France likely to suffer reprisals from America

International Herald Tribune ^ | Saturday, March 15, 2003 | Joseph Fitchett

[Jewels1091]

Fears include consumer goods boycotts

PARIS France seems bound to suffer a wave of economic and political losses at American hands, U.S. and French officials said Friday.

. The U.S. backlash against France is likely to range widely, they said, from moves to reduce the importance of the Security Council and other international bodies that buoy French prestige to blows against trans-Atlantic industrial cooperation that infuses American technology into French companies.

Most uncontrollable of all the responses, they said, might be consumer boycotts that hit French products and services.

One official suggested that Washington may press for reforms at the Security Council to downgrade France's role. One example might be an enlarged Security Council in which a veto would require "no" votes from at least two members - and in which France and Britain would give up their permanent seats in place of a single seat for the European Union.

. A sense of foreboding is palpable among French business leaders, several of whom, speaking anonymously, fear a determined U.S. campaign to hurt French industry, not only by refusing to buy aircraft and other items manufactured in France but also by actively trying to supplant France in other world export markets

[Jewels1091]

This is interesting...but kinda long

[bybybill]

To heck with you all! The french are my heroes. No other country has done as much as France to destroy the UN. I plan to buy as much French goods as I can in about 20 to 25 years from now.

[slimer]

Fears include consumer goods boycotts

You won't get one red cent from me for anything that comes from that $#1thole of a country.

[teletech]

To Hell with pressing for reforms in the UN! Get the US OUT of the UN FOR GOOD!!! Boycott ANYTHING from France OR Germany!!

[Post Toasties]

I hope the people of France are ready to make the required uncomplaining sacrifices to compensate for their selfish grab at their precious French Glory which consists of behaving like an international nuisance and hindrance to progress.

France still retains enough of its historical sense of self importance to inflict some temporary misery on its betters, but is too insignificant a county to really matter in the overall scheme of things.

[mc10]

"France likely to suffer reprisals from America."

NO kiddin'...

[KneelBeforeZod]

we seem to be forgetting that england is only a little better. Polls can be BS, but most of them seem to show they are against the US and England going after Saddam.

After all, Blair is getting hassled by his own party.

Tony Blair is not all of England, just as Bill Clinton was not all of the US

[twntaipan]

A very worthwhile read. The peaceniks are right about one thing--it is about oil--only it is the French, the heros of the peaceniks and Saddam's great friend Chirac, that are after the oil. Only they don't get it if the US deposes Saddam.

[Aracelis]

Nothing but domestic and Australian wines from now on. They taste better anyway, especially our sparkling wines and Australia's ports.

[Madame de Winter]

I know it is vogue to villify the people who invented the word diplomacy as we know it today.
But in the immemorial words of our president, "You are either with us or you'e for the terrorist." Can 4 out of 5 dentistes be wrong?

Commece le guerre flambe

[Mark17]

. A sense of foreboding is palpable among French business leaders, several of whom, speaking anonymously, fear a determined U.S. campaign to hurt French industry

They are really perceptive aren't they? Sticking their collective finger in Uncle Sam's eye may be great fun, but it comes with a price, and they are going to find out what that price is.

[Rose in RoseBear]

One official suggested that Washington may press for reforms at the Security Council to downgrade France's role. One example might be an enlarged Security Council in which a veto would require "no" votes from at least two members - and in which France and Britain would give up their permanent seats in place of a single seat for the European Union.

Nah ... I just don't think England's gonna have to give up anything after this, especially not because we demand it ...

[Ronin]

I would boycott France, but it is sort of pointless because I never use anything from France anyhow. It's a stumper.

[DB]

If they join the EU they'll have to give it up. The EU can have only 1 vote.

Or we'll add 49 UN votes for every state in the union.

[KneelBeforeZod]

[kaylar]

I see your point. And while it's probably just wishful thinking on my part, I like to believe GWB is allowing this debacle at the UN to drag on to the point where even the antiwar people are saying,"Let's just get it over with" for a Very Good Reason:

Make the American people so sick of our erstwhile allies in the EU that we'll contemplate not only leaving the UN, but the WTO and the OECD as well.

Leaving the UN will do us very little good if we remain in organizations which want to veto our tax laws, and force us to raise our taxes so we have no "unfair advantage" over them.

The WTO is at least as worthy of scrapping as the UN.

[DeaconRed]

NOTHING FRENCH
Enven Though I was born in Dixie, Alabama
I throwed away anything with Dixie Chicks on it

[MsGail61]

Yup. I just changed my hair color from L'Oreal to Clairol.

[NeonKnight]

It's going to be tough giving up Michelin tires on my bicycle.

The sacrifices I make for the honor of my country.

[B4Ranch]

You need to post a link to the beginning of the article, not the end.