FRENCH QUAGMIRE
Hmmmmm. France sure felt we were in a quagmire in Iraq, but let's spell out why France is now a second rate power. Gotta wonder how France, big bad France, is now in the crapper.
Recent events show France is in biiiiig trouble.
First, they are in their own quagmire, oops, they say legitimate military action. French troops are embroiled in a war on The Ivory Coast, once a colony of theirs. Where was Kofi Anann to question France going into this non-threatening land? Nowhere. French troops are getting their arses kicked and they had fired on protestors.
The Ivory Coast, is now an addition to a series of failed quagmires. There was Algeria- 1954 to 1962, the French were driven out by an angry Muslim population. Algeria had been a colony since the 1800s and was occupied by French Troops since that time. Vietnam- 1946-1954, France lost to the Viet Minh, trained and led by Communist leader Ho Chi Minh. The French Army of over 20,000 to 30,000 was encircled and defeated at Dien Bien Phu. Why? Well, the generals could not airlift weapons or supplies in properly, like Stalingrad. BUT, the French public did not support the war at all. Where is the outcry in The Ivory Coast conflict, you pacifists you?
2. Jacques Chirac- This guy has to be a curse. He was the mayor of Paris and a cloud of corruption charges hover over his head still. However, Chirac had helped broker a nuclear reactor deal with Saddam Hussein in the late 1970s. That reactor was later destroyed when Israel launched an airstrike, hitting the nuclear weapons plant. France condemned that also. Chirac, may be garnering support among European countries, but that support is waning. Chirac has succeeded in alienating most of America and parts of the Middle East. Thank you for supporting our old tyrant, jerk-o, said one Iraqi who was freed in 2003. Chirac is also seen as very arrogant. Bush won't admit faults? Really, has Chirac ever admitted any other faults? Has he said there is another way, besides his own. Mon Due....
3. Food for Oil Scandal- Chirac and his cabinet were all over this. Arms deals aside. France has no oil to call their own and needs it, like most of Europe. France was seen as deeply involved in sending food to Iraq, which the Iraqi regime would sell off for arms. France would get get oil and other perks. On one or two conditions, one being constant vetos against military action against Saddam Hussein. The other, send weapons and none of your people would face harm if they visit Iraq. Nice guys. Where did the Food for Oil Scandal coverage go to?
4. Secular Attitudes- France has been a secular nation since the French Revolution, but made it official about the turn of the century, 1905 or so. France built a wall separating church and state. This isn't just prevention of a state church or endorsements. Churches and temples and synagogues cannot interfere or voice on government matters. If so, they get fined... like here. Chirac passed a ban on all religious garb in French public schools. The rationale- if there is no religious symbols in the schools, then there is no conflict. Some say this is directed at the large Muslim population, singling them out. But many Jews and ardent Christians feel they are being lumped in, so to appease the growing Muslim population and keep the atheists happy. About 4-5% of French go to Mass or Church, 30-40% to Mosque, and all the rest, neither. Libertie, Fraternitie, Agnostice! Freedom, Brotherhood, and Agnosticism should be the new motto for France.
5. Muslim radicalism growing- along with a large population of French/African Muslims, there comes the radical Wahabists and Shiites. Most Muslims left N Africa and the Middle East for opportunity and to escape terrorism. Unfortunately, some carriers are bringing the radical beliefs also. Recent race riots and the scarf/skull cap bans are setting a time bomb in motion for France, that the British and Germans are trying to prevent in their nations. French prejudice and anti-Semitism are now at its highest since WWII. Between Chirac banning Mel Gibson's THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST FILM, all religious garb, and insulting other religious leaders, France may face no fear of excommunication, but God may be working his justice and wrath on the French. God help them, even if they don't acknowledge God.
These are just a few reasons France is facing hard times and why worse may be in store. If France is a litmus test for Europe, the rest of the continent is doomed. That is unless they change their leaders and get over disagreements over Iraq and Terrorists. Come France, shake your funk off and live up to Alexander Dumas Three Musketeers- All for One and One for All. The rest of the world will back you in times of crisis- WWI, WWII, The Cold War. Now, we need you to join up or at least say so. If not, your spiral will get worse.
PS Painting swastikas on the graves of the dead US Troops at Omaha Beach is not a good way to get us to help you. "Remove your trash," was one slogan. We removed our trash and sent it back to Europe. Take that Pierre.
