What the f--- is with the French????

from the link you provided:

French companies -- many with ties to Baghdad stretching back decades -- have established themselves as the largest suppliers of goods to Iraq since a U.N. trade embargo was partially lifted in 1996.

In 2001, France exported $705 million worth of goods to Iraq within the framework of the United Nations' now-frozen oil-for-food program. Communications equipment maker Alcatel clinched a $75 million contract to upgrade Baghdad's phone network, and Renault sold $75 million worth of tractors and farming vehicles to Iraq.

French oil giant TotalFinaElf probably has the biggest stake. It spent six years in the 1990s doing preparatory work on two giant oil fields and has signed two tentative agreements with Saddam to develop them.

That's what I would call "chutzpah" of the first order. They have no pride, only gall. c.i.

Ah cav. === the French. A funny lot. Wouldn't trust 'em any further than I could throw 'em. They've had so much crap kicked out of them by the Brits and the Germans for hundreds of years, been rescued by America and British and Commonwealth troops in WWs 1 & 2. Got humiliated in Indo China, kicked out of Algeria and other bits of Africa......so on and so forth. So not only do they have one huge chip on both shoulders, they also hate everyone else............... Inferiority complex mingles with temper tantrums

As well they should. France should be given the same consideration they gave us. A finger.

My, my, my. We certainly are down on the French.

They must have done what they wanted to do -- rather than what we wanted them to do.

Bastards! Who do they think they are?

I'd guess that, like so many of us, they think Bush is a dangerous fool?

frank
They did what the wanted to do and now we can do what we want to do and reward them. One good turn deserves another.

The French, The Germans, and The Russians will be considerably inconvenienced as a result of their stance. They also will be considerably embarrassed by US-Siezed prohibited materials and by other disclosure of documentation detailing their dealings, both governmental and private sector, with Iraq over the past dozen years. They bought their tickets ... now they take their ride.

timber, Do you think it'll be a bumpy one? The ride, I mean. c.i.

Dunno how bumpy it will be, but it'll likely be downhill for a long while, IMHO

Only because we will make it that way timber, it's easy to paint it as their problem. Hawks have been trying to act like those countries brought all the problems that come along with their opposition to our invasion on their own heads. This conveniently neglects the facts. The only reason it will be embarassing and hard on them is because the US will make it so. We will control the post war grab. We will continue to snub and give the cold shoulder. We will be hard on them. And of course, we will continue to act like this is all their fault.

If u really want the US to be the only player on the Iraqi market. You also will be the only payer on the Iraqi market. That will be unbearable for the US budget. So i think Bush and his fellows are delighted with the news.

What's the problem? France has the moral high ground and they continue to act according to principle. Let's see:

1) First they try to mitigate the effects of the economic embargo on ordinary Iraqis.

2) The support international diplomacy to solve problems as an alternative to war.

3) They oppose the invasion of a sovereign country that will likely end the lives of 10's of thousands of people.

Let's put the propaganda aside.

The fact is the United states has "invaded" another country. We will be occupying this country. The vision of grateful citizens welcoming soldiers with flowers and candy is clearly fiction. (Remember that in WWII we were truly an army of liberation. here we are freeing Iraq from Iraqis..)

There is without question a significant portion, and perhaps a vast majority, of the Iraqi population who will oppose the US occupation. If you don't believe this, look at the reactions of other Arab states. The people of Jordan and Syria understand the culture and the situation. Their opposition to the war is a good prelude to the Iraqi popular mood.

Think if you were in the Iraqi position and the US was invaded by a foreign power to remove an administration you didn't support. I assure you that my objections to the government would disappear very quickly to be replaced by resentment for the occupying power.

The occupation is going to be a giant mess. Letting a country who didn't participate in or support the attack on Iraq is perhaps the best way to go.

The US motives will always be suspect and opposed by many of the citizens of Iraq.

France again has the most reasonable and just position.

E Brown. Yes! And the "forever young and innocent" Americans have selectively forgotten that this is not the first time we've invaded a country in this manner to "correct" things we find wrong. Nor is it the first time we've had our eyes on that nation's assets or its strategic value. The rest of the world, however, has not forgotten. Because we often also do good things, they have often forgiven. The world has gotten less forgiving. France has finally reached the end of its tether. So have I.

I seem to recall France occupying Vietnam a bit before the Americans stepped in....in some ways, didn't America save them there too, and shouldered the blame for the problems afterwards?

For my part, I can boycott all French Champagne except Bollinger...it is just too good...

COMMENT:

Seems to me there might be something wrong with your memory, Cav. As I remember it, France told the world it was pulling out of Indochina -- and advised everyone -- including and specifically the United States -- that a war over there was UNWINABLE!

There advice to us then was -- Don't get involved; you will suffer lots of casualties; you will not win the war; and you will regret having not listened to us.

It was good advice.

They tried to help again.

Hell, they owe us big time -- and twice have tried to repay a small part of their debt. Unfortuantely, we refused the advice on Vietnam -- and equally unfortunately we refused teh advice on Iraq.

No -- France is not perfect, god knows, and was an imperial power, left messes. Even lately -- Algeria. But they are right about this one, for sure.

From the article:

"France opposes any U.S. reconstruction plan that would sideline United Nations development agencies, multilateral organizations and non-governmental aid groups.

Chirac has warned that France would vote against any U.N. Security Council resolution that would give "the American and British belligerents the right to administer Iraq." "

And rightly so, I should add. The only institution that can administer a region after the war is, just like in Kosovo case, the United Nations. May the opinions of its credibility be varied widely, we have no other institutions that would qualify. It simply cannot be done by one or another individual state.
Or is the war waged to secure the exclusive access to the Iraqi market by the U.S. and allied forces? That, I am sure, even the Bush administration would never claim. It would be plainly foolish and strain the international relations to the edge.

A modest proposal
I've got a great idea if the U.S. does decide to occupy Iraq.

There is a lot of empty space. Let's get some trailers and move into this land. The US army can protect us and the government can support us with tax subsidies.

We can make the desert bloom!