Article

2005-01-20 Europe

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Posted by tipper 2005-01-20 8:45:46 AM|| || Front Page|| [4 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 "And why are we allies?
Exactly. You have nothing to bring to the table Jacques, so off you go. Happy Dhimmitude to you.

Posted by JerseyMike 2005-01-20 8:58:47 AM|| 2005-01-20 8:58:47 AM|| Front Page Top

#2 This is more transparent double-speak; actions define French motives, not words.

Posted by Captain America 2005-01-20 9:02:14 AM|| 2005-01-20 9:02:14 AM|| Front Page Top

#3 "The U.S. canât be alone to face the challenge of terrorism, poverty, development, instability in the world -- we need to be together," Barnier said.

Maybe we can be alone, if we got all krazy nuclear on the problem. Or maybe not, if we play nice like we are doing now. Either way, we don't need France, especially the usual backtabbing version of France, and that's something that should be brutally and publicly pointed out.

Posted by Laurence of the Rats 2005-01-20 9:08:20 AM|| [http://www.punictreachery.com/] 2005-01-20 9:08:20 AM|| Front Page Top

#4 You have nothing to bring to the table Jacques, so off you go.

Thats true. Apart from money of course:

France exports $28 billion worth of goods and imports $19 billion worth of American products. The U.S. bilateral trade deficit has increased steadily since 1992, reaching a peak of $10.4 billion in 2001 before decreasing last year.

Between 1992-2002, France's annual rank as a supplier fluctuated between 8 th and 11 th place, its rank as a client between 7 th and 10 th place.

Aeronautics accounts for the largest portion of our bilateral trade. Contrary to a common misperception, agrifoods (essentially beverages) made up only 8 percent of French sales to the United States in 2002. Wine represents 3 percent of total sales.

But who needs their stinking French billions eh?

http://www.info-france-usa.org/franceus/trade.asp

Posted by Winged Avenger 2005-01-20 9:11:01 AM|| 2005-01-20 9:11:01 AM|| Front Page Top

#5 "Lucid," eh? How bout some lucidity, aka transparency, about your government's dealings with Saddam in signing the TotalFinaElf sweetheart deal that guaranteed exclusive access for France to ~30% of Iraq's oil reserves on excessively generous terms?

Between the US and proud nations committed to advancing democracy there can be alliances. With whoring opportunists there can be only temporary overlapping of interests.

Posted by lex 2005-01-20 9:13:29 AM|| 2005-01-20 9:13:29 AM|| Front Page Top

#6 France doesn't see that antipathy for France is not embodied in George Bush-it is growing among rank and file Americans.

This is the same formula they've been using since November:

Listen to us, we don't have to listen to you. Be respectful to us, we will be provocative to you. Unilateral action is wrong-America needs the world's help; then follow our "buts"-but no allegiance, but no transparency and legality, but no allied militarily policy. Then the everready pickpocketing hand in the sleeve of a socialist coming for America to put the world economy right. In return, France will donate its astounding diplomatic finesse "whether you like it or not". Les politiciens de la France: les rois d'ineptitude, ingratitude et pomposite.

Posted by Jules 187 2005-01-20 9:20:49 AM|| 2005-01-20 9:20:49 AM|| Front Page Top

#7 WA - Were money the only consideration, and your source a tad more neutral (almost anyone else would be preferable, heh), you would have a rock solid argument.

But there is much more to consider than money, regards France and how Americans should view our relationship. I, for one, already forgo buying anything that I know is a product of any company with French ownership. I have done this for some time now - since the French perfidy in the UN and their attempts to sabotage NATO vis-a-vis Turkey's request for Patriot missiles (pre-war and pre-Turkish perfidy in Gul-fool's deal with France for EU membership support). I can add much more to it since the Iraq War began.

Yes, they can keep their billions.

Posted by .com 2005-01-20 9:23:06 AM|| 2005-01-20 9:23:06 AM|| Front Page Top

#8 I'm fairly neutral on the subject of Franco-US realations but, as a moderate and a capitalist, it seems foolish to alienate a major trading partner. Both nations are broadly batting for the same (western, democratic, capitalist) side after all.

Posted by Winged Avenger 2005-01-20 9:45:17 AM|| 2005-01-20 9:45:17 AM|| Front Page Top

#9 Lol, well okay then. Not.

Posted by .com 2005-01-20 9:48:14 AM|| 2005-01-20 9:48:14 AM|| Front Page Top

#10 Both nations are broadly batting for the same (western, democratic, capitalist) side after all.

I suspect the French would be deeply insulted by your applying the word "capitalist" to them. "Western" and "democratic" would probably tick some of them off, too.

Posted by Robert Crawford 2005-01-20 10:16:30 AM|| [http://www.kloognome.com/] 2005-01-20 10:16:30 AM|| Front Page Top

#11 --French-bashing" --

has this idiot ever even heard of the internet?

Those who pay attion know how they "feel."

Posted by anonymous2u 2005-01-20 10:36:59 AM|| 2005-01-20 10:36:59 AM|| Front Page Top

#12 "it seems foolish to alienate a major trading partner"

Golly, I wonder why the French didn't think of that when we they were busy conspiring against us at every turn in the run-up to Iraq (and since)?

Posted by Crusader 2005-01-20 10:55:37 AM|| 2005-01-20 10:55:37 AM|| Front Page Top

#13 Both nations are broadly batting for the same (western, democratic, capitalist) side after all.

Well, the Phrench sure fooled me.

Posted by Bomb-a-rama 2005-01-20 11:04:41 AM|| 2005-01-20 11:04:41 AM|| Front Page Top

#14 Thats true. Apart from money of course:
Jeez, a billion here, a billion there, pretty soon you'll be talking about some serious money.

