[Rainbow Six]

Thanks Mo, interested on your take on Algeria. I'd agree that there are a number of places along the west coast of Africa that could supply France with oil (I wonder what would have happened to Nigeria - I'd imagine it must have been hit by a few nukes in 1997 or 1998).

A Franco Tunisian alliance seems perfectly reasonable, but I appreciate that Tunisia might not be able to produce enough on its own to meet French needs. I do like the idea of the Tunisians operating clandestinely in Algeria though.

I would question your suggstion of a French move against the North Sea platforms though. In an earlier post you asked what would be the point in getting involved in a war with NATO...isn't there a risk that making a move against those fields might risk conflict with the British?

Whilst I think I've made it clear in previous posts that I envisage the French interfering in British affairs, with a view to keeping the UK destabilised for as long a time as possible, I do think that it would be important to the French that such interference would be subtle, covert, and most importantly deniable. I really don't see the French wanting to get involved in a shooting war with the UK, and I don't know if making a grab on some of our oil rigs might lead to that. Sure, you can argue that the French military would be far superior to the British in 2000, but we're still a nuclear power and could cause some hurt to France (as obviously they could to us - but who has the most to lose?)...that's partly why I think that whilst relations between France and the UK might be a little cool there would be a line that neither side would want to cross.

If on the other hand you are talking about the French taking over some abandoned British rigs and operating them clandestinely, that's a whole different matter...no problem with that at all. I also think any rigs in Dutch waters would be fair game - after all, France has already invaded Holland, so seizing Dutch oil rigs is only an extension of that.

Cheers