France slams 'simplistic' US policy

BBC online ^ | February 6, 2002

[financeprof]

Comme j'ai dit avant:

Mangez-moi, M. le grenouille!

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Maybe. But I'll take California reds and Maytag Blue over anything made in France.

[tcostell]

I think the proper response here is:

PAX AMERICANUS

[ladtx]

Do you know why the French always plant trees along their country lanes?

So the Germans can march in the shade.

An old joke I heard while in the Army.

[doug from upland]

Well, Minister Vedrine, your country did such a good job stopping the Nazis that I guess we should take your advice. Go choke on French fries.

[Constitutional Patriot]

Gee...I wonder what the French would recommend as an approach with conffronting our enemies?

In all seriousness, it would be a mistake for W to take any advice from teh eurosocialists. Their crappy little economies are somewhat dependant on commerce w/ tyrannical regimes (Iran, Iraq, etc.). Of course they are going to say "don't attack Iraq". They will say this with the full knowledge that Iraq is a hostile enemy of the US. To hell with the eurotrash/socialist governments.

[carton253]

I was going to say the same thing. The French have the most simplistic foreign policy of any nation. To surrender and wait for the Americans to fight the war for them.

[r9etb]

Mr Vedrine cited the Middle East as an example, saying the EU rejected Washington's unconditional support of what he called Israel's policy of pure repression.

I rather doubt that this is just "an example."

His "pure repression" comment says it all: he's blaming the whole mess on Israel -- which is right in line Europe's generally anti-Israel stance.

In reality, U.S.-Israel relations are exactly what got Mr. Vedrine's panties in a twist.

[Dan from Michigan]

French Rifles...never fired, dropped once

[timydnuc]

WARNING AMERICA: They are preparing to f@$t in our general direction!!

[wheezer]

We know how cowardly they are.

The French pilots who flew missions during the Gulf War were anything but cowards.

[Mamzelle]

Do you see those enormous Algerian ghettos in Paris? We'll see in a few years what the indolent Euros are able to do in their own defense. I just don't want a single American sent to help.

But likely I won't get what I want.

A shame your *courageous* Frenchies had to get us tangled up in the former Yugoslavia and Bosnia--

[onedoug]

Ptooie!

[JeepInMazar]

Over the past month, other European countries have expressed concern over what they see as American unilateralism.

Over the years, Americans have believed that France should do whatever in the world they want to do. America will do the same.

[ijcr]

Terrorism has long been a source of friction between the United States and Europe. During the 1970s and 1980s, for example, it was not unusual for European governments to cut secret deals with terrorists.

In exchange for the terrorists' agreement not to strike within these countries' borders or target their citizens, European authorities often turned a blind eye to activities that would otherwise have invited arrest and imprisonment.

Consequently, extradition requests were frequently ignored. Captured terrorists often managed to escape from custody. Routine border-control procedures were conveniently ignored to allow terrorists to travel freely across international frontiers.

Perhaps the best-known instance of this behavior occurred in 1977 when French counterespionage agents arrested Muhammad Daoud Audeh—alias Abu Daoud—the reputed mastermind behind the 1972 Munich Olympics massacre, in which 11 Israeli athletes were seized and murdered by Palestinian terrorists.

Both Israel and West Germany immediately requested Audeh's extradition. France, however, stonewalled, prevaricated, and then set him free, not wishing to incur the wrath of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and invite possible terrorist reprisal.

Europe's traditional reluctance to isolate so-called pariah states—coupled with burgeoning commercial opportunities as these regimes open themselves up to foreign investment—has provided both the rationale and the opportunity for the continent to pursue what it has termed "critical dialogue."

In dealing with Iran, for example, French president Jacques Chirac explained that Europeans can convey "a certain number of ideas that are not always pleasant to hear, but which nevertheless maintain the ability to continue talking." The vehicle for attaining this aim—often to Washington's chagrin—has been expanded diplomatic and trade relations between Europe and Iran.

Thus, in recent months, French foreign minister Hubert Vedrine visited Tehran to discuss matters including nuclear-energy cooperation and development opportunities, and in March 1999, Italy welcomed President Mohammed Khatami on the first state visit made by an Iranian leader to Western Europe since the overthrow of the Shah 20 years ago.

One week prior to Khatami's trip, the Italian energy conglomerate EMI and its French partner Elf-Aquitaine announced they had signed a $1 billion contract to drill for oil in Iran's Dorood fields.

[Snuffington]

As Ronald Reagan said, there are simple answers. There just aren't easy answers.

And as Clint Eastwood said in one of his westerns (The Outlaw Josie Wales perhaps?), there's nothing wrong with shooting people, as long as the right people get shot.

[Mustard]

FRENCH FOREIGN POLICY EXPERT

[cactmh]

there are always exceptions to the general rule...

[Prodigal Son]

When France cleans up all the dog poop off its sidewalks then I'll take 'em serious.