I don't hate the French. In fact I rather like them. But I do recognize that the French have a problem with us. They have manifested it in many ways over the last several decades. It is simply a fact that we must recognize and deal with.
georgeob1 wrote:I don't hate the French. In fact I rather like them. But I do recognize that the French have a problem with us. They have manifested it in many ways over the last several decades. It is simply a fact that we must recognize and deal with.
Well, and some from the US have a problem with France and/or the French.
And a few a very strong one, which looks sometimes like hate (which isn't pointing at all to you, George!).
Walter,
I agree. The popular manifestations of disagreements in all countries often take on these aspects. There was a fairly general sense of outrage here, mostly inspired (as I see it) by the mean-spirited aspects of the French government's opposition to our initiatives in Iraq. The impression was left that, no matter what we proposed to do, the Chirac government would oppose it and try to confound our actions. This is likely an exaggeration, but it was the public impression.
Though much of it is presently focused on president Bush, I believe there is also an undercurrent of dislike for Americans among many Britons and others on the Continent. To some degree these things are passing fancies, but some level of it endures. I don't think it is particularly new. We saw similar things during the controversy over installing Pershing missiles in European NATO countries, and, before that, during Vietnam. The former Cold War provided a unifying blanket that covered a number of differences in the world views and ambitions of Europeans and Americans. The blanket is gone now and the differences are suddenly very visible.
George
I can really agree with that.
I just don't understand why anyone here in the US would want to deny the French the same right we supposedly attacked Saddam Hussein to obtain for the Iraqis. There's a contradiction there.
plainoldme,
I don't think anyone here (or in our government) is denying the French the right to oppose us. The discussion has more to do with why they do and what that may mean for our continued relations.
It's not because France didn't agree just ONE time with the US gov. opinion that it's not an US Ally anymore. France helped the USA in Afghanistan after 9/11 and during the first Iraq war in 1991.
