The French, They are a Funny Race!

Toogood Reports ^ | 27 April 2003 | Nicholas Stix

[coulson3]

Come on, be serious. The French have never really had a good experience with war. Is it any surprise that they and Germany are a little gunshy? They caught the worst of several world wars, and a lot of the populace just wants peace. So the politicians try to avoid conflict if at all possible, even (from our view) to the point of erring on the side of pacifism.

Are the blocking moves France has threatened petty? Yes. On the other hand, we're not being very nice to them, so what do you expect? They should just swallow their pride at America's ribbing and roll over?

It's unfair for us to insult the French for not joining the US/British coalition. They didn't want war, they didn't think it was justified, and they stuck to their principles. Was money involved? No doubt, and that's worthy of attack, but that wasn't the only reason they didn't fight.

However, now that the fighting is over, the important part is how to proceed from here. Rebuilding Iraq is key -- blocking that would be the height of pettiness. So is rebuilding (re-finding?) the respect between the US and old europe, not "punishing our ex-allies". They stuck to their guns and did what they thought was right. So did we. Nobody agrees about everything all the time.

[GretchenEE]

bump

[mrustow]

Come on, be serious. The French have never really had a good experience with war. Is it any surprise that they and Germany are a little gunshy? They caught the worst of several world wars, and a lot of the populace just wants peace. So the politicians try to avoid conflict if at all possible, even (from our view) to the point of erring on the side of pacifism.

Since when have the French been pacifists? The article doesn't mention that after we underwrote de Gaulle in Indochina, he made a point of attacking us, for continuing the fight against the communists there, ten years after he surrendered.

Are the blocking moves France has threatened petty? Yes. On the other hand, we're not being very nice to them, so what do you expect? They should just swallow their pride at America's ribbing and roll over?

You seem to have a problem with moral equivalence, as well as with cause and effect. When somebody slugs you on the street, and you call the police, the crook doesn't get to complain that, "Hey, you weren't very sporting, either!"

It's unfair for us to insult the French for not joining the US/British coalition. They didn't want war, they didn't think it was justified, and they stuck to their principles. Was money involved? No doubt, and that's worthy of attack, but that wasn't the only reason they didn't fight.

Please show me where principles entered into the calculations of the French. I remember when their ambassador, de Villepin, lied to Colin Powell, and strung him along for months, AFTER voting in support of the 17th UN resolution against. Was such duplicity an example of that famous French principle?

BTW, the Germans are gunshy, and there are many German pacifists -- real ones. That is simply not the case with the French.

[mrustow]

BUMPBACKATCHA!

[King David]

Yeah. I'll have to hand it to you. The lady in the harbor does make it hard to hate them... completely.

[Tribune7]

I wanna see who has the nerve to post the rhyme that title comes from

Well, the second line is
"They fight with their feet." :-)

[Erasmus]

Umm...

"They eat escargot and they spit in your face?"

(That reminds me. I hear that before he painted them, Picasso took his models out and got them shift-faced.)

<]B^)

[weegee]

No, it is not my drawing (or even concept).

These is also a photo of a lil' monkey eating a piece of cheese (I think it may even have on some French style clothing).

[Timocrat]

Are the blocking moves France has threatened petty

The moves were not just threatened they were executed. The French believe they have a birthright to lead the West without the benefit of the economic or military resources to do so. Whatever greatness was Frances is in the past. They waltz about the world stage like a snotty, superior schoolboy reacting indignantly when nobody wants to do it their way. Remember the Department of Economics at the University of Chicago has more Nobel Prizes than France has ever earned.

[Arpege92]

The French, They are a Funny Race....
who love terrorists to embrace....and the next time I see a frog, I'm going to punch him in the face!!

[Smedley]

Escoffier, Descartes, Montesquieu, croissants, and — as a Miller High Life ad once noted, sardonically ("Got to give it to you, Pierre") — mayonnaise.

I would add that I appreciate all those turn-of-the-century artists, including the impressionists, Victor Hugo, Guy de Maupassant, Louis Braille, Louis Pascal, Louis Pasteur, Louis Lamour, Jacques Cousteau, Champagne, the Etch-A-Sketch, lingerie, Madam Curie and Bridget Bardot.

Unfortunately, the creme of France, while rich, is way, way, way too thin.

[VOA]

Since when have the French been pacifists?

After a full circuit of Europe in the late 1980s, my younger brother returned
with a number of observations.

He said the next time a nuclear weapon is used in anger, it will probably be set off
by some French @$$hole who felt his dignity had been offended.

[Mind-numbed Robot]

(That reminds me. I hear that before he painted them, Picasso took his models out and got them shift-faced.)

From the looks of the paintings he must have been drunker than they were.

[Mind-numbed Robot]

It's unfair for us to insult the French for not joining the US/British coalition. They didn't want war, they didn't think it was justified, and they stuck to their principles. Was money involved? No doubt, and that's worthy of attack, but that wasn't the only reason they didn't fight.

They didn't want anyone to fight. They wanted to keep Saddam in power and their sweet deals going through the ruse of never-ending inspections. They didn't care how many Iraqis were imprisoned, tortured, and killed as long as they could stay on the sugar teat. We weren't asking them to do anything except get the Hell out of the way. So much for your defense of the French.

[mrustow]

Yeah. I'll have to hand it to you. The lady in the harbor does make it hard to hate them... completely.

BUMP

[mrustow]

Escoffier, Descartes, Montesquieu, croissants, and — as a Miller High Life ad once noted, sardonically ("Got to give it to you, Pierre") — mayonnaise.

I would add that I appreciate all those turn-of-the-century artists, including the impressionists, Victor Hugo, Guy de Maupassant, Louis Braille, Louis Pascal, Louis Pasteur, Louis Lamour, Jacques Cousteau, Champagne, the Etch-A-Sketch, lingerie, Madam Curie and Bridget Bardot.

Unfortunately, the creme of France, while rich, is way, way, way too thin.

Etch-a-Sketch, huh? That just might redeem them. Maybe I shouldn't have posted this article, after all.

[mrustow]

Since when have the French been pacifists?

After a full circuit of Europe in the late 1980s, my younger brother returned
with a number of observations.

He said the next time a nuclear weapon is used in anger, it will probably be set off
by some French @$$hole who felt his dignity had been offended.

Civilization is not going to be saved by the French.

[mrustow]

FYI

[mrustow]

FYI

[mrustow]

FYI