Breaking News - Rep. Royce: Obama must back France in al-Qaida fight

[NewsCaster]

Joe Penney / ReutersFrench soldiers drive a military vehicle at a Malian air base in Bamako Tuesday. Some 50 French armored vehicles arrived in Mali late Monday from their military base in Ivory Coast.By Ian Johnston, Staff Writer, NBC NewsA leading Republican called Tuesday for President Barack Obama to support France’s military intervention against the “cancer” of al-Qaida-linked militants in North Africa.

Rep. Ed Royce, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said in a statement that he welcomed France’s decision to send troops and warplanes “to combat this serious security threat” in Mali.

“The vast area of northern Mali gives these al Qaeda-linked militants space to operate, and the weapons flowing out of Libya makes them deadly. This cancer could not go unaddressed,” he said in the statement.

"This isn't avant garde for the French. They have shown leadership in working with Ivory Coast and other African governments to improve security.  Paris understands the high stakes,” he added. "I expect the Obama Administration to honor appropriate requests for intelligence and logistics support from France.”

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