FRANCE - RushOnline.com
This is an interesting observation by
a Veteran who served with my brother Roland in WW II and who has
7 battle stars from the Pacific theater. Lee
Dear Iver,
Due to the recent attitudes of Germany
and France relating to the potential war with Iraq, I have been
taken back in time to the 1940's when Germany was our enemy and
France was our supposed ally.
Today, the Germans are saying "show
us proof that Iraq has weapons of mass destruction". In 1945,
when our troops overran the Germans and discovered the existence
of death camps located short distances outside of major cities such
as Munich, the good burghers of those cities said: "We didn't
know". "No one showed us any proof". About the only
thing they did not claim was that they thought these camps were
rest camps and vacation resorts. What I am trying to say, is that
even if the evidence was directly under the German politician's
noses, they would still claim not to recognize it.
And now to France. During the early
stages of the war, the military troops of their army spent their
time underground in their impregnable Maginot Line drinking wine
and dancing and singing. On occasion they would send a balloon over
towards their enemy with a message to surrender. Their perceptive
generals trusted Hitler so much, that the Maginot Line stopped near
the Belgium border. They thought Hitler wouldn't go through Belgium
to invade France as did the Germans in World War I. Stupid decision
since that is exactly what Hitler's armed forces did! And the French
soon surrendered to the Germans with little actual fighting.
But now we go to a couple of years later.
The U.S. forces are invading Africa. One of the invasion ports is
Casablanca, a home port for the French Fleet that escaped the French
homeland. Who opened fire on the invading American units. The damned
French did, that's who! Lay down for the Germans, but open fire
on the Americans!
My personal opinion is that we ought
to continue with our plans whether or not the Germans or French
come aboard. And, in our future dealings with these countries remember
their decisions. Bring back our troops from Germany. Let the Germans
pay the price of maintaining their security, not the American taxpayer.
As for France, one of her main sources is the sale of military arms.
Do not allow any country that we provide financial support to to
purchase any military equipment from France. Take France off the
list of most favored nations.
Having had the opportunity to travel
to many countries, including Germany and France I find it difficult,
particularly for the French, to justify their calling all Americans
arrogant. While the French outside of Paris seem reasonable people,
I have never met such supercilious, arrogant, people as those of
the Paris area.
Further, I would also admit that in
my travels I have met some Americans that I wish had never been
allowed to travel abroad. But for each one that I found obnoxious,
I found 99 that were excellent representatives of our country, particularly
those that I met in the military. But who ever listens to me?
Regards, Carl
* * *
France as Counterweight - Date: Fri,
Mar 14 01:08 PM
The French want to assume the role of
counterweight to the US. Counterweight implies a willingness to
assume responsibility. I have seen none so far from the French government.
They want all the perks with none of the responsibility. I say we
should pull the troops out and announce that France and their buddies
are now responsible for a just end to this conflict. Tell them the
world will be watching. Hold them accountable. And, should they
fail, we will finish the job as we have in the past for France.
The only counterweight for France should
be fastened firmly around their neck prior to a swim in the deep
end.
Doug / Dayton, OH
* * *
French - Mar 14, 2003
What is up with these people? Or, should
it be those people? Whatever. Maybe, we should just call it all
off. Not. I just don't understand. No, I do get it; they don't.
If we called it off and an attack came, then what? It doesn't matter
what anyother euro trash country thinks. Oops. Did I say euro trash?
They are directly involved with Iraq in the destruction of the U.S.
They think they should be the THE world power.But haven't done a
anything to help rid the world of terror. Instead, they are funding
terror with their economic ego markets to Iraq and God knows where
else; Probably to I ran, Lybia, North Korea. OH well, I say, don't
give them an opportunity. We will find things there helping Iraq's
military from France, Germany, Russia, China and North Korea.
Cauz
* * *
The balls of these countries...We are
not being hot headed, we are being honest and forthright with what
we promised to do. How can any of these countries now claim that
they (Iraq) needs more time to disarm? And, out of the otherside
of thier mouth say there is no smoking gun. Is it not a smoking
gun if they have to disarm at all.
Terrance
* * *
How does the UN work - Date: Thu, Mar
13 2003
Why doesn't France/Germany fly their
planes over the Iraq no-fly zone if they signed the UN resolution
12-years ago? I would like to see a topic discussing lack of support
by the countries that sign the documents.
Tanner
* * *
Iraqis protest at French embassy - FEMail
/ Associated
News Media ^
Britain's Iraqi community has delivered
a petition protesting over the French anti-war stance.
Supporters of Iraqi Kurds petitioned
the French embassy in central London, citing years of oppression
and torture carried out under Saddam Hussein's regime as justification
for war.
