French have strong security interest in fighting ISIL

One year ago, we saw the first US-led air strikes against the self-proclaimed Islamic State (ISIL) — in August 2014. They targeted jihadist positions in Iraq that most directly threatened American personnel and related interests.

The French military Opération Chammal is also active in Iraq; France is one of the 13 countries participating in these strikes, within the framework of an Arab-Western coalition of 20 countries.

Americans, Australians, Britons, Canadians, Danes, Dutch and Jordanians are all flying raids against ISIL in Iraq, but the French are not taking part in strikes in Syria.

The US says that over the past year there have been more than 6,500 sorties, almost two thirds of them in Iraqi territory, more than one third in Syrian territory.

Yet the limited effectiveness of the Arab-Western coalition air power was demonstrated in May this year when ISIL seized the Iraqi city of Ramadi, and then the historic Roman oasis of Palmyra in Syria.

France has resolutely absta