obviously Timely, for many reasons :

- F. ex., the main role of EUROCORPS Mission to Afghanistan, from January 2012 up to January 2013, is to prepare satisfactory conditions for an ambitious withdrawal of all foreign troops scheduled for 2014, while an important International Conference, due to be organized on May 2012 in Chicago, will determine the roles that participating Nations may play during the new, Post-2014 period, as EUROCORPS'  new Commander, and 2012 ISAF's Chief of Staff, French General Olivier de Bavinchove told Strasbourg's Journalists, including "EuroFora", in a direct Tele-Conference from Kabul Headquarters.

This will be closely followed also by 2 other International Conferences, scheduled on July 2012 in Tokyo for the Economic and Humanitarian Aid to Afghanistan, as well as in Kabul itself, later this year, about the "Governance" and the Development of the Country, marking 3 important "Political Rendez-vous" towards the 2014 Withdrawal, General Bavinchove observed.

- Indeed, EUROCORPS' 2012 Mission is "Essential" for the "Stabilisation" of the situation in Afghanistan, which is a necessary "Prerequisite for the Withdrawal" of all Foreign Troops in 2014, and this can be a really "Tricky" Challenge, since the real situation on the spot still is "particularly Unstable", observed later-on EU Parliament's Security/Defence Committee's President, MEP Arnauld Danjean.

+ In fact, ISAF's Headquarters, entrusted to EUROCORPS for 2012, "a year of great Changes", even with reduced Military Forces because of the on-going, progressive withdreawal of Foreign Troops (and particularly 23.000 USA soldiers due to leave during 2012), will aim now to exert various Pressions on the Rebels in order to obtain "Significant Results" by convincing them that, instead of being killed in a battle, or captured, judged and jailed, it's better for them to accept to "ReIntegrate" Afghan Society by working for the Legal Afghan Institutions, as some 3.000 of them have already started to do, General Bavinchove stressed.

 - Meanwhile, ISAF's Military losses have considerably lowered in 2011, compared to 2010, with some - 20% less, and Rebels have "radically Changed" their methods, now avoiding to engage in armed clashes against the International Coalition Forces, but using mainly "indirect" actions, f.ex. by isolated terrorist moves, which are currently the "focus" of our attention, both in terms of Intelligence and attacks, ISAF's new Chief of Staff also observed.       

    
- However, EUROCORPS' Commander clearly rejected any idea for an eventual Report of the 2014 Time Deadline for the Foreign Troops Withdrawal, f.ex. in case of "difficulties" : - "This is Not an Option !", he energetically reacted to a question on this point. "It's very clear" that "I don't see any possibility" to extend ISAF's military presence in Afghanistan beyond the "Date of 31 December 2014, when it was agreed that it will Stop" operating :  - "There isn't any Ambiguity  ! I'have been repeating that to all involved", General Bavinschove stressed.                   

=> That's why it's "important" to succeed in our efforts to Train, Equipe and Help the Afghan Authorities to really take over on 2014 the Security/Defence of all their Country, including by succesfully "Re-Integrating" former Rebels Talibans in the official Army or Police, he observed.             
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+ POLITICAL  DEVELOPMENTS :
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    In this regard, European Countries, such as France, Germany and Spain, etc., particularly when led by France, who had notoriously opposed Iraq's Military Invasion and Occupation back on 2003, and never intervened inside a Foreign Country without a UNO mandate and an International coalition, could normally find it easier than others to convince former Rebels Talibans to give up the arms and "ReIntegrate" the legal Afghan Institutions, as well as to contribute into brokering any eventual agreement which might facilitate a Peaceful Troops Withdrawal, particularly after also the recent spectacular developments since the 2 Paris' International Conferences for "Help to Libyan People", and "to support New Libya", on March and September 2011, respectively :

    The French President's hope that those who usually attempt to exploit a so-called "Clash of Civilisations" for their Selfish aims, (f.ex. some Foreign Governments secretly playing Cynical games Hidden behind the scenes, and/or some Criminal Networks, etc), will have no more the same possibilities as before to Manipulate People, after the recent developments in Libya, where France and other EU Countries, Arabs, etc., helped revolted Libyan People to protect themselves from Colonel Kadhafi's deadly Tanks, and afterwards to liberate all their Country, might prove correct, particularly after recent revelations of concrete cases of even former Taliban trainees, who had visited Afghanistan in the Past, and were afterwards arrested and jailed by Kadhafi's police in Libya's prisons, nevertheless, later-on were full of good words for Sarkozy's help to Libyan Rebels, among whom they struggled, before becoming New Libya's f.ex. Security Officer in the capital, Tripoli, etc.

