the dissident frogman

17 years and 2 weeks ago

Don't mention the unmentionable

the dissident frogman

Necrothreading much?

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France 2007: same business, different monkey Among the many benefits of Anglo-Saxon "warmongering" in general — and of American "hegemonic military power" in particular — that the French most conveniently and frequently forget, is the fact that for a solid half-century now (in sharp contrast with the one before that), French officials of all branches of the government (particularly the Foreign Affairs one) were able to meet with "ze Germans" without necessarily having to forfeit half of the Motherland to our Teutonic neighbor's Fatherland.

Last in line to benefit from this situation, paid in blood, sweat and cash by the "Anglo-Americans" they so much despise, is our neat and new Foreign Affairs minister, Bernard Kouchner, fearlessly interviewed here by the thereafter neutered pacified sausage side.

Notice first a rather stunning display of naïveté on Hans Bitterman's part:
SPIEGEL: "(…) yet officials in Berlin complain that their friends in Paris are claiming every diplomatic success as their own."
Silly Boche: what else is new? Every success is French, every failure is the European Union's(1). Where the hell have you been for the last 60 years?
SPIEGEL: "Sarkozy baffles the Germans with statements like: "If France doesn't assume the leadership role, who will?"
Well, what can you expect? You lost the war Hans.

Admittedly, France didn't win it either, but it's no reason to get cocky — or do-you-want-we-shall-call the Yanks again for a new Schmeisser-spanking session?

But enough Blockheads-Bashing, let's get down to the nitty-gritty. On Iranian nukejobs and the Sound of Sanctions:
SPIEGEL: "If this doesn't work there could be war. You said it yourself."
Indeed he did, but just you wait, you impetuous Kartoffel:
Kouchner: Wait a minute.(2) What I said was: "War would be the worst possible thing." And that's what I am determined to prevent, through unremitting negotiation.(3)

SPIEGEL: It's nice that you set it straight.
Oh so nice. The Kraut's relief is palpable here, and for a reason: this sounds much like the song one could hear from Paris in the days before the Great Leap Towards Sarkozy. Remember when Jacques Chirac and his powdered monkey, the vile de Villepin, were leading the Saddam Task Force Europe, and then Foreign Affairs villain would serenade his domestic audience like so:
War is always the worst solution. (...) We're ruling out no option, but obviously want to take as far as possible any peaceful course of action which works before - should we reach an impasse - considering other options.
That was de Villepin on Iraq 2003, this is Kouchner on Iran 2007. Somebody with much time to lose please try to spot a difference in either the style or the substance; because I am feeling a bit dizzy.

Must be all that déjà vu.
  1. A typical example, as repeatedly seen in the French press, is the unpredictable Ariane launcher. When it flies, it's the French fusée. When it fails, it's the European launcher, AKA that bloody piece of junk from the European space agency…
  2. You impetuous Kartoffel.
  3. Emphasis mine.

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the dissident frogman

I own, built and run this place. In a previous life I was not French but sadly, I died.

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Comments thread (16)

2861 - Jose Angel

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  • Jose Angel Monterrey, Mexico

I always wonder why these French leaders don't understand that France wins nothing by sitting on the fence while the Americans and the British get the job done around the world. France loses the opportunity to contribute to change the world for better. Because slowly, but surely, Iraq is becoming a parlamentary democracy. They have had several elections already and their citizens are getting used to vote. There's turmoil in the country, but mostly from terrorists attacks, terrorists that have, for the most part, lost support from the population and are relying more and more on foreign palestinian, jordanian, syrian and iranian recruits, among other people from around the world. But the Americans are learning their ways too, and are getting savvy about dealing with their kind of warfare, in the process, the Americans also gain some powerful expertise that no other army in the world, except for the israelii, have got today. But what will the French have to say when, 5 or 10 years from now, Iraq becomes a fully democratic, peaceful and stable democracy? This is not wishful thinking, the most powerful factions in power in Iraq are not the terrorists, but the parties that dominate their assembly, and they are learning to build political alliances among them, the Shiites with the Kurds and some Sunnis as well. They all represent the great mayority of iraquiis, and they all want and will have a stable and democratic Iraq. What will they tell to the new free and forward-looking iraquies about their opposition to overthrow Saddam Hussein? Had the French government had their way, Saddam will surely still be in power, ever getting stronger with the ever growing income of billions of dollars coming from the rise in oil prices around the world, buying more sophisticated weapons and building defense alliances with more dictatorial regimes, the likes of China, Korea, Russia, just like Iran is doing now.

