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Your economic argument is correct if we were boycotting the entire EU and if the entire EU was boycotting us. We're talking only France and much more weakly Germany and Canada.

I don't agree with anyone in this post that says that a mutual boycott actually helps us economically (even though we import from France more than we export). The whole theory (proven over and over) of free trade is based on comparative advantage of different nations, which allows all the nations involved to be better off.

With that said, it is high time that We, the People kick some French a**. The boycott is already bearing fruit as French industry is already whispering sweet nothings in Chirac's ear. I'd say that in the short run, it would be tremendously useful if more people would join in the boycott on France. I keep reading in the French media how Chirac & co. think that the boycott will be only temporary. We need to hit France hard so they'll think twice before they perform actions designed to put our soldiers in danger (effectively what they did with the delay tactics at the UN). French people already hate us for God's sake (1/3 of them wanted Saddam to win!).

The advantage with this boycott is that it is not state sponsored (through tariffs, etc.). France therefore cannot officially retalliate except through their own people's actions. I'm just afraid that if we don't do anything, countries around the world will think there is never any economic price to protecting America's enemies.

I regret any harm that will befall our exporters during this period of time. We must defend our principles now or pay a much heavier price in the long run.

>>>French people already hate us for God's sake<<<

If opinion polls are to be believed, so do Germans, Canadians, and, despite the fact that their governments are pro-American, 90 percent majorities in Italy and Spain are openly anti-American. Even the pro-Western Turks have turned against America.

My fear is that, if Frenchmen were to declare economic retaliation against America and call on fellow Europeans to join them, there is a very high probability that Europe will follow suit. The American economy could end up much worse than under Bush '41 in 1992.

>>>We're talking only France and much more weakly Germany and Canada.<<<

If only those 3 nations were to boycott America economically, Bush could lose in 2004. Just check out statistics on the trade volume between America and those three nations.

And if those three were to boycott America, I am sure that many America-hating Europeans will follow suit, and doom out economy.

I posted this because I don't want GWB to face the same fate as his Daddy.