After French President Francois Hollande declared war on the Islamic State, its first challenge will be to reconcile defeating the group with the feasibility of doing so. Though NATO-backed France has a large and powerful military with advanced equipment, the idea of putting boots on the ground conflicts with modern warfare and budgets, according to a report by Vice’s Ryan Faith.
Though France undoubtedly has the troop numbers to support traditional ground combat operations, the Islamic State is not a traditional enemy.
French troops may be able to take Raqqa, the Islamic State’s proclaimed capital, but holding it for a sustained period would be a lengthy, taxing operation that could require a coalition — likely backed by the U.S. military — instead.