They need Legion etrangere
Interview
with Jean-Jacques Cecile, one of well-know
french journalist
specialized in defence-related matters. Eighteen years first within a French
Army's special forces unit, then as an intelligence analys:
Jean-Jacques, in your
biography we read you served at french special operations forces for 18
years. Can you say more about this period of your life?
I have been
within the French Army for 18 years but don't serve within a French special
operations unit for 18 years. I have been only 7 years within the ranks of the
13e Regiment de Dragons Parachutistes from 1978 to 1985, first as a member of
an intelligence-gathering team, then as a member of the operation cell
within the unit.
Why did you leave service?
Because of
age limits.
Why did you decide to
become a journalist?
It was
fortuitous: I knew somebody which has studied at the same university of a
former journalist now editorial staff member of a French-speaking
military magazine.
Jean-Jacques, Shirak said,
french army takes part in operation in Afghanistan. What do you think, which
divisions can be send in Afghanistan? Some regimes of Legion etrangere?
I really
don't think that Washington will ask for ground troops; instead, they
will need what they call "low-density, high-demand" assets, first of
all intelligence-gathering systems. For example, French could re-targeting both
Helios-1A and Helios-1B photint satellites in order to coordinate their tracks
with American satellites for having round-the-clock surveillance of Afghan
soil; the Pentagone could be interested in French eavesdroping aircrafts (DC-8
SARIGUE-NG or Transall Gabriel) working together with Rivet Joint; may be there
will be, also, some American interest in using French CL-289 UAVs (61e Regiment
d'Artillerie)or Mirage-IV strategic reconnaissance planes for bomb damage
assessment (BDA) purposes, and so on.
How do you estimate their
readiness to war in Afghanistan conditions?
First of
all, ground troops have not to be used for long living periods in rough terrain
and harsh meteorological conditions because military ground operations that
will take place seems to be only short hit-and-run raids if forgeting
intelligence-gathering activities by long-range surveillance teams actually on
the ground. As a result, every good commando or special forces unit would be
capable of such operations. But you are right in assuming that Legion
Etrangere's regiments should be on the front line: even if not needed, they are
accustomed to rough terrain and harsh meteorological conditions first of all
because training sessions in Djibouti; it's the same for marine commandoes. If you
ask for more precise information, I assume that 2e Regiment Etranger de
Parachutistes, 17e Regiment de Genie Parachutiste (airborne engineers, very
useful in blowing caves with explosives), Marine Commandoes (such secretive
unit as the Groupe de Combat en Milieu Clos or GCMC, used to counter-terrorist
operations aboard ships, very usefull in investing caves) could be called.
How do you estimate role
of french intelligence services in this operation? Which is them participation?
It depends
on what you call "French intelligence service". You know that
French's Direction Generale de la Securite Exterieure (DGSE, main secret
service) has been involved in the first Afghan war against the Soviets; I
assume that the French men already on the ground within the Northern Alliance
are operative from the DGSE's Service Action (paramilitary clandestine unit).
As I told you before, there would be some American interest in taking on hired
help some intelligence-gathering assets from military units usually working
under operational control of the French Direction du Renseignement Militaire
(military intelligence service).
And whe do not forget that
the Direction de la Surveillance du Territoire (DST, internal security and
counter-intelligence service) has been usefull in helping the FBI's
investigation.
In Russia we believe that
french DST is one of best example of counterterrorist work with islamic
terrorism. Do you agree with it?
It has been
said. But what about israeli secret services?
I never heard about french
intelligence operations in Afghanistan against Sovits…
As for the
Soviet war, such an information can be found in two French-speaking books:
"Au coeur du secret" Jean Guisnel/Claude Silberzahn (Silberzahn has
been
head of the
DGSE), Fayard, Paris, 1995; "Services secrets - Le pouvoir et les services
de renseignement sous Francois Mitterrand" Jean Guisnel/Bernard Violet, La
Decouverte, Paris, 1988.
As for
today's war, the French Ministry of Defence has aknowledged that there is in
Afghanistan about ten French intelligence specialists and I assume - I am not
alone - that these specialists belong to the DGSE's Service Action.
ow do you estimate
readiness of Britain and US special operations forces to war in Afghanistan?
Which divisions are mostly ready to this conflict?
I think that the British Special Air Service
and mostly the 22nd Special Air Service Regiment are the best-trained for such
tasks as intelligence-gathering (it is said that SAS teams can wait hidden for
24 days rather than only 24 hours) and investigating caves. As far as American
special forces are concerned, I think that the six secretive units under the
Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) would - are they ? - be involved, first
of all the 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment Delta (1st SFOD
Delta, better know as "Delta Force") because it has been formed on
the SAS model. Psychological operations units such as the 4th Psychological
Operations Group and the National Guard's 193rd Special Operations Wing are
already waging psy and the 5th Special Operations Group (Airborne) is within
the Northern Alliance's forces for training and liaison purposes.
What do you think, how
long does this operation take?
It is not
"an operation", it is a war and it will take place as long as
Washington will find some interest in being at war.
By Andrey Soldatov
