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The French sent an enormous army to retake Louisiana from USA after selling it then retaking it from the Spanish previous to selling the territory to a francophile president by the name of Jefferson.

Before the French were to march on the USA, retaking Louisiana territory, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, and any further conquests it desired they set their sites on the small colony of Haiti. The Haitian slaves just won independence for the entire island of Hispaniola but were greatly outnumbered by the French as they landed on the island.

Short version of the story: The French almost lost entire army to malaria, yellow fever, etc. that didn't seem to affect Haitians. Haiti remained free. Jefferson learned valuable lesson about french diplomacy. Also, Jefferson's butt was saved. USA later won Battle of N.O. against Brits and became single greatest richest country on earth within a century.

I think Bush cancelling Chiraq's visit is filled with historic and modern symbolism which is probably lost on a people that regard Woody Allen and Jerry Lewis as genuises.