I for one would write them off out of spite. But I'm a bastard that way.
We are much more a major partner to them, than they to us. Perhaps they need to be reminded of their place.
Hows that for pissed Merkin arrogance?

Posted by JerseyMike 2005-01-20 11:17:41 AM|| 2005-01-20 11:17:41 AM|| Front Page Top

#15 "The U.S. canât be alone to face the challenge of terrorism, poverty, development, instability in the world -- we need to be together,"

I'll wager that French colonialism contributed to part of the terrorism, poverty, and instability in the world. Indochina, Algeria, Haiti, Syria, Lebannon, Cote d'Ivoire, Chad, Congo... Maybe THEY should start fixing their mess instead of just talking about it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_colonial_empire

Posted by Tom 2005-01-20 11:41:07 AM|| 2005-01-20 11:41:07 AM|| Front Page Top

#16 WA - When they finally get a government up and running for 100 years without slipping into tyranny, maybe I'll listen to them. But I doubt they'll be able to manage it.

France -- on it's Fifth Republic
America -- silly cowboys still on their first

Posted by Desert Blondie 2005-01-20 11:41:33 AM|| 2005-01-20 11:41:33 AM|| Front Page Top

#17 France exports $28 billion worth of goods and imports $19 billion worth of American products

There are always other suppliers -- if not currently in production, then can be up and running and approved within a year (Mr. Wife has been involved in this kind of work, so I know whereof I speak). The French need us twice as much as we need them by the figures given... to whom else would they sell that much product? For that matter, they've already seen how that works with their wine industry. When the Americans spontaneously boycotted French products, then American, Australian, Spanish, Italian, Chilean and other wines of good quality quickly filled the gap -- and the French market will never recover those customers. It can work with eg chemical suppliers in the same way.

Posted by trailing wife 2005-01-20 12:28:18 PM|| 2005-01-20 12:28:18 PM|| Front Page Top

#18 Itâs not fair to ridicule France.

It might not be fair... but it is easy.

Posted by tu3031 2005-01-20 12:59:55 PM|| 2005-01-20 12:59:55 PM|| Front Page Top

#19 Ok Rantburgers, raise your hands. How many of you closely examine labels of foodstuffs and other products to make sure they aren't of French origin, hence ineligible for purchase?

Posted by Classical_Liberal 2005-01-20 8:56:30 PM|| 2005-01-20 8:56:30 PM|| Front Page Top

#20 Me.

Posted by .com 2005-01-20 8:58:06 PM|| 2005-01-20 8:58:06 PM|| Front Page Top

#21 Same for China. And Germany. And Spain. I'd include Russia but I hate caviar and have no way to know where my gasoline came from.

Posted by .com 2005-01-20 9:00:39 PM|| 2005-01-20 9:00:39 PM|| Front Page Top

#22 me too - Michel needs to be forgiven, his task was to put lipstick on the pig that is Franco US-envy relations...

Posted by Frank G 2005-01-20 9:05:43 PM|| 2005-01-20 9:05:43 PM|| Front Page Top

#23 I do my best to boycott france as completely as I can.

Posted by docob 2005-01-20 9:19:10 PM|| 2005-01-20 9:19:10 PM|| Front Page Top

#24 btw - Costco's "Fat Bastard" wine is French - with English Labels .... my research carries me far and wide

Posted by Frank G 2005-01-20 9:20:36 PM|| 2005-01-20 9:20:36 PM|| Front Page Top

#25 I boycott France, and if I accidentally boycott Quebec that's okay too.

Posted by Tom 2005-01-20 9:26:16 PM|| 2005-01-20 9:26:16 PM|| Front Page Top

#26 Me 5.

Posted by Sobiesky 2005-01-20 9:27:10 PM|| 2005-01-20 9:27:10 PM|| Front Page Top

#27 Good to know Frank, I bought it once, but was told afterward it wasn't very good, despite the clever label. So now I have two reasons not to trade it for the money Mr. Wife works so hard to earn.

I do check labels to some extent -- eg I traded in my L'Oreal haircolour for Clairol. Which turns out to do a better job on my hair anyway. And I minimize my purchases of French wine, although Mr. Wife has a few faves he just won't give up. I've reduced purchases of the German things we fell in love with when we lived over there, too. And our next car will be a Subaru.

Posted by trailing wife 2005-01-20 9:54:55 PM|| 2005-01-20 9:54:55 PM|| Front Page Top

#28 my only French wine fav was "Mouton Cadet" bordeaux - which translates as "young sheep" - made me uncomfortable as it was...

Posted by Frank G 2005-01-20 10:03:10 PM|| 2005-01-20 10:03:10 PM|| Front Page Top

#29 The thing that always gets me is how the French president or foreign minister, or govt official always lectures the US about our relationship, even though we never ask for a lecture.

Many Kiwis have little love for the French after the French Secret Service commandos sunk the Rainbow Warrior in Auckland Harbor on July 10, 1985, resulting in one person drowning. The Frenchies made an $8.6 million restitution a while after the whole bruhaha died down. The Kiwis were pissed about the French attitudes of above ground or ocean located nuclear tests in French Polynesia. I believe the French dump their nuclear waste in some kind of containers there still. They certainly don't dump it in Frawnce.

Posted by Alaska Paul 2005-01-20 10:35:47 PM|| 2005-01-20 10:35:47 PM|| Front Page Top

#30 I skip the French colognes and designer stuff, and yeah, I look at the labels when I get some new foods. Very rarely is there no other alternative....

Posted by Desert Blondie 2005-01-20 11:41:20 PM|| 2005-01-20 11:41:20 PM|| Front Page Top

10:03 Javiling Hupereper9596
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