# French Foreign Legion - back in action

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-foreign-legion-back-in-action/647420>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [January 16, 2013, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-foreign-legion-back-in-action/647420 "2013-01-16T21:49:45Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\
**Post date:** [January 16, 2013, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-foreign-legion-back-in-action/647420/1 "2013-01-16T21:49:45Z")

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Been a long, long, long time since the fabled French Foreign Legion saw action. At one time they were some very elite troops. Wearing the Képi blanc was a source of pride for many.

Kind of cool hearing a name from the past back in action. The Legionnaires. Even [Cecil wrote about them](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2321/did-people-really-run-away-to-join-the-french-foreign-legion).

> [@](#):
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> France has deployed special ground forces to help the Malian army regain control of Diabaly as well as of the city of Konna, about 100 miles to the east, which fell into rebel hands last week, French commander-in-chief Adm. Edouard Guillaud said. Forces in Mali include elite fighters from France’s Foreign Legion.

[http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324235104578242993426029234.html?mod=googlenews\_wsj](http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324235104578242993426029234.html?mod=googlenews_wsj)

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**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\
**Post date:** [January 16, 2013, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-foreign-legion-back-in-action/647420/2 "2013-01-16T22:44:58Z")

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Actually the Legion was in Desert Storm as part of ground offensive, in the Balkans, and have been and as late as last year were still in the fight in Afghanistan; plus they have conducted various and sundry interventions in Central Africa for decades. So it’s not like they have been sitting idle, they serve the role of the French military’s quick-reaction force.

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**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\
**Post date:** [January 16, 2013, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-foreign-legion-back-in-action/647420/3 "2013-01-16T23:28:02Z")

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The Legion just doesn’t get the press it used to. I had to google to confirm that France included the Legion forces in its Mali engagement.

There were [lots of films that glorified the Foreign Legion](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_films_featuring_the_French_Foreign_Legion). I used to pretend that I was one of them in my neighborhood war games. 😃 \*Beau Geste \*with Gary Cooper had me dreaming of joining the Legion.

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**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\
**Post date:** [January 16, 2013, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-foreign-legion-back-in-action/647420/4 "2013-01-16T23:42:22Z")

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I recall them being on that _Deadliest Warrior_ show, matched against somebody like the Texas Rangers or the flying monkeys from the Wizard of Oz