Chirac: 2k to Lebanon and Fall of Pluto

Chirac has just announced that France will be contributinga total of 2000 troops to Lebanon. This is bare minimum amount for it to be considered a "respectable" force, roughly equal to Italy's potential contribution (2000-3000) and will probably allow continued French command, at least for some time. (for some reason Le Monde ran a guess today saying there would "probably" be less than 2000 troops sent)

Chirac made lots of calls to the international community to contribute too (notably EU, UNSC and Asian Muslim countries). He said France's conditions for a decent UN mandate, chain of command and rules of were met. He did not make any explicitly "Gaullist" reference, but did argue that France was meeting her "responsibilities" in Lebanon. EU ministers are supposed to declare tomorow how much individual countries are contributing.

It's the bare minimum, respectable. But I doubt the "cold-feet" thing was necessary to get the boosted UN mandate. Italy seems the real actor here, her contribution pushing the France to mimick, establishing 1/3 of the force.

Pluto has officially become a so-called "dwarf planet" (really a sham-planet). The words on everybody's lips: if it can happen to anyone. These astronomofascists have no mercy, are we next?