2862 - the dissident frogman

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  • the dissident frogman France

Jose,

My thoughts exactly, well said!

I believe this is your first comment here, and I sure hope it won't be the last.

Time to take sides

2866 - sweetdaisies

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Frogman,

What's up with the Army gear? Your freak'in me out man.

Are you an intellectual or just another rebel?

Sweetdaisies

2867 - Papa Ray

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  • Papa Ray West Texas

Thanks for pointing out that interesting exchange. Let me point out that I have not a clue as how the EU works. But, somebody needs to lead, right? Or is it only ones appointed to certain positions in the EU that can lead? Then if you do have a leader, what kind of power does he have? Can he order Germany to supply a few thousand men, helicopters, jets, etc. and then ask the Dutch or who ever to do the same?

I guess I just want to know what use the EU would be. What is it's relationship to NATO? For example. Can NATO make them do anything (forget the question, the won't send NATO what they asked for the Afghan battle.)

Or is the EU just for trade, tourism and such. Such as screwing America at every chance it gets?

Along the line you brought up. I had a good friend of my Dad tell me that if he had known how Europe would turn out, he might have not tried so hard to join the Army to fight Hitler.

He did say he would have joined the Marines to fight the Japs instead.

Papa Ray

2868 - Papa Ray

Comment author avatar
  • Papa Ray West Texas

I don't understand what exactly a "leader" in the EU could do without any real powers? I thought the EU was only formed to screw the rest of the world (particually the U.S.) Hell, NATO can't even get it's members to support the war in Iraq or the Afghan.

Oh well, I think I answered my own question.

Papa Ray

2869 - Jose Angel

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  • Jose Angel Monterrey, Mexico

Papa Ray: I think we must give credit to France also. They are probably one of the most influential nations in the world, politically and ideologically speaking. Socialist parties (and also intellectuals, writers, artists, actors and the like) from around the world, especially Latin American, but also all over Europe and Africa, they all look up to France's modern social democrat model and their tendencies in public policies and good government. And they are a proud and thinking people, a country accustomed to debating and discussing, and much like America, feel that they have an important role to play in Europe and the world (I sometimes believe that American actually inherited their love for debating and discussing from some scattered and not so many French ancestors, please correct me if I am wrong on this). And so I believe that for these and other reasons it is that only France has the leadership in Continental Europe to promote, support or even wage a war, and only France can guarantee that other nations like Spain and Germany along with all or most of Europe will join a coalition or support a war with troops, equipment and euros, lots of them. Germany, the most economically influential nation in continental Europe cannot promote, support or wage any wars by itself because of it traumatic military past, something they have not come to terms with, apparently. Holland, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Poland, Greece, they can all promote, support and help the Americans, but lack the political leadership the France has.

2870 - Grimmy

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  • Grimmy Where I'm at.

Heh.

Modern intellekshuls. The folk that show up at a gun fight with nothing in their arsenal but an essay they plagiarized for their philosophy 101 final exam.

Where does the light go, when the light goes out?

2871 - Proof

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  • Proof Stockton, Callifornia, USA

"War is always the worst solution."
That depends on what precipitates it!

2872 - Mike H.

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  • Mike H. Spokane, Wa

How does that go? Either lead, follow, or get the hell out of the way. And if you can't do any of the foregoing then cheer from the sidelines.

2873 - Banjo

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I knew I was right in urging people to restrain their enthusiasm for the "new" French. Eerie how much they seem like the "old" French after just a couple of months.