The French Can Stick it Up Their ...

Off Topic Politics and World Issues
1

Or at least whatever percentage of the population that agrees with Le Monde know where they can stick it.

http://www.belgraviadispatch.com/archives/004260.html

Caption reads (translation): “Let me handle it. I know the country well.”

The execrable cartoonist of Le Monde, Plantu, hitting yet another low. Over 155,000 people have died in this massive tsunami disaster. The U.S. is spearheading critical aid efforts in the region. Little matter, of course. Better to make snide commentary along the lines that, hey they destroyed Iraq–and so are well suited to handling such calamities. Sick thought process, no?

Note the cartoon is linked to this story entitled “How the U.N. is Coordinating Aid to a Devastated Asia.” ( Le Monde.fr - Actualités et Infos en France et dans le monde ) [Note: Linked article in French] What’s it about? Basically, French resentment that the U.S. is making a bid at being the leader of a “humanitarian coalition” assisting the hundreds of thousands devastated by the massive seaquake. The short article is, encore, obsessed with the U.N. (read: France) having a major role! Yawn.

It gets worse. In an article on the American humanitarian effort in Indonesia, after a lengthy preamble about how unpopular the Iraq war effort was in Indonesia etc etc., this gem:

Le Monde.fr - Actualités et Infos en France et dans le monde [Note: linked article in French]

[Begin Le Monde excerpt] Colin Powell, qui se trouve ? Bangkok et doit se rendre ? Djakarta, essaie de faire comprendre le sens de la d?marche : "Nous ne recherchons aucun avantage politique", assure le secr?taire d'Etat am?ricain. "Nous n'essayons pas de nous faire mieux voir par les musulmans, affirme-t-il. Nous le faisons parce que des ?tres humains en ont besoin, en ont m?me d?sesp?r?ment besoin." Autrement dit, m?me les avions de reconnaissance am?ricains P-3 Orion qui survolent Atjeh ne cherchent qu'? rep?rer les destructions pour faciliter l'aide humanitaire.

Translation: Colin Powell, who is in Bangkok and is on his way to Jakarta, tries to make sense of the [U.S. initiative]: "We are not looking for any political advantage," assured the U.S. Secretary of State. "We are not trying to make ourselves look better in the eyes of Muslims," he affirmed. "We are doing it because human beings need it, even desperately need it." [b]In other words, the P-3 Orion American reconnaissance planes that are flying over Aceh are only surveying the destruction to facilitate the humanitarian effort.[/b] [emphasis added] [End Le Monde excerpt]

Note the staggering sarcasm. We are doing recon over Aceh, not really to help (wink wink) but to perhaps prepare another oppressive, anti-Muslim adventure we’ve got up our sleeve. Absurd and insulting. Memo to Le Monde and their ilk: Get over yourselves. You are a middle power, lucky to have a U.N. Security Council seat still, and with little resources to mount the kind of operations the U.S. is currently pursuing in places like Indonesia.

Rather than commend the U.S., if just for a moment in the midst of this immense tragedy, Le Monde’s journalists and cartoonists prefer to insinuate that the U.S. has nefarious motives in Indonesia, or make crude fun of the difficulties in Iraq having ‘prepared’ us for Indonesia’s blight. Such sad fare isn’t just wrong, tasteless, petty and rancidly provincial. It speaks of a society, like contemporary Germany, that’s ails and needs scapegoats. It’s not politically correct to look internally for them anymore. So everyone loves to beat up that favorite bogeyman–the U.S.–out of a mixture of incomprehension, envy, fascination, stupidity and crude stereotyping. It’s sad really.

Look, don’t get me wrong. I love many things about France. And we cooperate with them in places like Haiti, Afghanistan, critical intelligence sharing on terror. But France has become a society in desperate need of fresh thinking, different directions, new horizons. Sarkozy would help–though there is no easy panacea. After all, this kind of myopic, obnoxiously self-interested news treatment of this massive tragedy speaks volumes, doesn’t it?

