Sarkozy: French troops to stay in Afghanistan

President Nicolas Sarkozy, says French troops will stay in Afghanistan “as long as necessary” to stabilize the country.

Mr. Sarkozy says France has no intention of staying in Afghanistan “indefinitely” but that abandoning the fight now would “open the road to terrorism and the violence of fanatics.”

The French leader was speaking at a military ceremony in Paris on Monday, a day before President Barack Obama is to announce a revised American strategy for the war in Afghanistan.

France has 3,300 soldiers among the multinational forces working to stabilize Afghanistan and root out terror groups. Mr. Sarkozy has said France has no plans to increase those troop levels.