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France calls for American 'reason'
Telegraph (UK) ^ | 09/14/2001 | Harry de Quetteville and Toby Helm

Posted on 09/13/2001 6:19:54 PM PDT by dighton

POLITICAL leaders in France and Germany urged President Bush yesterday to avoid a belligerent response, as fears grew in Europe of the consequences of swift and ruthless military reaction to the terrorist attacks.

Lionel Jospin, the French Prime Minister, said the Americans should be "reasonable" in their response. Alain Richard, his defence minister, said the attacks were "not acts of war".

The comments, echoed by senior German ministers if not by the Chancellor, Gerhard Schroder, contradicted statements by President Bush and his Secretary of State Colin Powell.

M Jospin said: "We must vigorously condemn and combat terrorism. But we must not allow ourselves to be led into considerations of a conflict between the western world and the Islamic world, where we have many friends and partners."

The remarks from the Socialist prime minister were aimed at reassuring both the France's political Left and its Muslim population, which numbers six million. But they will be seen as further evidence of disagreements between France and America on big foreign policy issues.

The comments by M Richard will also undermine American confidence in France's commitment to joint reprisals as outlined by Nato members on Wednesday. He said: "I think that this was a terrorist attack of particular gravity.

"American democracy is clearly endangered by such action, but in my opinion a war is something else entirely." France disagrees with US policy on missile defence, the bombing of Iraq and what it sees as American cultural imperialism.

Rudolf Scharping, the German defence minister, also cautioned against launching swift military strikes. "I hope we all remain calm and do not now speak of a state of alarm. We do not face a war.

"We face the question of what is an appropriate response," he told German television. "Not in the sense of revenge and retribution, but in order to be able to fight and break international terror."

France's maverick health minister, Bernard Kouchner, went as far yesterday as to put the attacks down to a "series of errors" by America. "America's made a real mistake in Afghanistan and Pakistan, which was to train the Taliban," M Kouchner said.

"To think now that there is some kind of consensus of 'honourable' nations against the 'bad' terrorists, is simply not true."

© Copyright of Telegraph Group Limited 2001.</font color>


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
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True to form.
1 posted on 09/13/2001 6:19:54 PM PDT by dighton
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To: dighton
Anybody surprised? The frogs do buisiness all over the Arab and Muslim world. Forget not, part of Saddam's air force is FRENCH fighters, or was until '91.
2 posted on 09/13/2001 6:24:36 PM PDT by Long Cut
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To: dighton
Would this be the same French whose "escargots" we had to pull from the fire after the avoided a belligerent response to the Germans?
3 posted on 09/13/2001 6:24:38 PM PDT by Boatlawyer
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To: dighton
France's maverick health minister, Bernard Kouchner, went as far yesterday as to put the attacks down to a "series of errors" by America. "America's made a real mistake in Afghanistan and Pakistan, which was to train the Taliban," M Kouchner said.

Why do we even ask the French?

These are the most contemptible people in Europe.

4 posted on 09/13/2001 6:25:00 PM PDT by sinkspur
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To: dighton
F**k France.
5 posted on 09/13/2001 6:25:38 PM PDT by Mulder
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To: dighton
Oh please...
6 posted on 09/13/2001 6:25:50 PM PDT by Labyrinthos
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To: dighton
Maybe France would be happier if we would have been more "reasonable" in our response in 1917 and 1941. It was OK then because we were bailing out their sorry asses.
7 posted on 09/13/2001 6:25:52 PM PDT by Russ
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To: dighton
The Europeans know the effects of war. They are getting ready to protect their butts if we start a MidEast or anti Muslim war. They want no part of that. Our ally will be Israel but she won't last long after the chaos starts.

The world Economies will collapse and most of you will be out of a job in cities where cannbalism will provide the only food supply.

8 posted on 09/13/2001 6:25:52 PM PDT by A+Bert (Outta here)
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To: dighton
M Jospin said: "We must vigorously condemn and combat terrorism. But we must not allow ourselves to be led into considerations of a conflict between the western world and the Islamic world, where we have many friends and partners."

How to make me feel ill . Have socialists try to tell America what we should and shouldn't do .

Cheese.

America #1 .

9 posted on 09/13/2001 6:26:01 PM PDT by AmericanCheeseFood
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To: dighton
Maybe France would be happier if we would have been more "reasonable" in our response in 1917 and 1941. It was OK then because we were bailing out their sorry asses.
10 posted on 09/13/2001 6:26:15 PM PDT by Russ
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To: dighton
Say one thing for the French, they are predictable.
11 posted on 09/13/2001 6:26:21 PM PDT by NotSoFreeStater
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To: dighton
Screw them............We saved their asses in WWII and they repay us by not allowing access to their airspace on the Attack on libya costing the lives of two of our pilots...a few years ago a plot was foiled to crash a plane into the Eiffle Tower...I hope a Vacant Eiffle tower gets hit just to send the wussies a lesson
12 posted on 09/13/2001 6:26:28 PM PDT by newsperson999
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To: dighton
Leave it to cowardly France to whine like this. They've been revulting ever since the revolution. Barf alert should have been listed on this one.
13 posted on 09/13/2001 6:26:30 PM PDT by nmh
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To: All
I've said it many times, and I'll say it again...F@#k the French.
14 posted on 09/13/2001 6:26:42 PM PDT by ModernDayCato
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To: dighton
If this had been the Eiffel tower, those smelly buggers would be bawlin in their Brie begging us to do something.
15 posted on 09/13/2001 6:27:27 PM PDT by djf
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To: dighton
If these fools played football, they would most likely kick on first down.
16 posted on 09/13/2001 6:28:20 PM PDT by TightSqueeze
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To: ModernDayCato
They already are. No need to be explicit. It's obvious.
17 posted on 09/13/2001 6:28:25 PM PDT by nmh
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To: dighton
Alain Richard, his defence minister, said the attacks were "not acts of war".

The surrender monkies are advising us on how to conduct a war ?

And what exactly does "Jihad" mean if not 'holy war?


BUMP

18 posted on 09/13/2001 6:28:31 PM PDT by tm22721
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To: A+Bert
Well, when that happens you can rest assured that you'll be the first person I cook and eat for dinner.

Yum!
19 posted on 09/13/2001 6:29:07 PM PDT by Green Knight
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To: dighton
hey, its the socialist Jospin.I bet though, if pollsters go to Nice,Marseille, Lyon, they will find an inordinate amount of support for The US.In fact, a shocking amount of support for the US.The frogs are a lot more right wing outside Paris than we realize, plus they aren't too well disposed themselves towards certain parts of the Muslim world.
20 posted on 09/13/2001 6:29:25 PM PDT by habs4ever
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