Posted by Gregory Djerejian at January 5, 2005 05:25 AM

2

What would you expect from a country that has always championed homosexuality and hasn’t offered the world much more than a thin pancake covered with jam.

3

BostonBarrister, I couldn’t agree more with you for the cartoon. It was snide, underhanded and petty. However, the other text isn’t so partial, and doesn’t critique the americans for helping. It merely wonders at how the U.S are gonna help a country that was previously closed to outside interference foreign powers seen as a danger to their freedom

Les ?trangers, y compris leurs organisations humanitaires, y ?taient pratiquement interdits ces deux derni?res ann?es. Pour les Am?ricains - dont l’intervention en Irak est impopulaire en Indon?sie, premier pays musulman de la plan?te -, la pr?sente op?ration de secours s’inscrit dans un contexte difficile.

L’ONU est la mieux ?quip?e pour coordonner une aide internationale qui s’appuie non seulement sur des contributions publiques - des engagements d?sormais ? hauteur de 2 milliards d’euros -, mais aussi sur de substantielles assistances priv?es.

Translation:
“Foreigners, and their humanitarian organisations were practically forbidden for the last two years. For the americans, whose compaign in Irak is impopular in Indonesia, first muslim countrie in the world, their rescue operation takes place in a rather difficult context.”

“The UNO is the most well equipped to coordinate an international help force derived not only from public contributions-an amount now roughly equal to 2 billions of Euros (about 4.5 B in U.S dollars)- but also from substancials private donations.”

You’ll notice I translated almost to the word, to preserve as much as possible the original meaning without interpretation.

Basically Le Monde says its gonna be rough the help without taking over too much. It also raise the question as to whether or not the U.S as the first power on this planet, are not gonna take advantage of this to turn this humanitarian help in a P.R operation, or join the UNO, instead of doing want they on their own rather than participate in a joint cooperative operation. You got to agree that the opportunity to change the outlook of the muslim population is immense here, as many of the hostility raised against U.S lately comes from their campaign in Irak. Can you spell temptation?

Road warrior, that was your most tasteless post ever. Not only is cheap and petty (as in childish) but it tends to prove that whatever you hold against France, you shoukd look for in yourself first.

4

[quote]BostonBarrister wrote:
Or at least whatever percentage of the population that agrees with Le Monde know where they can stick it.

http://www.belgraviadispatch.com/archives/004260.html

Caption reads (translation): “Let me handle it. I know the country well.”

The execrable cartoonist of Le Monde, Plantu, hitting yet another low. Over 155,000 people have died in this massive tsunami disaster. The U.S. is spearheading critical aid efforts in the region. Little matter, of course. Better to make snide commentary along the lines that, hey they destroyed Iraq–and so are well suited to handling such calamities. Sick thought process, no?

Note the cartoon is linked to this story entitled “How the U.N. is Coordinating Aid to a Devastated Asia.” ( Le Monde.fr - Actualités et Infos en France et dans le monde ) [Note: Linked article in French] What’s it about? Basically, French resentment that the U.S. is making a bid at being the leader of a “humanitarian coalition” assisting the hundreds of thousands devastated by the massive seaquake. The short article is, encore, obsessed with the U.N. (read: France) having a major role! Yawn.

It gets worse. In an article on the American humanitarian effort in Indonesia, after a lengthy preamble about how unpopular the Iraq war effort was in Indonesia etc etc., this gem:

Le Monde.fr - Actualités et Infos en France et dans le monde [Note: linked article in French]

[Begin Le Monde excerpt] Colin Powell, qui se trouve ? Bangkok et doit se rendre ? Djakarta, essaie de faire comprendre le sens de la d?marche : "Nous ne recherchons aucun avantage politique", assure le secr?taire d'Etat am?ricain. "Nous n'essayons pas de nous faire mieux voir par les musulmans, affirme-t-il. Nous le faisons parce que des ?tres humains en ont besoin, en ont m?me d?sesp?r?ment besoin." Autrement dit, m?me les avions de reconnaissance am?ricains P-3 Orion qui survolent Atjeh ne cherchent qu'? rep?rer les destructions pour faciliter l'aide humanitaire.

