PARIS RIOTS (AN E-MAIL FROM A FRIEND)

This is an E-mail I recieved today from a friend who has lived in europe quite some time now. He is probably the last of what I would call a true Independent, although most of the time he leans Conservative. He is very credible to me, and has even appeared on various European political shows as a pro U.S. pundit.

This is what he replied when I asked permission to put his article here. (Incidentally he know's me as Tex)

It’s a good idea to keep my name out of it. They do have international phone directories with addresses these days. It should be passed on as something I sent you personally, as a friend (i.e. it was not written with public consumption in mind – just in case your conservative chat lines do have a wide audience).

I’d be interested in how you preface it, i.e. your own view (I suspect we are not that far off on the immigration problem at least – something conservatives seem to find more common ground on these days since the neo-con schism.)

I lived in Aulnay sous Bois north of Paris in 1971, with a group of young people from the US, Europe and (one) Japan. Stayed there for a few months after returning from Germany to start work at CBS News, while looking for an apartment in Paris itself. There were lots of Africans (mostly north, but some sub-Saharans) already in the area then, a few of whom once mugged the American girl from our “commune” as she was walking home from the metro after work, about this time of year coincidentally. Others from our house had occasionally been harassed. This was only a few years after my old neighborhood in Brooklyn went belly up, and rioting in US cities had become commonplace. My warning to the French then (and subsequently to German friends years later when I went to work at RFE in Munich – where the so-called Gastarbeiter program was in full bloom) was that they were setting themselves up for the same kind of problems we were having if they didn’t get their immigration under control.

When I returned to live in Europe (specifically, Austria) in 1991, I saw just how much major sections of cities I once lived in like Paris and Frankfurt had been turned into ghettos by 3rd world immigrants – just like at home. Vienna wasn’t so bad, but a right-wing populist politician named Joerg Haider was making tremendous inroads by warning against Austria’s complacent immigration policy. In order to combat Haider’s growing popularity, the 2 main political parties started tightening up a bit on immigration, while at the same time bemoaning his crude, direct speech. Not long after I returned from Africa, Haider’s party became the 2nd most popular in Austria, and formed a coalition government with the main center-right Christian democrats. Upon which demonstrations broke out here and all over Europe, and Chirac and his Belgian counterpart led a movement to isolate Austria diplomatically, a movement which the US government gladly jumped on board. Hungarian immigrant Congressman Tom Lantos – Israel’s self-proclaimed voice in the US congress and the man who would (will) be chairman of the House Foreign Relations Committee should the Dems again become the majority, called for a boycott against Austria.

One of Haider’s more colorful remarks was that Austria didn’t turn back two Turkish invasions of Christian Europe in order to later turn the country over to the Turks through incompetent immigration policies. Ariel Muzicant, the new head of Austria’s main Jewish lobbying organization, unlike his mature, discreet, effective and well-liked predecessor, had already embarked on a very public, media savvy campaign to warn that Haider’s anti-immigration rhetoric augured a return to Nazi-like conditions here (Haider had previously been bending over backwards to convince Jews he was their friend, despite his softball treatment of some right-wing veteran organizations). The US embassy duly broke off contact with that part of the coalition government. Muzicant on several occasions followed the new US ambassador on her periodic trips to the States, making sure Jewish groups would keep up the pressure against the new Austrian government, a pressure Muzicant felt the Ambassador might be trying to loosen through her direct talks in Washington. Because Haider – who with his potential coalition partners realized how untenable his position was internationally – allowed his charming, moderate female deputy (Susanne Riess-Passer) to take the vice-chancellor position that he would normally get as party leader, and because the center right coalition government quickly showed itself to be extraordinarily moderate, reasonable, and more market-oriented, Haider’s deputy Riess-Passer eventually got something of the red carpet treatment in Washington (it helped that she was also in favor of buying a bunch of US made fighter jets). Haider remained ostracized, started getting more radical instead of less, and eventually became outspokenly anti-US government, helping turn more of the right as well as the left against us. Haider’s party itself then broke up into radical (extreme anti-immigration) and moderate elements, with Riess-Passer and others resigning. The more moderates nevertheless held out, but the right-wing party itself was very weakened, and now the center-right, moderate, main stream party pretty much controls the government.

But: the government seems to have learned a lesson or two from events elsewhere in Europe and adamantly opposed Turkey’s membership in the EU. This has outraged the Bush Administration, which openly lobbies for Turkish membership that Austrians fear will lead to an even greater flood of Islamic immigrants here, immigrants from the most backward areas of Asian Anatolia. Austria is again on the US shit-list (how dare they not welcome the chance to enhance the country’s wonderful multi-cultural mosaic!). As if we don’t have enough enemies, little Austria is tow telling the US to shove it – to mind its own g.d. business. I forgot to mention that the US Embassy established a new position here a few years ago (after earlier having decided that - with the cold war over - we could easily merge and reduce the size of the political-economic section). The new US embassy position: a “diversity officer.” Yes, that old missionary wing of our foreign policy establishment deemed we need an American official here to enlighten Austrians on the joys of ethnic and religious diversity. Well, what the hell, there is so little else to do with all that tax money we have.