    After also the strong Popular "Welcome" received by the French President particularly by the People of Benhgazi, the mainly Arab Muslim city notoriously threatened to be crushed by colonel Kadhafi's Deadly Tanks on March 2011, which was saved at the last minute thanks to the protective action taken by an International Coalition led mainly by Sarkozy, who also had the good idea to organize just a Hugh-Tech Airborn operation, able to protect the Revolted People from hostile Bombardment and heavily armoured Terrestrial Attacks, but carefully avoided putting any soldier at the soil of a Foreign Country without any UNO mandate and/or agreement with its Authorities, such positive and succesful developments and alliances should normally be of great Help in Afghanistan, in order to convince at least several hesitating former Talibans that a time has come to start dealing with a French-led EUROCORPS' ISAF staff, for an Agreement able to guarantee a Peaceful Transition in their Country.

    + My main mission is to "Win Hearts and Minds" in favor of EUROCOROPS' operation, stressed to "EuroFora", f.ex. officer Yvan Rayman, son of a Baker living near Strasbourg; Married and Father of 2 Children, (but well aware of even Deadly dangers, as the recent killing of 2 French Soldiers by a false "repentant", ex-Taliban, recently revealed).

    In fact, from the simple Soldier up to the Commanding General, everybody involved knows that "Afghanistan" has become "important for the Security of the World", as Sarkozy observed this week, despite the fact that it wasn't himself who initially ordered France's late participation to the USA-led operation there, as he has already reminded earlier.

    Careful, however, EUROCORPS' Press Director, colonel Bruno Louisfert, abstained from taking any position, in favor or against "EuroFora"s question on the possibility for the recent developments in Libya to offer any positive occasion to France and all EUROCORPS' current task in AFghanistan :

- "The glave stops when the Toga speaks : The Army's task is to make possible and facilitate Political Leaders' decisions", he simply replied to "EuroFora", as far as the Libyan developments' ideological impact, by putting an "End to the Clash of Civilisations" and its exploitation by some dark interests, is concerned (Comp. supra)...
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+ MULTINATIONAL experience :
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+ EUROCORPS' unique Experience as a "really Multi-National" force, is another key Advantage, when it comes to deal with an International Force f.ex. as ISAF in Afghnistan, which was strongly stressed by his experienced Deputy Chief, German General Walter Spindler :

- "In addition to the 5 main "Framework" Nations, (France, Germany, Spain, Belgium and Luxembourg), there are at least 9 European Nations currently represented in EUROCORPS' Headquarters in Strasbourg, including also Poland, Italy, Greece, Romania, etc., that an 2008 EU Parliament's Resolution asked to "place .. as standing force under EU Command", "inviting all (EU) Member States to contribute to it".

=> "All Days long", we are accustomed to "Work in a real Multi-National" system, where we are all obliged to discuss and make "Compromises", contrary to almost all Other Armies, where there is "1 Leader", that all the others have to "follow"... But, here, in EUROCORPS, nobody can say alone "I want" this or that to be done, without using a real MultiNational procedure, General Spindler stressed, concluding that, therefore, the capacity to work together in a real MultiNational context is "much more developed inside EUROCORPS than anywhere else"...

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    + French General Bavinchove, 2012 ISAF's Chief of staff, has already a precious and multifacet personal Experience in Multinational forces at Bosnia-Herzegovina, in Tchad, and at Lebanon's FINUL, before taking over recently as EUROCORPS' new Commander (since July 2011).

    => Indeed, in order to succesfully take over, during 2012, ISAF's "Joint Command", EUROCORPS' main "Contribution" is its way to "Master" a unique "Multi-National", "sharing-Experience" of how to "Conduct Operations Together", while also being able to "take into consideration eventual Differences" between all those involved in a joint action, General de Bavinchove stressed today, finding that advantage to be of "Decisive Importance" in practice.
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    + EUROCORPS itself already is building a "particularly significant" experience, by having served, among others, in various theaters, such as, f.ex., Afrika, Middle East, Balkans, Afghanistan, etc., observed EU Parliament's Security/Defence Committee's President, French MEP Arnould Danjean in his Speech to the official Ceremony for the Departure.

    => Even if it's not yet a really fully fledged EU force, (despite EU Parliament's 2008 Resolution in this direction : See supra), nevertheless, by already Building up a Friendly Brotherhood in Arms between EU Nations, while struggling together to Fight for Shared Values,  EUROCORPS learns how to put Military Courage and Might in the service, not of Nationalistic Egoism, but of European "Solidarity" : a Principle which stands at the center of EU construction, Danjean concluded.
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+ Meanwhile, Poland will start to participate, for the 1st time, to EUROCORPS' Afghanistan Mission during 2012, by sending 5 and 10 Military staff, including a General, from January and July, respectively, long before its Accession as Full Member, scheduled for January 2016, (i.e. in  less than 4 Years), with 120 Polish Army staff, General Kazimir Wojik (who will go also himself to ISAF's HQ this year) told "EuroFora".