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French want abuse to stop
The Age (Australia) ^
| April 19 2003
| Nate Guidry and Michael A. Fuoco
Posted on 04/17/2003 9:58:46 AM PDT by ellery
The French ambassador to Washington, Jean-David Levitte, has pleaded for a stop to "French-bashing" by Americans now the war with Iraq is at an end.
Singling out prominent businessman and commentator Richard Perle, who is a close friend of US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, Mr Levitte said Mr Perle's "French-bashing is not very useful". He said it had triggered a vicious cycle of anti-Americanism back in France and he hoped it could now stop.
Mr Levitte's remarks came the day after French President Jacques Chirac telephoned US President George Bush and told him he wanted to play "a pragmatic role" in the reconstruction issues in Iraq.
It was the first time the two leaders had spoken since the breakdown of negotiations at the UN Security Council over Iraq and the call was accepted only after repeated pleading by French diplomats, it has emerged.
The US-French relationship faces another challenge soon. The UN Security Council must decide on the role of the UN in the reconstruction of Iraq, specifically whether a US-led administration will get access to the oil-for-food program.
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Mr Levitte would not be drawn on whether France would push for a greater UN role in Iraq, but answering critical questions from the audience at Washington's University Club, he rejected claims that France was now anxious to get a share of lucrative postwar contracts in Iraq.
"We don't consider Iraq an El Dorado," said Mr Levitte. "We don't see any cake in Iraq but we see a huge burden."
He was also pessimistic about Iraq's transition to democracy, saying it was deeply divided between Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds and bringing stability and democracy to the country would be a "daunting and long-term ambition".
He explained the divisions between Europe and the US on Iraq as the result of both history and the September 11 attacks.
Mr Levitte was working in his post at the UN in New York on the day of the attack and saw the towers collapse. "Here you are at war," he said. In Europe, the battle with terrorism was more a low-intensity conflict that Europe had struggled with for several decades.
Two centuries of war and fragile borders made Europe more concerned about national sovereignty and opposed to pre-emptive military action.
TOPICS: Extended News; Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: antifrenchhumor; france
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To: ellery
I am so thankful that I visited France five years ago. I will NEVER go there again or knowingly buy anything French. WHY? because I was at Normandy and I know what Americans did for them. How CAN they ever forget?????
To: ellery
This is hilarious. These people have no shame, do they?
To: ellery
France's ambassador to the US, Jean David Levitte, took up his duties in Washington last December.
Before that, he was France's permanent representative to the United Nations, where he was posted for two years.
http://www.csmonitor.com/2003/0313/p25s02-usmb.html
To: ellery
The makers of French's Mustard have issues a statement that their mustard is not manufactured in France, and the only relation they may have is that both are yellow.
24
posted on
04/17/2003 10:11:38 AM PDT
by
chainsaw
To: ellery
Never tell someone that something they do annoys you, they will only do it more.... BWUHAHAHAHAHA
25
posted on
04/17/2003 10:12:04 AM PDT
by
smith288
(Visit my gallery http://www.ejsmithweb.com/fr/hollywood/hollywood.php)
To: ellery
In Europe, the battle with terrorism was more a low-intensity conflict that Europe had struggled with for several decades. And therein lies the difference. You put up with it and appease it. We isolate and destroy it.
You grovel before the terrorists and beg their forgiveness. We eliminate them.
26
posted on
04/17/2003 10:12:37 AM PDT
by
Skooz
(Tagline removed by moderator)
To: ellery
These people are not our allies. They wish us ill. Politicians in the US who offer them aid and comfort should be retired.
To: annyokie
LOL! Nice.
28
posted on
04/17/2003 10:13:30 AM PDT
by
Skooz
(Tagline removed by moderator)
To: ellery
"
The French ambassador to Washington, Jean-David Levitte, has pleaded for a stop to "French-bashing" by Americans now the war with Iraq is at an end."And we would really like the french to cease spiriting those Ba'ath officials out of Syria and providing them asylum to cover up their illegal involvements with Iraq over the years.
To: ellery
"They bash us continually for 50 years, then when we finally take notice and retaliate, they whine."
That's why they call it French Wine - and I'll have no part in it.
30
posted on
04/17/2003 10:14:21 AM PDT
by
geopyg
(Democracy, whiskey, sexy)
To: chainsaw
LOL!
31
posted on
04/17/2003 10:14:36 AM PDT
by
HassanBenSobar
(I now inform you that you are too far from reality!)
To: ellery
" Mr Levitte said Mr Perle's "French-bashing is not very useful".
Thats ok, we dont find the French very useful either!
To: ellery
French want abuse to stop And I want my own Abrams tank.
I wonder which of us is likely to be happy first?
When digging yourself into a hole, the easiest way out is to stop digging...
To: annyokie
Good map but they forgot Sans Courage which I believe is on the Left Bank.
34
posted on
04/17/2003 10:16:29 AM PDT
by
Sabatier
To: ellery
Don't blame Chiraq,don't blame Villipen,Forget what was said,done and threatened,forget..think Richard Pearle.
35
posted on
04/17/2003 10:16:49 AM PDT
by
MEG33
To: ellery
36
posted on
04/17/2003 10:16:51 AM PDT
by
Congressman Billybob
("Saddam has left the building. Heck, the building has left the building.")
To: ellery
Kiss off....Frogs!
37
posted on
04/17/2003 10:17:00 AM PDT
by
PISANO
Comment #38 Removed by Moderator
To: Corin Stormhands
That's not quite right. Should read: "The French aren't very useful."
Exactly! And after we have made up with the Germans, the Russians, the Mexicans, and even the Canadians, we will still ignore the French. Simply because they aren't that useful to us. The only thing they have is that pesky veto.
39
posted on
04/17/2003 10:17:47 AM PDT
by
NathanR
To: Sabatier
I believe it is an annex o the Latin Quarter in Paris.
40
posted on
04/17/2003 10:17:52 AM PDT
by
annyokie
(provacative yet educational reading alert)
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