Translation: Colin Powell, who is in Bangkok and is on his way to Jakarta, tries to make sense of the [U.S. initiative]: "We are not looking for any political advantage," assured the U.S. Secretary of State. "We are not trying to make ourselves look better in the eyes of Muslims," he affirmed. "We are doing it because human beings need it, even desperately need it." [b]In other words, the P-3 Orion American reconnaissance planes that are flying over Aceh are only surveying the destruction to facilitate the humanitarian effort.[/b] [emphasis added] [End Le Monde excerpt]

Note the staggering sarcasm. We are doing recon over Aceh, not really to help (wink wink) but to perhaps prepare another oppressive, anti-Muslim adventure we’ve got up our sleeve. Absurd and insulting. Memo to Le Monde and their ilk: Get over yourselves. You are a middle power, lucky to have a U.N. Security Council seat still, and with little resources to mount the kind of operations the U.S. is currently pursuing in places like Indonesia.

Rather than commend the U.S., if just for a moment in the midst of this immense tragedy, Le Monde’s journalists and cartoonists prefer to insinuate that the U.S. has nefarious motives in Indonesia, or make crude fun of the difficulties in Iraq having ‘prepared’ us for Indonesia’s blight. Such sad fare isn’t just wrong, tasteless, petty and rancidly provincial. It speaks of a society, like contemporary Germany, that’s ails and needs scapegoats. It’s not politically correct to look internally for them anymore. So everyone loves to beat up that favorite bogeyman–the U.S.–out of a mixture of incomprehension, envy, fascination, stupidity and crude stereotyping. It’s sad really.

Look, don’t get me wrong. I love many things about France. And we cooperate with them in places like Haiti, Afghanistan, critical intelligence sharing on terror. But France has become a society in desperate need of fresh thinking, different directions, new horizons. Sarkozy would help–though there is no easy panacea. After all, this kind of myopic, obnoxiously self-interested news treatment of this massive tragedy speaks volumes, doesn’t it?

Posted by Gregory Djerejian at January 5, 2005 05:25 AM [/quote]

I apologize for that, I have been a bit scarcastic lately. Until a couple of days before Christmas I worked for a French company for 6 years. The week before I “took one for the team” and put in 80 hours in 6 days. I was rewarded 3 days later with an un-announced layoff and a very un-merry christmas.

5

The French again…honestly does anyone care what they think anymore?

They have shown their mettle over the last 70 yrs. What more needs to be said about them. Old empire, Old Europe.

6

Zen:

I’ll need to take your word on the translation of the first linked article.

However, I think the point still stands – especially with respect to the second article, for which Greg Djerejian provided a translation.

I don’t think all the French share the view of Le Monde anymore than I think all Americans share the view of the New York Times – however, enough do, particularly the self-styled sophisticates, that it is problematic. The government also seems to advance this position.

As for the possibility of “changing hearts and minds,” I would think that is immensely valuable – see the thread on “Why Dontate to Indonesia.” However, to jump from that to the implication that the U.S. is scouting for military purposes is absurd – particularly when resources are still being poured into Iraq and are still needed in Afghanistan. Indonesia is an entirely different breed of Islamic state from either Afghanistan or Iraq (which are again different from each other), and it seems that Indonesia is much less apt to be convinced or coerced into supporting the extremists who are spreading their terror – note that they haven’t seem have been embraced by the people, and haven’t had much success thus far.

We want Indonesia as a friend, and all aid is given from a position of friendship.

7

[quote]Zen warrior wrote:

Road warrior, that was your most tasteless post ever. Not only is cheap and petty (as in childish) but it tends to prove that whatever you hold against France, you shoukd look for in yourself first.

