Comment Re:Consider the source (Score 1) 264
The Age is one of the two or three most reputable papers in Australia. As far as journalistic integrity, independence and so forth go, it would compare well with just about any other major English language paper you care to name.
Of course, the story itself looks like it's taken directly from the AFP wire; and the AFP is up there amongst the CNNs and the like. AFP is also French, and so will likely have pro-French biases.
But considering the sources, they're reputable, so it's likely that the French Defence Ministry did, in fact, say what the story claims they said.
Whether the French government is correct is another matter...