Recent events show France is in biiiiig trouble.
First, they are in their own quagmire, oops, they say legitimate military action. French troops are embroiled in a war on The Ivory Coast, once a colony of theirs. Where was Kofi Anann to question France going into this non-threatening land? Nowhere. French troops are getting their arses kicked and they had fired on protestors.
The Ivory Coast, is now an addition to a series of failed quagmires. There was Algeria- 1954 to 1962, the French were driven out by an angry Muslim population. Algeria had been a colony since the 1800s and was occupied by French Troops since that time. Vietnam- 1946-1954, France lost to the Viet Minh, trained and led by Communist leader Ho Chi Minh. The French Army of over 20,000 to 30,000 was encircled and defeated at Dien Bien Phu. Why? Well, the generals could not airlift weapons or supplies in properly, like Stalingrad. BUT, the French public did not support the war at all. Where is the outcry in The Ivory Coast conflict, you pacifists you?
2. Jacques Chirac- This guy has to be a curse. He was the mayor of Paris and a cloud of corruption charges hover over his head still. However, Chirac had helped broker a nuclear reactor deal with Saddam Hussein in the late 1970s. That reactor was later destroyed when Israel launched an airstrike, hitting the nuclear weapons plant. France condemned that also. Chirac, may be garnering support among European countries, but that support is waning. Chirac has succeeded in alienating most of America and parts of the Middle East. Thank you for supporting our old tyrant, jerk-o, said one Iraqi who was freed in 2003. Chirac is also seen as very arrogant. Bush won't admit faults? Really, has Chirac ever admitted any other faults? Has he said there is another way, besides his own. Mon Due....
3. Food for Oil Scandal- Chirac and his cabinet were all over this. Arms deals aside. France has no oil to call their own and needs it, like most of Europe. France was seen as deeply involved in sending food to Iraq, which the Iraqi regime would sell off for arms. France would get get oil and other perks. On one or two conditions, one being constant vetos against military action against Saddam Hussein. The other, send weapons and none of your people would face harm if they visit Iraq. Nice guys. Where did the Food for Oil Scandal coverage go to?
4. Secular Attitudes- France has been a secular nation since the French Revolution, but made it official about the turn of the century, 1905 or so. France built a wall separating church and state. This isn't just prevention of a state church or endorsements. Churches and temples and synagogues cannot interfere or voice on government matters. If so, they get fined... like here. Chirac passed a ban on all religious garb in French public schools. The rationale- if there is no religious symbols in the schools, then there is no conflict. Some say this is directed at the large Muslim population, singling them out. But many Jews and ardent Christians feel they are being lumped in, so to appease the growing Muslim population and keep the atheists happy. About 4-5% of French go to Mass or Church, 30-40% to Mosque, and all the rest, neither. Libertie, Fraternitie, Agnostice! Freedom, Brotherhood, and Agnosticism should be the new motto for France.
5. Muslim radicalism growing- along with a large population of French/African Muslims, there comes the radical Wahabists and Shiites. Most Muslims left N Africa and the Middle East for opportunity and to escape terrorism. Unfortunately, some carriers are bringing the radical beliefs also. Recent race riots and the scarf/skull cap bans are setting a time bomb in motion for France, that the British and Germans are trying to prevent in their nations. French prejudice and anti-Semitism are now at its highest since WWII. Between Chirac banning Mel Gibson's THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST FILM, all religious garb, and insulting other religious leaders, France may face no fear of excommunication, but God may be working his justice and wrath on the French. God help them, even if they don't acknowledge God.
These are just a few reasons France is facing hard times and why worse may be in store. If France is a litmus test for Europe, the rest of the continent is doomed. That is unless they change their leaders and get over disagreements over Iraq and Terrorists. Come France, shake your funk off and live up to Alexander Dumas Three Musketeers- All for One and One for All. The rest of the world will back you in times of crisis- WWI, WWII, The Cold War. Now, we need you to join up or at least say so. If not, your spiral will get worse.
PS Painting swastikas on the graves of the dead US Troops at Omaha Beach is not a good way to get us to help you. "Remove your trash," was one slogan. We removed our trash and sent it back to Europe. Take that Pierre.
posted by NDwalters @ 8:54 AM
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