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France now a major trading partner of Iraq (Let's give France back to Germany!)
Toronto Sun ^ | February 25, 2003 | Michael Campbell

Posted on 02/26/2003 3:34:54 PM PST by tm22721

Michael Campbell Vancouver Sun

Tuesday, February 25, 2003 ADVERTISEMENT

I find it curious that the distaste for violence, torture and war on display during last week's peace marches doesn't seem sufficient to encourage a single march demanding that Saddam Hussein stop his grotesque human rights violations and comply with the UN resolutions in order to prevent war.

For many, bashing America is much more fun -- at least for some of the organizing groups of last week's peace marches, like International Answer, Raise the Fist and the Anti-Imperialist League, who, it is fair to say, are not big fans of capitalism.

The CBC is currently running a series of ads broadcasting their investigation into the motives of the United States in the Iraqi tensions. High on the list of motivating factors are American business interests. Those demanding a more balanced discussion might want to note that a similar line of questioning regarding the motivations of the other big players is not in the offing.

I won't hold my breath to see a review of French President Jacques Chirac's extensive business ties with Saddam, stretching back 26 years to his sale of two nuclear reactors to Iraq with enough weapons-grade uranium to build three or four nuclear bombs.

Chirac also spearheaded a $1.5-billion weapons deal with Saddam which included 60 Mirage F1 fighter planes, surface-to-air missiles and advanced electronics. The man who hugged the murderer Robert Mugabe this past week has regularly referred to Hussein as his "close personal friend."

More recently in July, France signed a $5.3-billion deal with Iraq for non-oil related goods and services. Last year, Chirac's France made more money out of the UN's oil for food program than any other nation, and has consistently lobbied for reduced sanctions.

When the U.S. and Britain demanded tough controls to ensure the increased oil revenues would not be used to buy arms, the French objected, saying such controls would undermine Iraqi sovereignty. Since 1996, France has sold directly or indirectly $14 billion worth of French goods to Iraq.

I won't hold my breath for a march denouncing France's huge role in selling weapons to Iraq and financing Saddam's brutal regime's efforts to stay in power, but France isn't the only nation with business interests in Iraq. Russia is owed $20 billion by Saddam's regime. Do you think a new government would want to honour those obligations? Maybe the Russians don't want to take a chance and find out.

Just over two weeks ago Russia signed a $200-million US contract with Iraq in the areas of transportation and communications. Several months ago it signed a $1.52-billion deal.

No nation has done more business since 1996 with Iraq in the oil-for-food program.

According to the UN, Russia's scope of the business with Iraq surpassed $4.5-billion US in the past six years. The United Nations also goes on to point out that it has approved, under the oil-for-food program, 798 contracts between France and Iraq, 862 contracts for Russia and 227 contracts with China.

It's open to debate whether these business interests have influenced Russian, French and Chinese opposition to American-led military intervention, or whether oil interests are influencing America's actions.

Unfortunately, only latter debate is on the agenda, which underscores the growing evidence that a broader anti-capitalist, anti-American sentiment is fuelling much of the anti-war protests.


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: france; germany; iraq
I say it's time for a reverse D-Day. Let's give France back to the Prussians.
1 posted on 02/26/2003 3:34:54 PM PST by tm22721
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To: tm22721
It would serve them both right.
2 posted on 02/26/2003 3:38:09 PM PST by Mr. Jeeves
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To: tm22721
Let's give France back to Germany !!

The Vichy in charge have already done it.

3 posted on 02/26/2003 3:48:35 PM PST by F-117A
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To: tm22721
Let's give France back to Germany

Now hold on here. I greatly dislike Germany for what it's been doing but I don't hate them that much. It's like giving an old person BO, VD and bad breath in fell swoop.
4 posted on 02/26/2003 3:51:11 PM PST by pt17
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To: tm22721
This is hysterical..

LOL!

I can hear it now: "We took what didn't belong to us and we're sorry. You can have France back now. "

(Wonder if they should do a pre-surrender drill to prepare for this eventuality?)

5 posted on 02/26/2003 3:54:53 PM PST by Jhoffa_ (Jhoffa_X)
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To: tm22721
Why give it back? Just let the Germans demand France and the cheese-eating surrender monkeys will immediately cave, waving their national surrender flag.
6 posted on 02/26/2003 3:56:43 PM PST by PatrioticAmerican (Arm Up! They Have!)
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To: tm22721
Why don't we give some of France to Russia?
7 posted on 02/26/2003 5:14:17 PM PST by 7 x 77
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To: tm22721
Give France to the English and Germany to Poland.
8 posted on 02/26/2003 5:15:54 PM PST by LibKill (Eat a live toad before breakfast and nothing worse can happen to you all day.)
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To: tm22721
Let's get our silent soldiers out, first. France does not deserve their presence, nor should fallen commrades be subjected to this.

LVM

9 posted on 02/26/2003 5:45:32 PM PST by LasVegasMac
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To: tm22721
Makes sense to me. The Frogs consider Judea and Samaria to be "occupied Palestine." Maybe it's about time we started thinking of Alsace-Lorraine as "occupied Germany."
10 posted on 02/26/2003 6:31:33 PM PST by white trash redneck
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To: tm22721

11 posted on 02/27/2003 3:49:25 PM PST by wontbackdown
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To: tm22721
Send a letter to President Chirac:

President Chirac

Palais de l'Elysee

55, rue du Fg. St-Honore'

75008 -PAIRS

12 posted on 03/01/2003 9:16:46 AM PST by illumini
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To: illumini
oops, ...."PARIS"
13 posted on 03/01/2003 9:17:16 AM PST by illumini
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To: tm22721
New Scud !!!


14 posted on 04/02/2003 8:41:34 AM PST by webster
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