French ambassador: Bitterness should be put aside (Mega-Barf Alert)

The Associated Press ^ | 4/2/03 | Siobhan McDonough

[LdSentinal]

WASHINGTON (AP) -- France's ambassador to the United States says his country has been "a bit of a scapegoat," portrayed as the driving force in the U.N. Security Council's resistance to the U.S.-led war on Iraq -- but he wants bygones to be bygones.

Russia, Germany and China had also argued Iraq could be disarmed peacefully through strengthened weapons inspections, Jean-David Levitte said Tuesday.

Still, Levitte said, "Let's go beyond the bitterness of what happened" and join in a common effort to rebuild Iraq once the war is over.

The United Nations should play a pivotal role in reconstruction, Levitte said, warning U.S. aid on its own may be perceived as an occupation.

Levitte, speaking to about 100 people at The Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University, said his country is not pacifist and believes in force when necessary. Nonetheless, French leaders were convinced that Saddam Hussein -- his back against the wall -- was starting to cooperate with U.N. inspections and the disarmament regimen.

"He's a bloody dictator," said Levitte, "but at the same time, he's a survivor."

The ambassador said France's complaint about trans-Atlantic relations is not that the United States is too strong, but that "we think the Europeans are too weak."

What might appear to be a challenge to America's power in Europe is in fact an attempt to make Europe a stronger entity, able to stand up better to crises in its borders. "We absolutely need the military might of the United States," he said.

Levitte did not believe that the recent disagreement between the United States and France will have long-lasting damage.

"It's important that United States find in France a true friend and ally, but also a country that expresses its view" even when the two disagree, he said.

[river rat]

The French Ambassador and France can kiss my hairy ass....
They played their hand....
We know them for who they really are, now....

F'em..

Semper Fi

[laz17]

What Gaul... They stab us in the back, then they come crawling back asking to kiss and make up, when all they're still interested in is protecting their oil contracts and hiding the evidence of their complicity with Saddam. France can go straight to hell. As Iraq becomes a democracy and flourishes, may France degenerate into anarchy and self-destruct.

[truth_seeker]

My grandfather served in France during WWI.

My father served in the Pacific, and my father-in-law served in Europe during WWII.

I served in Germany during the Cold War.

In each case, France was the beneficiary of America's willingness to STAND UP, for the freedom of French people.

In 2003, when the US needed support, France spit in our faces. They continue, no

There is NOTHING France could do in my remaining lifetime, which would reverse this betrayal, nothing, nothing whatsoever.

If they get over run by their muslim masses, phuque the French. They deserve it. With the Belgians, they are alone in a class worthy of our complete abandonement, next time they call for our support.

[tessalu]

America will never forget that we have soldiers buried in France who did trying to liberate their country. It is not possible to forget that, and then France's dirty deeds to a friend.

[Billthedrill]

A "bit of a scapegoat?" Well, no, not actually. A collection of pompous, arrogant, self-righteous political poseurs milking the opportunity to play moral paragons without a shred of actual moral sanction to back them up, yes. A tight little self-stroking society of 60s throwbacks, sloganeering, pontificating twits without the courage to stand for something except vapid, bumper-sticker platitudes, yes. A gaggle of self-aggrandizing geese purporting to act as a counterweight to power without either weight or power, yes. A mob of chest-thumping loudmouths with serious delusions of grandeur, yes. Scapegoat? No, I wouldn't say they'd earned even that.

[Dark Knight]

I think we are all being a little hasty. I think the French and the UN should be in charge of the Iraq reconstruction...the moment they can bring back to life all the Allied Soldiers that gave their lives to free it!

Until then, no blue helmets eating stinky cheese.

Since the UN thinks were okay again, maybe we should with hold our "dues" until it has paid for the war and reconstruction.

DK

[MHGinTN]

Jean-David Levitte, jump back into your stagnating pond little frog.

[Jackson Brown]

The future asst. Secy. of State for European Affairs sends his reply to the honorable French Ambassador --

[jporcus]

Looks like they are making poo-poo (that's French for ...) in their pants, finally beginning to realize what they have done. I will never buy anything French, will never consider going to France, etc. What kind of "friend" does what they have done?

[Joe Boucher]

Hey levitte, in your ass.

[Zebra]

There is NOTHING France could do in my remaining lifetime, which would reverse this betrayal, nothing, nothing whatsoever.

Agreed. Historians will be writing about this 100 years from now as one of the greatest diplomatic failures of the modern era, and the point at which France began its rapid descent into irrelevancy on the world stage. I cannot imagine how Chirac could have bungled this any worse than he did. Typical of the French mentality--stuck as it is in the 18th century--they believed that all could be made right after the fact. I am with you. The treacherousness of France's Foreign Minister Dominque De Villepin in his speeches before the UN and during the summit went beyond the irritating arrogance and aloofness (such as during the Libya crisis and Bosnia) that has characterized French-US foreign relations since Reagan.

They are wrong to think this thing can or will be patched up. It will be at least one and possibly more generations. The cost to the French in terms of national/collective security and balance of trade is incalculable.

Mangez merde, mes amis.

[Publius6961]

Dear Frogs,
Forget it.