[/quote]

That’s not childish,
this is childish…

“France has neither winter nor summer nor morals. Apart from these dawbacks
t is a fine country. France has usually been governed by prostitutes.”
—Mark Twain

“I would rather have a German division in front of me than a French one
behind me.”
–General George S. Patton

“Going to war without France is like going deer hunting without your
accordion.”
–Norman Schwartzkopf

“As far as I’m concerned, war always means failure”
—Jacques Chirac, President of France
“As far as France is concerned, you’re right.”
—Rush Limbaugh

“The only time France wants us to go to war is when the German Army is
sitting in Paris sipping coffee.”
— Regis Philbin

Next time there’s a war in Europe, the loser has to keep France.

You know, the French remind me a little bit of an aging actress of the 1940s
who was still trying to dine out on her looks but doesn’t have the face for
it."
—John McCain, U.S. Senator from Arizona

You know why the French don’t want to bomb Saddam Hussein? Because he hates
America, he loves mistresses and wears a beret. He is French, people."
–Conan O’Brien

“I don’t know why people are surprised that France won’t help us get Saddam
out of Iraq. After all, France wouldn’t help us get the Germans out of
France!”
—Jay Leno

“The last time the French asked for ‘more proof’ it came marching into Paris
under a German flag.”
–David Letterman

The France have been on the skids ever since they got rid of
Napoleon.-Vinnie DiPippo

Parley-vous francais???

The French’s biggest blunder was getting rid of Napoleon.
The jokes have taken on a life of their own. Americans love them. For
instance, Jay Leno says it’s no surprise the French won’t help us get Saddam
Hussein out of Iraq. They didn’t help us get Germany out of France, either.

Still, it’s essential for them to join us in the war against Iraq. They can
teach the Iraqis how to surrender.

And why are French streets tree-lined? So the Germans can march in the
shade.

How many Frenchmen does it take to defend Paris? No one knows. It’s never
been tried.

What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up? -The army.

How many gears does a French tank have? Five, four in reverse and one
forward (in case of attack from behind).

Dennis Miller specializes in anti-French humor. “The only way the French are
going in is if we tell them we found truffles in Iraq,” Miller says.

“The French are always reticent to surrender to the wishes of their friends
and always more than willing to surrender to the wishes of their enemies.”

That last one is more than a joke. It’s shrewd commentary. It captures why
the French make such poor allies. When they pulled out of NATO 40 years
ago and declared Americans must close down their bases in France, Secretary
of State Dean Rusk had a bitterly caustic response. Should we dig up the
graves of American soldiers in Normandy, too, and take them home? No French
answer was recorded.

"You can always count on the French to be there when they need us!

8

Breakdown,

Great post!!!

Zen Warrior,

Just to make sure you understand, France doesn’t act like an ally. We are beginning to treat them as they deserve. Expect to see more expressions of indifference toward France in the future.

Many of us have had enough of their two-faced horseshit.

They reap the rewards of freedom with minimal actual effort. Then they have the audacity to accept massive bribes and accuse the Americans of ulterior motives in Iraq.

They will get as little money from me as I can possibly manage. That is my daily expression of dissatisfaction.

JeffR

9

Typical, especially the comments, US “I’m the king of the world and I don’t give I f**k about what others thinks” response.

10

[quote]redfrog2000 wrote:
Typical, especially the comments, US “I’m the king of the world and I don’t give I f**k about what others thinks” response.[/quote]

You say that like it’s a bad thing.

11

redfrog2000 wrote:
“Typical, especially the comments, US “I’m the king of the world and I don’t give I f**k about what others thinks” response.”

Great post!!!

Please turn on the television in whatever little hole you live in. Or, pick up a newspaper (if you can read).

Then look at the United States’ response to the Tsunami in Southeast Asia.

Then apologize profusely for your ignorant bullshit.

Thanks!!!

JeffR

12

"Many of us have had enough of their two-faced horseshit.

They reap the rewards of freedom with minimal actual effort. Then they have the audacity to accept massive bribes and accuse the Americans of ulterior motives in Iraq."

