Yes, and it probably would not have happened as fast as it did without the French funding a war against us scant years earlier.
You know, the one where Geo. Washington gained his skill as a military commander? The French-Indian War?
The idea that the French were siding with us for our liberty is one of those cherished mythologies of the American nation. The truth is much less noble: The French were funding the colonies’ revolt because it was a nice proxy war against the English.
We are in a “nice proxy war” with the Iranian regime already. So why can’t we encourage those that oppose the enemy?
Don’t you want victory in the War On Terror?
And the Statue of Liberty is also one of those cherished mythologies of the American nation. /s