Posted on 11/13/2004 6:29:40 PM PST by modest proposal
It was no simple matter, in the midst of mob demonstrations and machete attacks on foreigners in Ivory Coast last week, for a Westerner to keep an appointment with President Laurent Gbagbo.
An armed escort picked me up at a central hotel in Abidjan, the commercial capital of this west African state, and drove me to the president's residence Remnants of the demonstrations were everywhere: abandoned road blocks, burnt-out cars - and young militants loyal to Mr Gbagbo, slumped on the ground after days in protective vigil outside the residence.
It was here last Saturday that Mr Gbagbo was sitting behind his desk overflowing with files when the telephone rang. His Sukhoi 25 aircraft had been bombing the rebel-held north of the country for three days in breach of a two-year ceasefire brokered by a group of west African states, but the news turned out to be bad. They had hit a military base occupied by some of the 4,000 French peacekeepers in Ivory Coast.
The bombing, which Mr Gbagbo says was a mistake and the French say was deliberate, killed nine French soldiers and an American civilian.
"I was in my office, working, " President Gbagbo, 59, said. "Then the commander of operations called, followed in quick succession by the head of the army and the French ambassador. I couldn't believe it.
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
President of the Ivory Coast Laurent Gbagbo
"The acts France committed against us are acts of war, which suggest that," he said. "But I have always said the world is divided into the powerful and the weak. And powerful countries are allowed to do everything, the weak nothing.
"Objectively, France favours the rebels, because the French destroyed our advantage in less than two hours. So France favours the rebels." Brief pause. "Objectively."
we should help them fight france.
I just love les ouefs on Chirac's face.
Somebody needs to deal with France. They cannot be trusted any more. It's a real shame that the US gov't wants to call them a friend an ally after what they have done to us. They need to be dealt with swiftly and surely.
France Supports Islamic murders of Jews and Christians and Americans.
Ah, I see you learned the meaning of "friend" in french.
:O)
P
Help me out here. Is the president of the Ivory Coast a good guy, or a bad guy? France sucks, but how low can these surrender monkeys go?
PARTNER?(!)
You have to be kidding me.
Down with La France for suppressing the heroic Freedom Fighters of Cote d'Ivoire!!
Eyes DOWN before your GODS...!! {/best Gou'old voice}
I say we kick their ass.
I prefer this...
The French support the northern rebels, who happen to be...you`ll love this...radical muslims. I don`t know if Gbagbo is a good guy or bad guy, I do know the friend of my enemy is my enemy and the enemy of my enemy is my friend, or at least should be.
As I recall, an American was killed along with the French.
France will reap what it sows and pay dearly!
In the "for what's it worth" column, I told my 10 yr old son a new joke yesterday (brought on by the numerous war movies this week)...
Why are all the streets in France lined with trees?
I must say, he knew enough about WWI and WWII to understand it.
LVM
Well said.
round up the usual suspects....
Radical Muslims? Well that takes the mystery out of it. Why do the French so enthusiastically embrace masochism and self destruction?
Ask your 10 year old what French kids say on Halloween.
How dare the Frenchies attack another nation in a preemptive manner! we detest preemptive strikes! We side with the terror~~ umm.. insurgents protecting their homeland! its all about the Frenchies wanting that oil! The world stands against you evil Chirac! Why didn't you go through the prestigious U.N. before taking this barbaric action! Je pète dans votre direction générale ! Vous les Hypocrites désolés d'âne ! lol
Dad is curious, too.
LVM
I guess they have the need to be someone`s b*tch. They`re allies with Germany now, no one left to "bend them over" anymore.
Trick or Retreat.
Never heard that one.
LVM
As I recall, an American was killed along with the French.
----
Yea and we don't even know who that "American" was yet. Need more info.
Hahaha, I love that joke!
My dad served over in France in WWII. He was a quiet man, but when he and I would watch World at War on PBS, his jaw would tighten at the scenes in France. He didn't have a hateful bone in his body, but he hated the French. We had a conversation about his service over there after I grew up. I forgot about it until France denied us permission to use their airspace to take care of Libya. It all came back.
Fork France!
I find it curious that France and Germany are such great buddies. Especially considering that Germany tried to annihilate them twice.
I`d guess "Stockholm syndrome". or common law marriage, Germany has spent so much time in France over the years, France has grown to love them.
And take this too Chir act, you backstabbing, murderous weezel.. Comprend bien, tu parles à un con (you are so stupid people pitty you),Le cerveau il etait en option chez toi(the brain was optional for you),Je suis fier de mon cul quand je vois ta gueule(I am proud of my butt when I see your face).
Hey!,.....there's no panties on that guys head! I guess it's the new, kinder, more "sensitive" Army.
The French are a strange breed of cat. No offense meant to cats. All I know is that they aren't our friends.
At the risk of sounding naive (pardon the French word) is there really a magazine called "Backstab"? Who does it skewer the most?
End French Colonialist Imperialism Now
Where is the international outrage? Where are the thousands and thousand of protestors world-wide? Where is the condemnation from the mainstream media? Oh. I forgot. Libs don't really care about these things. They are just anti-American.
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