Monday, August 20, 2007

The French Arrive In Iraq

No my friends, France hasn't sent its' storried foreign legion into Iraq, but France's Foreign Minister, Bernard Kouchner is making a symbolic visit to Baghdad today. This visit is the first by a French official since the war started, and is seen by US officials as a gesture by the Sarkozy government to heal relations with the US that have been at an all time low. Kouchner timed his arrival in Baghdad to coincide with the 4th anniversary of the bombing of the UN Headquarters in Iraq that killed UN special envoy Sergio Vieira de Mello (a close friend) and 21 others. When asked by reporters if France is now willing to help American forces, the top French diplomat stated that he was simply on a fact-finding mission.

Hey France, remember when you were mired down in a similar situation? I think the US came in to help. The place was called Viet Nam. So lets get the foreign legion in here and start kicking butt.

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15 comments:

Free fer all Paul said...

french people are a bunch of queers. remember talladega nights rickie bobby haha that frenchie said it so funny. boobie. haha

Paul Champagne said...

free fer all ... never saw talladega nights. I don't know about the French being queer, my French-Canadian lumberjack grandfather might take offense at that ... but they haven't been very good at war since Napolean.

Constance said...

Yeah, it is a shame that they don't support us like we once supported them.

Hope you are having a good Monday night regardless, Paul !

David said...

That would be quite the turnaround! If the French stepped up and took a swing. I think it would help everyones morale...except the bad guys. I am willing to let them help us out!

Stephanie Faris said...

I went to France last summer -- Paris. I doubt I'll ever go back. They were SO rude. The instant they realized I was American they began treating me like I was the fly in their collective soup. I still to this day think badly of the French because of the way they treated me. But then occasionally I'll meet someone from France who breaks that stereotype and I realize I shouldn't hold the behavior of a few Parisians against all of France!

Anonymous said...

Operation Enduring Freedom

I do not concur with RWW radio and television talk show hosts, such as El Rushbo and his water-boy Hannity, Dr Michael Wiener Savage, Michael Reagan, and the rest of the RWW wannabees when they attach the French labels of girly boys and cowards. The French were and are active participants in Operation Enduring Freedom. Last year during the spring time, the aircraft carrier strike group in which I was a member of, participated in operations with the French nuclear powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle [in support of Enduring Freedom]. The Charles de Gaulle was back in action this year in the North Arabian Sea with two US aircraft carriers. Bottom line, they are doing their part on the Global War On Terror, in Afghanistan. The French did not support our case in Iraq because in their eyes we did not have a valid case, and not because they were a bunch of cowards, and history will be the judge. We do not need the French help in Iraq, and we do appreciated the French help in Afghanistan. Thanks for reading this book. Have a productive day.

Paul Champagne said...

annie ... sometimes people forget that without the French, the United States might still be a British colony. They supported us during both the Revolution and the War of 1812. The country of France has in recent years become a bit isolationist, but with the election of Sarkozy, I think that will turn around.

david ... I too am more than willing to let them lend a hand.

stephanie ... Paris is the rudest city in the world. As a French speaker, I actually got to hear what they said about Americans behind our backs (in front of our faces in French). Like us, they stereotype ... in this case the stereotype is of the ugly American that hasn't bothered to learn a word of their language and insists on everyone speaking English. Come to think of it, that stereotype is pretty accurate. However, it is no excuse for being rude to people that are paying alot of money to visit their country. I always had a much better time in the wine country of the North or in the South of France on the Riviera. If you want to see the nicest, sweetist French people in the world go to a casino in the South of France ... they will almost make you enjoy losing all your money ... almost.

tlrb ... French inaction in Iraq was actually more an economic decision than anything else. Too many of their companies (as well as members of government) were making alot of money in the oil for food fiasco. They also have a large (and militant) Muslim community that they want to appease. With the new government in France, I think we will see some changes ... actually we are already seeing changes.

Jenny! said...

The French can't be counted on for back-up...only good wine and cheese!

Paul Champagne said...

jenny ... you mentioned French wine and into my little mind popped a totally out of nowhere, completely inconsequential piece of trivia. Did you know that the grapevines that grow in France's northern wine country actually come from California?

I kid you not ... After WWII, in appreciation for their liberation, France allowed some vines to be exported to the US. These found their way to California and New York wine country. Many years later, the French Vineyards were devastated by some kind of crop killing disaster (I think it was bugs but not sure). They then had to import some of their grape vines back from California to repopulate their wine industry. The vines in New York had been altered so were useless to the French.

So when you are drinking French Wine, you are probably drinking California Wine ... but paying a premium for it. (depending on the year).

I told you it was a worthless piece of trivia.

Terri@SteelMagnolia said...

I think Mike said that if we had not gone over in WWII and saved their bupp cheeps... the French would be speaking German right now...

Paul Champagne said...

terri ... that is probably correct, then again if the French had not helped us during the Revolution ... we probably wouldn't have been able to save their butts in WWII.

Jenny! said...

I didnt know that! I do what I can to buy US products over overseas products!

Paul Champagne said...

jenny ... problem is it is really hard to find American products. Sometimes you may have a car like the Chevy Aveo, and not realize that it is built in Korea, with almost no American Parts ... Then you have an Isuzu Ascender and it is built in the US with almost all American parts ... so which is the American car?

Jenny! said...

Paul it is tricky to find these things, but i do what i can to support American business and products! Not 100% b.c thats impossible...obviously! But i try!

Paul Champagne said...

jenny ... if only everyone else did the same.

But we constantly see Mr. Smith, getting up in the morning, having a cup of Columbian coffee (from his coffee maker that is made in Taiwan) ... Getting into his Lexus (Japan), stopping at the CITGO (Venezuela) for gas on his way to work. All the while bitching about all the jobs we are losing overseas.