By Prensa Latina
Paris : President Nicolas Sarkozy is being fiercely criticized by leaders of France’s opposition Socialist Party for offering to send more troops to Afghanistan and making the controversial announcement in the British parliament.
Sarkozy made a rare address for a foreign head of state to Britain’s parliament during an official visit to London this week and promised to send additional soldiers to fight the Taliban, which sparked off a wave of criticism in France, where several politicians considered disrespectful to have tackled the issue abroad and not at home.
British media had already disclosed the news at his arrival, when affirming that Paris was considering a further increase in French troop numbers in Afghan territory with nearly 1,500 troops, a number not confirmed by Defense Minister Herve Morin.
Socialists have demanded a parliamentary debate in Paris before any more soldiers are sent there since Sarkozy’s attitude of speaking about this issue in London, rejecting opposition’s concerns.
“We are the only western democracy where a military situation can last without authorization and information to Parliament,” socialist deputy Henri Emmanuelli declared.
On the other hand, former Socialist candidate in 2007 elections Segolene Royal launched a savage attack against Sarkozy decision of increasing French troop numbers in Afghan territory.
“What surprised me, perhaps shocked me, is that Nicolas Sarkozy talked about France’s commitments in Afghanistan before British parliamentarians when there hasn’t been the slightest debate before French parliamentarians,” said Royal, current female leader of the regional government of Poitou-Charentes
The Leader of French Communist Party Marie-George Buffet also came out forcibly against the move, who considered unfair that the political class and the population of her country finds this out by media.
“I am not in favor of any strengthening of France’s forces in Afghanistan in the current context, there should be polls to decide Afghanistan’s matter, former Socialist Minister Jean-Pierre Chevenement said.
Likewise, Socialist Party first Secretary Francois Hollande expressed he considers any additional deployment of French forces to Afghanistan an error.