So Tex, your “Uncle Busy Body” school of foreign policy has still been very much in the ascendancy under your guru president. If he has his way, Vienna will go the way of Paris, London, Amsterdam etc. in this regard (the way major areas of US cites went long ago – but that’s OK for you I suppose; you’re a country boy at heart and don’t like cities per se). You’re all worked up about Islam – but have been crusading for our dim-wit President who has become addicted to meddling abroad, just like those ex-imperial powers of Europe who paved the way for massive immigration from their old colonies and the creation of ghettos such as in my old Aulnay sous Bois. Yes, those north Africans are doing the work that the European natives won’t do (the 50% who are not unemployed at least), so the economic argument goes, or went (familiar?), an argument that ignores the fact that countries that don’t rely on cheap 3rd World labor, like Japan, are much more apt to develop robots and other technology to do the routine work. That plus a decent wage for shit jobs can have an amazing impact on solving the labor shortage problem that ostensibly has provided an additional justification for 3rd world immigration on top of the perceived “obligations” stemming from an imperial past. It will be interesting to see how many more Iraqis the US will eventually have to provide refuge for as a result of our continued “obligation” to them stemming from intrusive attempts to save their country.

The barbarians, my friend, are inside the gates, not at the gates, something I noticed a long time ago at home as well. I don’t mean to equate immigrants with barbarians – but they have a fairly high percentage among them who don’t bring out the best among our own home-grown barbarians. Neither our Republicans nor Democrats are likely to do anything effective about the problem. Nor will Chirac or a French socialist if one eventually replaces him. The local moderate, anti-socialist government in Vienna has pretty much learned to ignore (quite a change) the intrusive platitudes from Washington policymakers. The latest Paris mess has helped shore up its resistance to the airy-fairy politically correct immigration grandstanding of the American and European political class. Margit and I still go to sleep summer nights with our door wide open to the terrace and roof (easily reachable by a potential intruder). And without a gun in the house! The already low crime rate has been declining even further. But the immigration door is far from secure, and the pressure to deal with immigration issues the way the Bushes and Chiracs of our political classes have dealt with them continues. And guys like you still think the answer is for American soldiers to prance around the world armed with incantations and bullets that will turn these medieval societies into thriving democratic economic miracles where the emigration urge will subside. Good luck!

"It will be interesting to see how many more Iraqis the US will eventually have to provide refuge for as a result of our continued “obligation” to them stemming from intrusive attempts to save their country. "

My overall impression is this guy is calling for stagnation. No one coming in and no trade going out. Too bad it won't work. The Utopian idea of isolating ourselves sounds quite nice actually.

Oh! I thought he was making a case against illegal immigration, and the allowance of a foreign culture to overwhelm the indigent one. Especially when the indigent one is in every aspect superior.

Sorry old friend, but, he's a U.S. citizen. he votes. he's entitled to his view.

I appreciate that, and I am entitled to my view. I believe it is wrong to go overseas and mock Bush as a "dim-wit". That's Michael Moore stuff and I don't appreciate it. He has every right to do that and I have every right to disagree.

In addition, you can't blame the Islamofascist fifth column in Europe on minor U.S. diplomatic communiques. Not every problem on Earth is caused by or even related to Bush or the United States.

Exactly, this guy is saying that the muslims are causing all the problems and then in the next sentence saying it is the Americans causing all the muslim problems.

I guess they spike the coffee in the Vienna coffee houses with abisinthe.

Near as I can figure he lives in Austria ?
I'm not sure I can find his immigration view in his partial history lesson.

He uses Austria and Japan (almost cloistered societies)as models for tight immigration.

He's comparing Austria, a pure-bred country of approx 8 million elite class residents with the US, an immigrant country of approx 300 million johnny-lunch bucket residents.

Comparing a country with tight immigration controls that no-one really wants to go to, with a country that everyone seems to want to come to, that had\has loose immigration standards from the get-go - seems like a disconnected comparison.

"Oh! I thought he was making a case against illegal immigration, and the allowance of a foreign culture to overwhelm the indigent one. Especially when the indigent one is in every aspect superior."

Like I said..too bad it won't work. I wish it would but globalization has already advanced to far to accommodate these ideas. You can make it harder to immigrate illegally but you will never stop it.

Like many Freepers have said in the past..thank God we still have our guns in America to protect our individual homes and property.

"However, democratizing most of the Middle East before having to nuke the remaining parts...is the only answer."

Interesting post. I have to agree that at least attempting to democratize the middle east is far preferable to letting the nuclear genie out of the bag.

I feel it's kind of sad that these riots are probably going to prevent Turkey's inclusion into the EU. They have been an ally of ours for a long time and their democracy seems to be functional. On the other hand, after the Soviet Union fell apart, there was a lot of wishful thinking that the days of the nation-state were soon to be over. 9-11 proved the foolishness of that idea.

