Comments on: American troops in Afghanistan through the eyes of a French OMLT infantryman

By: JFM

JFM — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 12:03:57 +0000

Chevalier Blanc is _NOT_ French. His French is simply awful:

“Si vous plait” instead of “S’il vous plaît”,

“ici ou tout le monde peuvent le voir” monde (singular) does not match peuvent (plural), also the sentence does not make sense in French, better would be “ici, afin que tout le monde puisse le voir” or “ici où tout le monde pourra le voir”. I will pass on the fact he is writing “ou” (or) instead of “où” (where). It could be a typo but he doesn’t make them when he writes in English.

“fournit moi” that is third person, it should be “fourniS-moi”. Also I notice he is using the familiar form and later in the sentence he uses the polite form. Polite form would be “fournissez-moi”

“avec votre article original” the word “avec” (with) does not make sense since Chevalier is asking for one thing only.

“si vous été Français vraiment”. This is beyond description. “été” means been. Should be “êtes” (are) and “Français vraiment” inverts adverb and adjective. Should be “vraiment Français”.

So Chevalier Blanc is an impostor, some American lib who studied French in high school and got Fs.

By: JFM

JFM — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 11:15:14 +0000

I have read the original French text and I am pretty sure it is from a native French speaker (sorry to disappoint the liberals coming here) with some idiomatic expressions that are not that easy to translate in English and that your average French speaking American would not use properly or even know. Syntax and spelling are perfect so he is not a high school drop-out. In fact he surely was in the top ten in French class. In case he is really from military the perfection of his French points to the writer being an officer possibly a senior one.

By: The french autor

The french autor — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 21:02:27 +0000

hello everybody,
I’m everyday surprised to see that, about tree years later, my article provoques reactions. I have not the possibility to prove the authenticity of who I am. A couple of years ago the platoon leader of my partnership unit,tried on those pages to certifie the truth of the story. I just wanted to claim the goodness, the professionalism, the top qualities of your guys, undepending of the stockolm syndrom, after a couple of months alongside this US unit. Just believe me. Just get the tast of the proud, for you, to be American, just be proud of it. I’m sorry for the wrong way that some writers are trying to recce.
Regards. LTC G., a french former OMLT, now a vet of Afghanistan

By: pat barkley

pat barkley — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 00:45:09 +0000

probably written by an American liberal, one of the hate America crowd who feels guilty about having all the blessings this great country has to offer. Semper Fi mac.

By: A tradition of service, sacrifice & brotherhood | Betty Kincaid

A tradition of service, sacrifice & brotherhood | Betty Kincaid — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 20:27:45 +0000

[...] this extraordinary pean to our fighting men & women (along with the comments) reminds me that familiarity breeds [...]

By: thewanderingmind

thewanderingmind — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 12:57:52 +0000

No, the only oxy morons here are those who take potshots at the French. Go visit southern Louisiana. Say that in a bar and see what it will get you.

By: carl green

carl green — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 19:06:27 +0000

No toad most people in america are quite large..I stand 6,1 and weight 235 and often i’m the smallest guy in the room! The army does not discriminate on size..

By: mike

mike — Sun, 05 Jun 2011 12:01:48 +0000

A French infantryman?? Isn’t that sort of an oxymoron??

By: Fred

Fred — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 20:48:42 +0000

As a southern gentlemen, I appreciate all the French have done, both for this country in blockading the exit of Cornwallis and expediting the end of our War of Independence from England, and the support provided to the cause of the Southern effort to rid itself of Northern Aggression. Thank you for the kind words.

By: Chris W

Chris W — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 01:36:22 +0000

Makes me feel a little bad for making fun of the French ;)

Thanks for the support,
Orca 7

By: devizapiac

devizapiac — Sat, 25 Sep 2010 20:33:49 +0000

thank you for the translation & post.

By: White Knight

White Knight — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 00:42:14 +0000

I noticed that you are the only one to return the compliment. Very Considerate.

Everyone else just patted themselves on the back.