France breaks ranks, abandons allies in Afghanistan

Now here's a bullshit story if ever I heard one:

The announcement by French President Nicolas Sarkozy that his troops would sharply accelerate their departure from Afghanistan cast a harsh light on potential cracks in the U.S.-led military coalition in the country.

Although the Obama administration and the NATO force sought to portray Friday's declaration in Paris as neither surprising nor unilateral, it marked not only an effective end to France's combat role in Afghanistan, but a breaking of Western ranks as an unpopular war drags into a second decade.

That's from the LA Times.

Why is it a non-story?

In the first place, Afghanistan is a done deal. We lost. We're negotiating with the Taliban right now at their new offices in Qatar. The only thing we're negotiating is how we make our retreat look good. It's about saving face, not for the Taliban, but for us.

In the second place, who is breaking ranks? The Canadians are out already. The "we don't cut and run" guys cut and ran way before the French. Obama has long ago announced America's timetable for withdrawal. Breaking ranks? I think the "ranks" are but a misty-eyed memory.

So forget about "potential cracks in the US-led military alliance."

That was toast long before Sarkozy smelled the coffee.