As far as a split in the neo-cons, I would venture to guess that while most neo-cons are strong on defense and fiscal constraint, there is probably a wide variety of opinion on most other issues. I'm proud to call myself a neo-con, and I enjoy the free exchange of ideas.

When I first heard about the rioting in France, my first impression was that they were gettting what they deserved, that the chickens were coming home to roost, after more than 40 years of them and Germany doing everything they could to appease terrorists. However, there now seems to be a much larger movement going on. A lot of people used to, and still do, laugh at us who voice concern over the international communist movement. The facts are, at least as I see it, that the international communist movement, sponsored mainly by Russia & China, have teamed up with the Islamo-fascists in their Statlinist era plan to destroy Western Democracies from within.

In addition, let's not forget that in 1968, "rogue" KGB agents tried to launch a 1 megaton nuclear over Pearl Harbor in an attempt to get the US to go to war with China. Mikail Suslov may be dead, but his legacy lingers on and I have no doubt that there are elements within both China & Russia that would like nothing better try again.

From the Threat Matrix thread: (A MUST READ)

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1513784/posts?q=1&&page=601
To: All
A must read on Paris riots:

http://www.ww4report.com/node/1253

A snipped portion from the middle of article:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Media accounts have generally overlooked that the riots erupted
days after sensational claims that French police were investigating
plans by a group of Islamic extremists to attack targets in Paris.
The accounts claimed the group was recruiting French citizens to
train in the Middle East and return home to carry out terrorist
attacks.

One French official said the extremists were using an
"underground railroad" through Syria to bring European and
Middle Eastern citizens in and out of Iraq. An anonymous senior
French law enforcement official said that French citizens had
undergone terrorist training at camps in Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon.

"There's always been an enormous jihad zone to train people to
fight in their country of origin," the official said. "We saw it
Afghanistan, in Bosnia, in Kosovo, and now we're seeing it in
Iraq."

He said the French cell under investigation "is linked with
networks in Iraq, right now, through an individual based in Syria.
Now we're finding camps in Syria and Lebanon, and it's the same
pattern, training in explosives and chemical weapons, which is an
obsession of the jihadists."

In a recent television interview, Sarkozy, called the terror risk for
Paris "very high," adding, ''We know that there are about 10 young
Frenchmen in Iraq, ready to become kamikazes."

"One asks himself why a certain number of young French people
are in Pakistan in religious schools," Sarkozy said. "It's not normal
that an individual who lives in our neighborhoods leaves all of a
sudden for four months in Afghanistan, three months in Syria. We
want to know who is going where, for how long, and when they
come back." (Boston Globe, Oct. 19)

614 posted on 11/06/2005 2:23:05 AM PST by nw_arizona_granny (WAKE UP AMERICA !!!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 610 | View Replies | Report Abuse ]

Huh? We’re plagued by Iraqi refuges fleeing the consequences of our intrusion? I think this guy’s world view is too tightly coupled into his anti-American media sources for his opinions to be worth any more than witnessing an interesting train wreck. Please pass that on ;^) Exactly, this guy is saying that the muslims are causing all the problems and then in the next sentence saying it is the Americans causing all the muslim problems.

Just an observation. I am extremely proBush on most issues. His idealism and a desire to help the Iraqis propelled him into Iraq along with the WMD issues. Now that we have been at this for several years, I better understand why Sadam ruled as he did. These people do live, in large measure in midevil times. Not all,but many. I believe Sadam ruled ruthlessly because that is the only way to control that population. He was unnecessarily cruel to anyone he even thought might be an enemy. But, he did not have IEDs going off in the country. I believe the reason is because, if there was a wiff of criticism he crushed it ruthlessly and immediatly without concern for collateral damage. But there were no IEDs going off in any of the cities. I wonder how Sadam would deal with a foreign invaders trying to take over his country. I hope when the Americans are able to leave Iraq the standing military will be less shackled in its response to terrorism. I hope they do not have to worry about pantyhose on the head of terrorist that just days prior were trying to kill them. I hope they don't degrade to what will be tempting, that is, to respond so indescrimminantly that collateral damage is extraordinary.

I still believe Bush has to succeed in stablizing Iraq. We cannot afford to loose and ceed a nation state to alZarquari or benLaudin. For that kind to have the revenues of oil rich Iraq to foment and export terrorism on a scale we have not seen would certainly follow.

Damn, I want our military to come home ASAP.

There is a lot of interesting and controversial commentary here.

I hope everyone read this stunner in the middle of the email:

new US embassy position: a "diversity officer." Yes, that old missionary wing of our foreign policy establishment deemed we need an American official here to enlighten Austrians on the joys of ethnic and religious diversity.

What the F&^% is the administration doing here?

Don't we have enough lefties in the State Department already? We need to create new positions so we can hire more?

I have commented elsewhere on this administration's abject failure to fight affirmative action and other reverse racism throughout the government. I am stunned to hear that this sickness reaches into our embassies.

As an American I am embarassed.

I don't like to see us apologize to foreigners, but we really do owe the Austrians an apology on this one.

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