But French leader Jacques Chirac is
opposed to war and may use his country's power of veto in the United
Nations security council to block a resolution permitting conflict.
Azos Rashid, a 20-year-old student and
member of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, was among those delivering
the petition.
He said: "Chirac is vetoing the
hopes and lives of people in Iraq.
"I have to say the French embassy
refused to acknowledge us. We were standing outside for 15 minutes
when they did not acknowledge us."
He added: "They (embassy staff)
then questioned us over why we were picking on France and they were
saying 'Chirac is a nice man'."
Mr Rashid pledged to do more in the
future to highlight the pro-war arguments.
The protest has coincided with the 15th
anniversary of the Halabja massacre, where 5,000 Kurds were killed
after the Iraqi government ordered a chemical weapons attack.
He added: "Millions of Kurds have
died under Saddam. He is imposing his own sanctions on Kurds in
the north.
"We want to liberate Iraq. Iraqis
would rather live under George W Bush than Saddam Hussein."
* * *
Facts on Who Benefits the Most From
Keeping Saddam In Power - France
According to the CIA World Factbook, France controls over 22.5 percent
of Iraq’s imports.
[1] French total trade with Iraq under
the oil-for-food program is the third largest, totaling $3.1 billion
since 1996, according to the United Nations.
[2] In 2001 France became Iraq’s
largest European trading partner. Roughly
60 French companies do an estimated $1.5 billion in trade with Baghdad
annually under the U.N. oil-for-food program.
[3] France’s largest oil company,
Total Fina Elf, has negotiated a deal to develop the Majnoon field
in western Iraq. The Majnoon field purportedly contains up to 30
billion barrels of oil.
[4] Total Fina Elf also negotiated a
deal for future oil exploration in Iraq’s Nahr Umar field.
Both the Majnoon and Nahr Umar fields are estimated to contain as
much as 25 percent of the country’s reserves.
[5] France’s Alcatel company, a
major telecom firm, is negotiating a $76 million contract to rehabilitate
Iraq’s telephone system.
[6] From 1981 to 2001, according to
the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), France
was responsible for over 13 percent of Iraq’s arms imports.
* * *
A quote from Gen. Patton - Concerning
the French
Date: Wed, Mar 12 02:51 PM
" I would rather have a division
of German troops in front of me than a division of French troops
behind me."
Tom // Granite Shoals, TX.
* * *
Why Hasn't the U.N Taken Action Against
France?
An issue I simply can not understand
is the legitimacy of France within the international community.
Why has no one found France in material breach of the UN sanction
posed against Iraq, when we have concrete evidence that they have
been purchasing smuggled oil from Iraq out of Turkey, that they
have sold military equipment to the Iraqis, and they have been securing
their money in French banks? Why is the UN not taking action against
France? This is a perfect example of how many of the countries of
the UN security council have NOT practiced what they preach........so
who is really making up the rules as they go?
Simon
* * *
France - Date: Mon, Mar 31 11:50 AM
I personally would welcome paying higher
taxes to pay for bringing back the remains of our service men and
women who lost their lives liberating Europe during World War II
and burying them on American soil. France and Europe should look
at the cemetaries where our bravest died so that they could live
free and be very ashamed of themselves.
Respectfully,
John
* * *
Actions Have Consequences
The anti-war Canadian government is
finding that it's failure to support the U.S. when the chips were
down means paying a price. George W. doesn't appear to be willing
to just forgive and forget. The National Post reported this weekend
that a planned presidential trip to Ottawa next month has been scrapped
because of the Canadians' decision to side with the French and the
rest of the Axis of Weasels. Bummer, eh?
* * *
Iraqi WMD
I observed on the evening news of 7
April, a barrel marked Rhone Poulec at one of the Iraqi WMD sites.
On 12/1/98 Rhone Poulec Ror er (French) merged with Hoechst (German)
to create one of the world's larges t pharmaceuticals, Aventis.
Aventis is headquartered in France. I guess we know why the protested
so much.
