UK TIMES: The wrecking game

The Times ^ | February 11, 2003 | The Times

[MadIvan]

The Times gets it right.

Regards, Ivan

[MadIvan]

Bump!

[headsonpikes]

Bump.

France and Germany have consigned themselves to the dustbin of history.

To paraphrase David Frum, "it couldn't happen to a nicer bunch of fellas."

[PeoplesRep_of_LA]

Great job finding another article for us anti Franco-Socialist Ivan.

US-Out-Of-NATO

[Happygal]

The Times is getting it RIGHT a lot recently.

Why is that?
They aren't always on the money.

Have they had an editorial change recently?

[CatoRenasci]

Indeed. And if the Turks, because of this, do not give the US permission to work through Turkey, we should simply tell them, and the French and the Germans, that they have just made nuclear war inevitable and that, as we are informing them, MIRV'd ICBMs have been launched against Iraq.

[Gideon7]

France and Germany are making war more likely, with more casualities (both American and Iraqi).

This time the US is not going to forgive and forget. There must be permanent repercussions to prevent this sort of backstab in the future.

[DB]

These actions are going to have long term consequences for all of us.

We here in the US will never forget, ever.

[Happygal]

BTW..this action by the Germanic/Franco action headlined Irish news tonight.

At least the news said: 'This action should leave Saddam Hussein laughing in Baghdad'

I'm SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO annoyed right now at my fellow Europeans.

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

The Times is getting it RIGHT a lot recently.

Why is that?
They aren't always on the money.

This is the Times of London, owned by Rudolph Murdock, not the NY Times1

[Happygal]

Didn't France pull out of Nato in 1966?

[Happygal]

This is the Times of London, owned by Rudolph Murdock, not the NY Times1

Rupert Murdoch. I know that. But they backed Labour in the last British elections over the conservatives.

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

But they backed Labour in the last British elections over the conservatives.

Yes, Murdock backed Blair, I am not sure why, it might have been to destroy the weak sister Tories controlling that party at the time. Maybe MadIvan will comment on this

[CharacterCounts]

Meanwhile, at Nato, the refusal by France, Belgium and Germany to give Turkey access to purely defensive Nato equipment is an even more careless

I remember Ronald Reagan saying once "I paid for this mike."

My question is: Who paid for that Nato equipment France, Germany and Belgium are refusing to give?

[drjoe]

""han to throw spanners in the works at the UN "

Ah - 'spanners'- brings back memories of my old XK-150S jag. The worst car I ever owned.

[aculeus]

Yes France quit NATO but are now back in.

Some histoire:

Among the most admirable moves of President Lyndon Johnson came in the mid-1960s, following Charles de Gaulle’s announcement to withdraw France from NATO’s military alliance. As Secretary of State Dean Rusk finished briefing Johnson on the logistical details of his upcoming session with de Gaulle, the president calmly ordered something like, “Finally, Dean, ask de Gaulle if he also wants us to move the cemeteries of Americans buried there.” Rusk demurred, but Johnson made him ask. Should we also withdraw the graves of Americans who sacrificed their lives for France’s liberation from the Nazis?

Link: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,74903,00.html

The original source is Rusk's memoir. (De Gaulle was speechless after Rusk, at the conclusion of the meeting, said he was asking about the bodies at the direction of his president.)

[Happygal]

Thanks for this. I certainly didn't know that particular anecdote.

If the French left NATO when did they rejoin?


(BTW, one of the BEST things I've found about joining Freerepublic is learning so much MORE about historical events that the liberal media in my own country have not allowed me learn.)

Imagine..Catholic Ireland has a liberal media! *L*..The irony in itself is as pathetic as both institutions in this country have become! *L*)

[PeoplesRep_of_LA]

You want permanent repercussions? The US out of NATO. This isn't a betrayal of our Cold War alliances, its a recognition that the Cold War is over and permanent military alliances are illogical for independent states. (see WWI)

You bet this is a backstab, its a proxy war, but its fought with words instead of weapons. They either hate capitalism or want their own sphere of influence. I don't care what they want, but I want to make France and Germany pay for their own armies. You won't see anymore Empirial French bombing of the Ivory Coast if they had to defend their own boarders.

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

both institutions in this country have become!

My understanding is that the Church over there is an improvement on what is going on here!

[Happygal]

My understanding is that the Church over there is an improvement on what is going on here!

You prepared to put money on that?

Of course I must declare I'm an Irish Catholic, so I'd hate to be accused of 'insider trading' *L*