French industry faces squeeze from Congress !!

FT.com ^ | 2/12/2003 | Peter Spiegel

[ex-Texan]

French industry faces squeeze from Congress

By Peter Spiegel in Washington

In his nearly 20 years in the US House of Representatives, New Jersey's James Saxton has built a solid if low-profile record as a moderate Republican.

But when it comes to Iraq, the unassuming Mr Saxton is an avowed hawk and he has now found a new target for his anger over European intransigence: the Paris Air Show.

The senior member of the House armed services committee has drafted a resolution, which he intends to introduce this week, that would call on all US companies and government officials to bypass the biennial gathering, widely regarded as the most important trade show for the industry.

Although the resolution would not be binding, Mr Saxton said if it passed he believed it would have a significant impact, particularly on the US military.

"There will be others on the armed services committee who will be joining me if it goes forward, and the folks at the Pentagon and the members of the committee have a relationship where we exhibit mutual respect for each other's opinion," Mr Saxton said in an interview.

However, Joel Johnson, who heads international issues for the Aerospace Industries Association, said US companies would probably still attend, as the show was the industry's "number one networking event".

"The only planes on the runways would be the Eurofighter, the Mirage and Airbus," he said. "That's not sticking your finger in French eyes. That's sticking fingers in our own eyes."

The resolution is only one of several efforts being considered in Congress to punish French industry. Dennis Hastert, speaker of the House, has discussed with Republican colleagues imposing regulations on French wine and bottled water imported into the US.

"There is no doubt that there could be some economic ripples created in various sectors of the economy," Mr Saxton said. "From an American perspective, those concerns are overridden by the dangers posed by terrorism and the obstacles the Chirac government is placing in the way of the war on terrorism."

[ex-Texan]

Breaking news on Drudge.

[Only1choice____Freedom]

Boortz recomended not more french fries with your happy meal.

[pechuna]

I planned on boycotting all French products. Think Hastert can get them to take a bath, too?

[Dog Gone]

Why don't we do something that would really make the French mad?

Ignore them.

[LibWhacker]

"The only planes on the runways would be the Eurofighter, the Mirage and Airbus," he said. "That's not sticking your finger in French eyes. That's sticking fingers in our own eyes."

Except in the case of those customers who want the best; they'll still come to us whether we make it to Paris or not.

[Cicero]

What are the chances of or organizing a rival air show?

[ex-Texan]

Frogs and Krauts are shivering in their booties because they know they sold WMD to Iraq ... ! This is just the start ....

Drudge is calling on Americans to boycott Perrier and Evian. Says Congress is considering warning labels on Frog wine. [Frog whiiine ?]

Next comes the boycott on BMW and Mercedes and Chryslers and all those neat German eletrical goodies and spare parts.

This is just the start! There will be a Huge Fall Out over the truth ... There will be millions of people in France and Germany out of work next year because French wine and German automobiles will be gathering dust on docks over there .... Who will buy Beemers when the U.S. formally forbids German imports? Who want to drinks Evian? Not me that is the truth. F'da' Frogs.

[Normal4me]

"Why don't we do something that would really make the French mad? Ignore them."

I agree! I would roll on the floor if President Bush would announce that France,Germany and Belgium are "Irrelevant" to this Iraq war.

[toenail]

[Senator Pardek]

[richardtavor]

Boycotts hardly ever work, and sometimes they can backfire on you. I agreed with the previous post: Ignore them, it will drive them nuts (let Rummy tell them to their face that they are irrelavant.)

[Drango]

The French economy would come to it's knees if the senior buyers at Safeway, COSTCO, Trader Joe's, etc. would stop buying all French wine, cheese, truffles and whatnot.

[joesnuffy]

Ya think this august body of leaders could do the same thing with muslims?
guess the french dont spend enough money on our so called leaders....

[expatpat]

As a past attendee of the paris Air Show, I agree completely with Johnson. The French would be delighted if the US aerospace companies didn't show up, since we're their main competition.

[Caipirabob]

Keep in mind our allies, the Spanish, make some of the finest wines in the world. My favorite is Rioja.

PSSSST! THE FRENCH DON'T WANT YOU TO KNOW THIS!

[Reagan Man]

The socialist French deserve to be treated like the lowlife, backstabbers they are. I support RepSaxton in his efforts.

[Cboldt]

Evian is the world's largest bottler of water. Many brands, including Poland Spring.

[rbmillerjr]

Saxton's idea will hurt our aerospace and defense industries.

People are reacting too quickly - import duties don't help either as they just start a trade war.

It's up to the American consumer to buy Spanish, Italian, Chilean, and Californian wine...and forego Paris and the Romantic Hwy in Germany. If your going to the Alps, skip the German and hit Swiss Alps.

Pull our troops out of Germany and go east to Poland etc and visit the UK - our true ally.