In the News: Operation Barkhane reinforced

Audio 06:11

By: Frédéric Couteau Follow

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France confirms its commitment to the Sahel: it has decided to send 600 additional men to Operation "Barkhane", which will drop from 4,500 to 5,100 men by the end of the month.

" It's now or never!" Exclaims L'Alsace. The strengthening of Operation Barkhane sounds like a start. Either it goes, or it breaks! (…) Concretely, the goal is to reverse an increasingly unfavorable balance of forces against the international coalition led by France with the support of the Sahel countries. Which will also have to raise their commitment to a new level. (…) Double or quits ! The year 2020 will be decisive for Operation Barkhane and, within it, for the French army. Hence the legitimate demand for results recalled by Emmanuel Macron. "

Be careful, however, warns La Croix, " France does not have the broad shoulders to stabilize the Sahel. This immense region faces demographic, economic, social and political challenges that sharpen ethnic and religious tensions. The weakness of states is exploited by traffickers and propagandists. A strong and global international commitment would be necessary , believes La Croix, to restore the foundation for the whole area, but without guarantee of success. The situation is reminiscent of that of Afghanistan, where Westerners, in twenty years, have failed to bring peace.

This precedent partly explains the reluctance of many European countries to get involved. Yet the jihadists are hostile to Europe. And the development of the Sahel would favor harmonious relations between the two continents, so close. For Paris , concludes La Croix, it is urgent to convince and to unite. "

Primary Democrats: who faces Trump?

Also on the front page, the Democratic primaries kick off in the United States…

" Facing Trump, the Democrats are looking for a champion," points Le Figaro. " The state of Iowa is the first to vote this Monday in the Democratic primaries to designate the opponent who will face the outgoing president in the US presidential election in November. "

Democrats who are not at best, notes the newspaper: " They thought they were impeachmenting the absolute electoral weapon against Donald Trump. However, the horizon is clearing for the American president, who should in all likelihood be acquitted on Wednesday in his trial for dismissal from the Senate. If they want to end his presidency, his opponents will now have to oppose a candidate capable of defeating him on November 3. "

So " who to face Donald Trump? (…) Democrats are divided on the strategy to follow and the personality to choose. In the running, in particular, specifies Le Figaro, Bernie Sanders, who claims the label of socialist, Joe Biden, the former vice-president of Barack Obama with a centrist profile, Pete Buttigieg, 38, a former homosexual soldier who would like to embody the youth, and Elizabeth Warren, who wants to tax big capital and create European-style social security. All dream of beating Trump, who also came to campaign in Iowa. "

As for Michael Bloomberg, still notes Le Figaro , " the former mayor of New York decided not to compete in Iowa, to do better, thanks to his personal fortune, estimated at 52 billion dollars ... He intends to sacrifice ' one to two billion 'in this race where money is king. "

Fractures ...

“ Who can win against the outgoing president? "Also questions Liberation. “ This campaign illustrates the ideological divides within the Democratic Party, with strong contrasts in the programs on substantive subjects such as health insurance, minimum wages, education, the fight against climate change or taxation. "In any other country, Joe Biden and I would not be in the same party," recently said New York politician and muse of the American left Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who supported Bernie Sanders and actively campaigned for him, summing up that big gap. Part of the voters, Liberation point , will bet on this leftmost fringe, embodied by Sanders (at the head of the average of the polls last week in Iowa) and Warren (in fourth position). Others say they want to play the security card to avoid robbing the most moderate Republican voters and independents in November, with centrist figures like former vice president Joe Biden (second place), Pete Buttigieg (third) , or Amy Klobuchar (fifth). But , concludes Liberation, the voting system, as well as the high number of undecided voters, makes the outcome of this Monday's caucuses very uncertain. "

Rugby: the return of grace to the French tri-color

Back in France, with the Blues' victory yesterday against England at the VI Nations Tournament… It's rugby of course…

" Cold as roast beef, " exclaims L'Équipe . " Aggressive in defense, super efficient and lucid from start to finish, the Blues have smothered the English (24-17) in their own game ", points out the sports daily. " A serenity, a mastery, a maturity of the French team which suggests that the years of mire may be behind it. "

" Facing the English, the surprise 'kid' of the XV of France, " says Liberation. " Kid ", simply because the new coach, Fabien Galtié, has aligned a renewed and rejuvenated team. “ You have to believe that this generation, unlike the one that preceded it, does not have the specialty of losing captive matches or of contenting itself with winning only a half time. (…) A figure testifies to this Copernican revolution in the XV of France , Liberation point : it was not until the 57th minute to see Owen Farrell, the English striker, trying to pass the ball between the poles, transforming the first try of his team, he had hitherto had to put himself under foot only candles as systematic as ineffective. That is to say that the blues was as disciplined as fierce in defense. "

" A feat to launch a new era, " says Le Figaro . “ They look great these children of the fatherland. These kids provoked before the Crunch by a peremptory Eddie Jones, announcing to them that they were going to discover what physical brutality was. Usually a fine psychologist, the England coach, on this one, missed out. His words galvanized the Blues. "

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