'Chirac Was Wrong' on Iraq, Frantic French Fret

NewsMax.com ^ | 4/23/03 | Carl Limbacher and NewsMax.com Staff

[kattracks]

It's almost enough to make you feel sorry for the Frogs. After raging against America's Iraq policy for months, French citizens are suddenly saying that President Bush was right and their own Jacques Chirac was wrong, the Christian Science Monitor reported today.

"Since they saw the rapid fall of Saddam's empire, the French are asking themselves if they hadn't perhaps been wrong in making themselves irrelevant to the course of history," admitted Dominique Moisi of French Institute of International Relations.

Three weeks ago, 84 percent of the French opposed Operation Iraqi Freedom. Only 55 percent felt that way last week, Le Journal du Dimanche reported.

What made them change their minds almost as fast as a Frenchman surrenders to a German? TV footage of Iraqi citizens cheering as U.S. troops toppled that statue of their longtime oppressor.

"Chirac was wrong to say no to the war," Paris bartender Georges Chabat told the Monitor. "The Iraqi people wanted to get rid of Saddam Hussein."

Chirac has been presented as Saddam's best friend, noted Alain Madelin, a Conservative politician who opposed France's war policy. "The Iraqis feel today they had been liberated without, and even against, the will of France," he said.

Even French appeasement activists, unlike the Tinseltown dilettantes, are having second thoughts.

"I still think it was right of Chirac to say no to the war," Paris secretary Natalie Lavarra said. "But when I saw how happy the Iraqis were ... I had to ask myself whether we didn't perhaps make a mistake."

Of course, the international boycotts of French products also have the Frogs running even more scared than usual.

The Monitor observed that Chirac's "role has changed from that of an international hero walking the moral high ground to what appears to be a sulking lone voice, fighting not to be excluded from sharing in the spoils of the war."

Read more on this subject in related Hot Topics:

Saddam Hussein/Iraq

[Tennessee_Bob]

are asking themselves if they hadn't perhaps been wrong in making themselves irrelevant to the course of history,"

When? They've been irrelevant for as long as I can remember.

[McGavin999]

Well DUH! They're going to think it was even a worse idea after the next couple of years. The french people have become so low in the eyes of the American people that it will take decades to change the view.

[John Lenin]

[konaice]

I don't care how much crow they eat, they still must suffer economically and in the court of world opinion for a long time in my opinion.

If not they will think nothing of condemming the people of another country to slavery and brutality just to puff up their prestige. The French must pay dearly for their mistake.

Since WWII, the French have made themselves a professional pain in the ass, and are habitually a terrorist enabler nation.

[onyx]

Right you are! Many of us view France as an enemy.

[AMNZ]

Could it be that the French are quicker studies than Canadians? I never thought so before. But the French are clearly catching on while Canada tells us that they wouldn't turn Saddam over if he was up there. Go Figure?!

[ImpotentRage]

I SO hope you are right. With the attention span of the average American, however, I fear it may be doubtful.

[Eala]

But the French are clearly catching on while Canada tells us that they wouldn't turn Saddam over if he was up there.

There's a bit of difference between the people and their government officials (even if elected). There are too many good Canadians up there -- including a number of the military unhappy they had to sit this one out -- which is why #5 on my line isn't Canada.

[Mister Baredog]

ROTFLMAO! Justice, sweet justice!

[Mister Baredog]

But the French are clearly catching on

I wouldn't call "suspending" sanctions CLEAR.

[Catspaw]

It's almost enough to make you feel sorry for the Frogs.

Almost....but I don't feel sorry for the Frogs one iota. Not even a smidgeon.

[AMNZ]

Chiraq is a slow learning but coming along. I think the rest of France (non-muslim at least) are clearly catching on and are suffering for his misjudgement. They will soon rid themselves of him.

[GovernmentShrinker]

"Chirac was wrong to say no to the war," Paris bartender Georges Chabat told the Monitor. "The Iraqi people wanted to get rid of Saddam Hussein."

Note that the bartender has no interest in whether or not any WMDs are found. IMO, we made a big mistake in touting that as the justification for the war.

[SkyPilot]

I took my family to Disneyland Paris recently (I know, double strike: giving money to Disney and the French!)

But kids enjoy what they enjoy. I can drag them to the Alps, Salzburg, and Prague---and all they ever ask is "Can we go to Disney?"

Anyway--I noticed a BIG difference in the French attitude recently. It really was amazing.

[Citizen of the Savage Nation]

One can say that the french are so low on the totem pole of popularity/influence/respect that the rats are gnawing on them. Any lower and they'll have to worry about the worms.

[Citizen of the Savage Nation]

Anyway--I noticed a BIG difference in the French attitude recently. It really was amazing.

How so? I was planning to go next month...was...

[Mister Baredog]

Chiraq is a slow learning but coming along.

Chirac is trying to creat an OPPOSING force to counterbalance American power in the world. He is not coming along, and he is far from an ally. He is upholding generations of FRENCH betrayal. Someone recently said they have never forgiven us for freeing them in WWII. Think about it: they are PRO Germany, and ANTI US, go figure.

[JustAnAmerican]

"What made them change their minds almost as fast as a Frenchman surrenders to a German? TV footage of Iraqi citizens cheering as U.S. troops toppled that statue of their longtime oppressor.

What made them "pretend" to change their minds was the boycott by Americans. France's economy will be in tatters very shortly, and to be honest I don't give a rats tail.