Posted on 09/23/2006 6:35:10 PM PDT by Past Your Eyes
Yesterday, President Jacques Chirac of France, who in the past has taken a hard line against Iran, shifted position and proposed that Iran would not have to freeze major nuclear activities in order for the talks to proceed. Now it was France and Chirac who were acting unilaterally. They were taking positions and making concessions to Tehran without consultation with Washington. In a single stroke, Chirac has undermined the unity between the United States and the Europeans in dealing with Iran. At the same time, he has undercut the Bush administration's position and reduced the chances that Iran can be forced to abandon its nuclear ambitions without resort to military force.
(Excerpt) Read more at military.com ...
not friends, just past acquaintences.
France. They are not friends. They only exist because we saved their a**.
Iran probably said they'd stop buying champagne. That's about all it would take. FRANCE!!! ......They haven't had any guts since 1805 when Britain kicked their butts at Trafalger.
We can only hope that when Iran tests their first Nuclear weapon they test it on paris.
I wondered what happened to them?
Once again, Follow the money.
Exactly right.
Alcatel SA
Alcatel, headquartered in France, has significant operations in terrorist-sponsoring Iran. It likewise carried out major fiber optics contracts with Saddam Hussein's Iraq prior to the recent war. The total value of the company's operations in terrorist-sponsoring states over the past five years is more than $300 million.
Among its activities in Iran that have relevance to Tehran's military and terrorism-related activities are contracts signed with state-controlled Iranian companies to provide data transmission and switching network capabilities. These contracts have reportedly included the provision of hardware, software, technologies and training to Iranian companies. It likewise is installing an undersea telecommunications cable in the country. Most of its activities in Iran are undertaken with state-owned partners.
BNP Paribas
While BNP Paribas, the leading French bank, is active only in Iran, the nature of its activities in that country is sufficiently important to merit investor attention. In total, the company is involved in financing projects in that country valued at more than $2 billion.
In July 2002, BNP Paribas, along with Germany's Commerzbank AG, led Iran's first sovereign Eurobond offering since the state's 1979 revolution. Originally scheduled for Euro 500 million, high demand for the instruments led BNP Paribas to increase the offering to a total of Euro 625 million. In December 2002, a second offering of Euro 375 million, also led by BNP Paribas and Commerzbank, brought the total raised on behalf of the Iranian government to over Euro 1 billion.
The company also is involved in the financing of projects and export facilities in Iran including an aromatics plant and a number of energy- and infrastructure-related deals. In total, the company is involved in credit lines totaling more than $1 billion to increase Iranian trade and development.
Technip Coflexip
Technip Coflexip, one of France's largest engineering and construction companies, is extensively involved in the energy sector of Iran. The company's projects in these countries could total as much as $400 million, and possibly more, depending on the status of contracts and letters of intent recently negotiated with Iranian companies.
Technip's ties to Iran include multiple contracts for the construction of large petrochemical plants in Iran. For at least one of these contracts, the company is reported to be providing a variety of equipment and technology. That project is being built in partnership with Iran's state-owned National Petrochemical Company. Technip also owns 20% of the Iranian engineering firm Nagran, which is also involved in Technip's engineering contracts in Iran.
Most significantly, however, Technip's business ties to Iran have been investigated by the U.S. government due to allegations that specialty pumps provided to Iran by Technip may have contributed to that country's covert nuclear weapons programs. According to published reports, the company may have transferred "cryogenic fluid transfer pumps" designed to be "submersible and used to transfer extremely cold fluids" -- pumps that may have ended up in the cooling system of one Iran's nuclear reactors rather than a petrochemical complex.
Total SA
Total SA, headquartered in France, is among the leading energy investors in terrorist-sponsoring states, including Iran, Sudan, Syria and, prior to the Iraq war, Saddam Hussein's Iraq. Its ties to these countries include ownership and development stakes in oil and gas fields that have generated significant revenues for the governments of these countries. Total's projects in these countries are valued at more than $3 billion and possibly much higher.
Through close cooperation with Iran's state-owned National Iranian Oil Company, Total is involved in joint research projects and contracts for the development and operation of numerous onshore and offshore oil fields in Iran. Included in these are projects at Kharg Island and Dorood field, projects at the Balal oil field and a 40% stake in the South Pars natural gas field. Total has openly stated its intention to spend as much as $2 billion on the development of South Pars alone.
Kissinger has been saying that if Iran gets the bomb, Egypt the Saudis Kuwait and Jordan will want it too. Already he is being proved right.
Why are the French like this? Is there something the wine, bread or cheese there that shuts down certain parts of the brain of inhibits testosterone production?
HERE COME THE WHITE FLAGS AGAIN.
""France. They are not friends. They only exist because we saved their a**.""
And America only exists because France saved American a** at Yorktown LOL. My, such a short memory.
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