Couldn’t agree more with you on this one JeffR, but that’s beside my point. U.S doesn’t have any ulterior motives? I doubt it. But help is needed, and it’s there, that’s all that matter to the victims. Is it given by friendship alone? Again, I doubt it. We can type all day and night, doesn’t change the fact that America is there when Indonesia needs it the most, and I’m glad for this. I simply do not believe it comes for free. Maybe not a price in term of money, still with strings attached.

As for all of the others out there making remarks on the French, keep going! Some of them are damn funny, some are right (Mark Twain’s for one, although probably not in the way most think) Just don’t be blind and put everyone in the same bag.

13

[quote]JeffR wrote:
Then look at the United States’ response to the Tsunami in Southeast Asia.

Then apologize profusely for your ignorant bullshit.
[/quote]

Interesting.

Interesting that I have yet to read you have equal - or even bigger - praise the response of Germany and Australia to the Tsunami in Southeast Asia:

Considering that Germany’s (pop. 82,424,609) monetary contribution PER PERSON is about 7x (SEVEN TIMES) greater than the US (pop. 293,027,571) - and no, taxes in Germany are NOT 7x greater - it is pretty impressive.

Australia’s (pop. 19,913,144) pledge is even more impressive. Overwhelming even.

And before you start talking about logistical help, well, do bear in mind that both Germany and Australia have helped the US countless times (Germany’s bases are essential to any US Military operation outside the Americas, and Australia has also proved to be a valuable and ready ally many times) and are more than equipped to both provide direct logistical help AND to provide it indirectly by being essential to the US’ effort.

And before you start talking about private contributions, Michael Schumacher (a German) alone has contributed $10m:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/981433.cms

… which is more than any famous individual contributor in the US.

My point is: yes, France is a morally corrupt country, and yes, the US is a great country with great people, but there are other great countries with great people out there. Don’t forget about that.

So, be more humble: we are not alone in greatness, nor we should claim to be the providers of moral leadership to the World - we’re just a piece of the puzzle.

14

“The only time France wants us to go to war is when the German Army is
sitting in Paris sipping coffee.”
— Regis Philbin

Ha!Ha!Ha! I have a new found respect for
Regis!!!

15

What a stupid country, I am glad my grandfather occupied it in 1940.

16

[quote]hspder wrote:
So, be more humble: we are not alone in greatness, nor we should claim to be the providers of moral leadership to the World - we’re just a piece of the puzzle.[/quote]

I’ve heard nothing but praise wrt the Aussie’s contributions. Germany? well they’ve promised a lot in FUTURE aid - don’t really know what that is exactly. I hope it’s more substantial than their contributions in the WOT.

And to keep in context with the thread - France can suck an egg for all I care. They are an old power. They are a power no longer.

If the tsunami had hit hit the Baja region, or somehow one occured in the Gulf of Mexico, would France lift a finger?

17

[quote]JeffR wrote:
They reap the rewards of freedom with minimal actual effort. Then they have the audacity to accept massive bribes and accuse the Americans of ulterior motives in Iraq.

JeffR[/quote]

yes, this is the case but maybe not the best fact to highlight since it says they’re beating us at our own game.

18

Yeah, I’m sure the suffering are very interested in the per capita support of given nations. Wait no… I think they are excited when they see American planes flying in and handing out goods, services, and other forms of aid.

And I wouldn’t say we’re a piece of an otherwise equal puzzle. If there’s a puzzle and it’s 200 pieces (one for each country). Easily 25 of the countries make up 99% of the puzzle. Seriously what was the last thing Luxemborg did for the world, maybe Ghana. I mean we now know that Libya stopped being a prominent terrorist nation… But they give the world a lot in terms of bomb threats etc.

I love the anti-French joke. We don’t need them. They can keep their wine and cheese. And when it comes times they can keep the bratwurst, beer, and new culture.

19

I’d contribute $10m if I made as much as schumacher.

There are plenty of big givers in the US. They have a variety of causes though. If you give on a regular basis it isn’t as easy to write out the big glory checks.

20

there is a graphic at the bottom of this page that gives the total contributions by country and per capita.

US is not in the top 10 per capita. Even Ireland beats us…