Dadbeat France

Wall Street Journal ^ | 11/4/2003 | unsigned editorial

[RKV]

During and after World War I, the U.S. extended a substantial amount of credit to its European allies. In 1922, the U.S. and 15 European countries agreed on a total indebtedness of about $11.5 billion -- slightly more than $4 billion for France. Payments were made until 1931, mostly from German war reparations. Then the Depression led Hoover to declare a one-year moratorium, and by 1934 all but two of the countries defaulted. As of last December, according to the U.S. Treasury, principal and interest due on the French debt amounted to about $11.8 billion, or about twice what France may be owed by Iraq.

[RKV]

Perhaps a tarriff on French products until the deadbeats pay up or we get even? BTW the link requires registration and this is only a limited sample of the editorial. I think this covers the main points which were made.

[Tijeras_Slim]

Concern over one's financial responsibilities? How bourgeois!

[Arkie2]

I read an article the other day that said some of our grants to Iraq may go to pay off foreign debt and some of it may go to France. We need to demand an accounting of those funds and insist that France and others forgive a large part of the debt owed them by Iraq. I can't tell you how PO'ed I would be if any of that money found its way into French pockets.

[Brandon]

I don't think the French should forgive any of it -- I think Iraq should pay it off in currency with Saddam's picture on it. That was Iraq's currency at the time the debt was incurred, and fair is fair. The French can always use more toilet paper.

[Arkie2]

That idea has some definite merit. ;^)

[rllngrk33]

The French can always use more toilet paper.

I agree, they don't use enough. Maybe that's why they stink!

[sarasmom]

I like that idea!
Especially since my child informed me tonight that the "theme" of the week was France.
I generally provide minimal assistance in homework asignments, but I feel a major exception coming on....

[StarCMC]

I'd love to be a fly on the wall in your kid's classroom! MAN! Wouldn't it be fun to have those kind of assignments as adults?? Here's picture you might wish to include:

10,943 reasons why France should support us