Posted on 03/17/2005 2:52:47 PM PST by Cornpone
"So much for the Franco-German Empire."
I wonder how much Eastern Europe's rejection of Chirac's patronizing comments about their participation in the Iraq War awakened the French that the EU wasn't going to be easy to rule over.
Former EU commission president Jacques Delors warned of a "political cataclysm" in France in the case of a 'no' vote..
I guess they'll just have to rewrite their constitution again and have a... what?... I forget, or lost count ... I think a Fifth Republic.
Did you here about the brief war between the French and the Andorrans? The French were throwing firecrackers. Then the Andorrans started playing rough and lighting them before throwing them back.
On the other hand who replaces Chirac? Likely someone worse.
Who cares and is that really possible from our perspective. The knife wound in Powell's back has healed but he still has a scar. France is irrelevant, and they really, really hate it.
"A socialist government might not be so bad."
Domestic politics are mostly irrelevant. Bush, Chirac, "conservative." Blair, Schroeder "liberal".
Franco-Germanic dreams got its last jolt of hope from the embarassingly poodle-ish behavior of Zapatero, but that was the last hurrah. In fact, the Spaniards' plain talk about the ambitions of the EU might have awoken the sheeple.
Yes, it is possible to have someone worse than Chirac.
And, no, France is not irrelevant. At least in Europe. They are doing their best to make life hell for some of our allies.
What they do indirectly affects us, like it or not. The bigger mess they create, the bigger the mess we'll be cleaning up 20 years from now.
And, no, France is not irrelevant. At least in Europe. They are doing their best to make life hell for some of our allies.
France is basically powerless and they are just doing the same thing they've always done.
Tell that to our European allies. France has joined with Germany and Spain. A trio of bullies that ARE putting pressure on Great Britian and the Eastern Block countries. They are NOT irrelevant in Europe. Repeating that claim will not make it so.
King County, Washington elections division is sending 500 seasoned volunteers to help count ballots correctly. That's what my garbage man told me:)))
This was originally Napoleon's vision, except with France at the top of the pyramid and himself as Emperor alongside his siblings as rulers of all the other members.
True. The current fragmented fascist Europe is easer to handle.
IMO, Europe is irrelevant. They have no military power and their economic power is waning, rapidly.
IMHO, I'd continue to ignore the western europe countries - except Italy- and build up the East.
Perhaps you are not understanding my distinction. I am not speaking about their power on the world stage or in comparison to us. I am speaking of their power as it directly relates to their European counterparts. France is not irrelevant to Great Britain. They are not irrelevant to Poland. As such, what France intends by joining with Germany and Spain to do to these allies DOES indirectly affect us.
You might also consider that Europe has been the cause of many past wars in world history. An economically unstable Europe paves the way for their darker roots to take hold. IMO, look to Europe to become the next safe haven of Islamofascists. The NEW Middle East unless we remain engaged in an effort to temper this possibility from becoming reality.
IMHO, I'd continue to ignore the western europe countries - except Italy- and build up the East.
And don't forget the Brits. Poland, the Baltic states, and the rest could become some of our best allies. They are relevant.
As you pointed out, France can cause problems in our relations with them. But then, that's what France has always tried to do. Poland and the rest most likely hate France, but need to play along for economic reasons. France's strong arm tactics are stupid, what they've always done, and doomed to fail.
See #36.
Oh please, please, please. I might even have to gain a point or two of respect for the french citizenry should they torpedo this. But I think the French goobernment will sign them up irregardless of the outcome of the vote. OTOH, that might cause an uprising. Curiouser and curiouser.
Doesn't this acknowledge my point that France is not irrelevant to Europe? And BTW, if that EU constitution is adopted their power over allied European nations increases. It would become significantly more difficult for Britian or Poland to break with Europe to join us in an alliance.
Have you ever noticed how much Chiraq looks like an alien?
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