* * *
Watching the daily briefings from CENTCOM
the word "sortie" is used to help quantify the number
of daily air missions flown by coalition aircraft. The derivation
of the word sounded like it was of French origin. I looked it up
in the Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, Deluxe Second Edition and
sure enough it is of French origin, here is what it said:
sor' tie n. (Fr. from sortir, to issue,
to go out): 1.A sudden attack by forces of a besieged place upon
the besiegers; raid// 2. The forces making such attack. // 3. one
mission or attack by a military airplane
It is ironic that a word originated
by the French would today suggest such a bold, daring and positive
action... Hoping that the publishers of Webster's Dictionary would
recall all of the copies of their dictionaries currently in circulation
to paste an errata sheet over the page where "sortie"
is found, I offer a corrected definition that should read like this:
sor' tie n. (Fr. from sortir, to retreat,
to chicken out) - 1.an indecision by socialists of a benign and
irrelevant place upon where the besiegers and the besieged sit around
a table on a sunny street of Paris sipping wine, eating pastry and
discussing for eternity everything but the real problem at hand,
possible solutions to the problem and actions necessary to solve
the problem
2. the socialists avoiding such a solution.
// 3. one intermission or avoidance of such a solution by a waffling,
ineffective an socialist regime, i.e. France
I hope Webster's publishers see the
error in their definition of "sortie" and take such action
to rectify the error.... just thought you'd like to know.
Regards, Paul
* * *
Mar 31, 2003 - Boycott France
To hell with French wine and Perrier,
(both of which I PREVIOUSLY purchased) and also to french fashions
and perfume. I adore french perfume but have asked my dear husband
not to buy any more french fragrances. I will have to find something
else. I also will not serve any more french cheese at parties. I
have always felt the french were a bit arrogant and unfriendly,
but still admired the art and flair of the country. Not anymore.
I appreciate the statue of Liberty and the fact that they came to
our aid during the revelutionary war, but I think we more that repaid
them for our efforts in WW1 (which my Grandfather fought in and
almost died there) and WWW 2 which my father and his 5 brothers
also fought in. I even had a g-g-grandma that was french. So it
is personally difficult to turn my back on that part of my heritage.
But good-bye France. I disown you.
Mary
* * *
French Boycott is Working
"An American backlash against French
products and businesses has started to bite," the Washington
Post reports from Paris:
American importers of French wine are
reporting sharp drops in sales in the past two months, and other
French products also have been affected. The Federation of Wine
Exporters has called a meeting Thursday to discuss how to respond.
The nation's principal business federation
took the unusual step of publicly acknowledging the problem, conceding
today that sales, recruitment and business contacts have been hurt.
It appealed to consumers and businesses to keep political differences
from affecting commerce.
Well, three cheers for free trade--but
if consumers want to express their disgust with France's arrogant
unilateralism, that's just democracy in action. And if you need
a reminder of how despicable the French are, Singapore's Straits
Times describes the scene beneath an Iraqi military intelligence
compound:
The Marines found 123 prisoners, including
five women, barely alive in an underground warren of cells and torture
chambers. . . . Severely emaciated, some had survived by eating
the scabs off their sores. All the men had beards down to their
waists, said onlookers.
Most looked absolutely dazed when they
emerged, said Mr Sadoun Mohamed, 37, who lives in the area. "They
had not seen sunlight for a long time," he said. "They
kept blinking and covering their faces."
BushCountry.org "HeadsUp"
NEWSLETTER
http://us.f125.mail.yahoo.com/ym/BlockSender?&MessRet=1&YY=29228
* * *
Our "Friends" the Cheese-Eating
Surrender Monkeys
"Separately, The Sunday Times reported
that its own journalists had found documents in the Iraqi foreign
ministry that indicate that France gave Saddam Hussein's regime
regular reports on its dealings with American officials.
"The newspaper said the documents
reveal that Paris shared with Baghdad the contents of private trans-Atlantic
meetings and diplomatic traffic from Washington. One document, dated
Sept. 25, 2001, from Iraqi foreign minister Naji Sabri to Saddam's
palace, was based on a briefing from the French ambassador in Baghdad
and covered talks between presidents Jacques Chirac and George W.
Bush." - Reuters, 4/26/03
* * *
On the "Axis of Weasels" front,
the French are protesting again -- now claiming that the Pentagon
and CIA are waging an "ugly campaign to destroy the image of
France." (Didn't the French accomplish that themselves years
ago?) The French ambassador says that reports in the Washington
Post and Washington Times claiming France sold Iraq armored vehicles,
radar equipment, spare parts for military aircraft and chemical
components for long-range missiles are false. The French government
denies it provided Iraq information on its negotiations with the
U.S. and denies it provided Iraqi officials French passports. (They're
still crafting the press release that denies they had any economic
ties to the Saddamite regime, obstructed NATO assistance to Turkey,
or led the campaign against UN authorization of "regime change"
in Iraq.)
Asked about the French complaints, Defense
Secretary Donald Rumsfeld replied, "France has historically
had a very close relationship with Iraq. My understanding is that
it continued right up until the outbreak of the war. What took place
thereafter, we'll find out."
From the Federalist
* * *
