THE US, THE UN AND THE IRAQIS THEMSELVES, V. 7.0

timberlandko wrote:

Kara, whatever else I may think of The French - The French Leadership and the French Media, to be more precise - I hold nothing but the highest respect and regard for the gallantry, heroism, and sacrice of which the French citizen, particularly the French fighting man (and, considering the Foreign Legion, non-citizen fighting man, too), are most ably and quite demonstratedly capable.

I think this sums up quite nicely.

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I thought it was the patriotic duty of all right thinking Americans to hate the French

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Thanks for the post was a good read.

-Hans

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timberlandko wrote:

Kara, whatever else I may think of The French - The French Leadership and the French Media, to be more precise

France is, as you certainly know, a democratic republic whose political system is based on a written constitution.
Thus, both the president as well as the government are elected by its citizens.

Now, they have the conservatives voted for their "leaders", both in government as well as Chirac as president.

Does your response emply that you liked the left winged French leaders better? Or don't you like ANY French leader?
And why don't you "blame" those, who voted them into office(s)?

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Walter, the almost bizarrely humorous anti-French campaign in the US was caused by their refusal to support us in our attack on Iraq. They have been accused of trying to protect their business interests in Iraq, but I find it a more supportable argument that France -- as did many other countries, especially those that have suffered invasions and occupations themselves -- chose to seek considered and diplomatic solutions to the problems presented by Iraq and to eschew the violence that cost them many of their forebears.

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I'll point out, as I have before, that my attitude toward "The French" significantly predates their recalitrance in the recent Iraq matter, and that my respect and regard for the French citizenry is something quite apart from their unfortunate electoral choices. I suspect this is not dissimilar to the feelings of many French folks as would regard The US.

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Quote:

and that my respect and regard for the French citizenry is something quite apart from their unfortunate electoral choices. I suspect this is not dissimilar to the feelings of many French folks as would regard The US.

LOL, Timber. And not dissimilar to the feelings of many American folks as regards to the US electoral choices.

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Well, timber, if the trend goes on: the left will be back in France within the next elections.

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Steve (as 41oo) wrote:

I thought it was the patriotic duty of all right thinking Americans to hate the French

Steve, neatly pointing out the difference between "right thinking" and "right-thinking".

I too was very impressed by the American officer who honoured LaFayette's tomb in Paris with these famous words.

I wonder whether that level of education, and that sense of history, is prevalent in the military today.

McT

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McT

right thinking and right-thinking, purely accidental

I get most of my best ideas accidentally Smile

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Hey Steve

Did you hear Bill Rammell MP getting toasted on BBC Radio's "Question Time" today?

Uncomfortable, at best, on the subject of the Butler Report. Couldn't answer the question "Who removed the caveats?"

McT

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Steve (as 41oo) wrote:

I thought it was the patriotic duty of all right thinking Americans to hate the French

It is and its fun. :wink:
You won't catch me pouring my Bordeaux out in the street, but I'll be laughing right along with all the stink-jokes and cowardly- innuendos! I've known 3 Frenchman (wussies)(whom I harass without mercy) and 3 French women. I can't say I know a French person that I don't like, a lot, but that don't mean I'm letting them off the hook! Cowards!

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That was yesterday, McTag (today just the repeat).

And he thinks that Dudley is a nice place, which I didn't know before :wink:

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OCCOM BILL wrote:

Steve (as 41oo) wrote:
I thought it was the patriotic duty of all right thinking Americans to hate the French
It is and its fun. :wink:
You won't catch me pouring my Bordeaux out in the street, but I'll be laughing right along with all the stink-jokes and cowardly- innuendos! I've known 3 Frenchman (wussies)(whom I harass without mercy) and 3 French women. I can't say I know a French person that I don't like, a lot, but that don't mean I'm letting them off the hook! Cowards!

Hey Bill, do you know where the Statue of Liberty came from? And what the gift symbolises?

(hint: The French have got a copy on the bank of the Seine)

McT

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Yes I did McT

and I told walter to listen too (so he got a quick flight over and we huddled round the electric wireless set...)

I actually feel sorry for Bill in these situations. He is wheeled out to defend the indefensible, if he makes a reasonable job of it, then no one really cares. And if he makes a complete **** up then his career is blown and no one really cares either as he's only a junior minister.

The answer to the specific question "who took out the caveats" of course is simple. John Scarlett and Alastair Campbell. At the behest of Tony Blair.

But Bill Rammell can't say that, so he had to fall back on the "no one lied, no one misled, no one inserted stuff against the will of the intelligence services" Butler summary. Complete bollocks of course. And deserving hoots of derision from the audience...but you can't be both a free agent and a minister of the crown at the same time.

(Walter emailed to say he thought Bill was very sound on the question of nationalising brothels)

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McTag wrote:

Hey Bill, do you know where the Statue of Liberty came from? And what the gift symbolises?

No, but I heard it took 3 years to chisel the armpit hair off it. Laughing

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Steve (as 41oo) wrote:

(Walter emailed to say he thought Bill was very sound on the question of nationalising brothels)

This is of course the shortened version of my scientific review on this topic!

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I started writing a flippant reply (has been known) but I am truly puzzled why there is so much animosity towards all things French in the US. Is it because they're not American?

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Keep up the research Walter. Found any good places on Le Tour?

(for occomB...thats French bill, Le Tour means The Tour and its short for The Tour de France which means the tour of France, which is a bicycle race around France, and Walter is a part time competitor)

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Steve, Most Americans feel slighted, because the French voted against everything Bush tried to get approved by the UN. I don't have the same feeling as most Americans concerning the French; I think it's so childish to call french fries, freedom fries to slight the French. Wink

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THE US, THE UN AND THE IRAQIS THEMSELVES, V. 7.0

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