What's up witht the French?

[Jenny_Jackson]

I'm bothered this morning. The French walked out of the UN meeting to discuss the Israel/Lebanon war, claiming they didn't want to be involved until the UN Security Council comes up with a comprehensive plan for peace in the middle east.

My personal attitude is if there's every going to be a comprehensive peace plan, the UN needs to stop the French from selling arms in the region.

It seems to me the French are pretty much playing a double game, blaming the UN for inaction in public and stuffing their pockets with arms money in the background.

Anyone else think this?

 

[cantdog]

Bush doesn't want a cease-fire. He says there's no point until there is a "sustainable, lasting cease-fire." Meanwhile, American firms rake money out of the middle east and arms sales to Israel are accelerated.

Yeah. Damn French.

 

[Lauren Hynde]

I'm bothered this morning. The French walked out of the UN meeting to discuss the Israel/Lebanon war, claiming they didn't want to be involved until the UN Security Council comes up with a comprehensive plan for peace in the middle east.

My personal attitude is if there's every going to be a comprehensive peace plan, the UN needs to stop the French from selling arms in the region.

It seems to me the French are pretty much playing a double game, blaming the UN for inaction in public and stuffing their pockets with arms money in the background.

Anyone else think this?

Israel deliberately bombed a UN building and murdered four high-representatives and the US vetoed even so much as a statement of condemnation and you're worried about the French boycotting a meeting?

 

[Jenny_Jackson]

Israel deliberately bombed a UN building and murdered four high-representatives and the US vetoed even so much as a statement of condemnation and you're worried about the French boycotting a meeting?

Yes, Ms Hynde. I'm not worried about the French boycott specifically. My thinking is more along the lines of Bush having no credibility with the Arab world but the French do. Bush having sway with the Isrealis but refusing to use it.

When the French walked out claiming the UN Security Council has to come up with a plan before the French will sit down I see a problem, since the French are a member of the UN Security Council and are producing vital componants for the Scud "D" missles that Hezbollah is using against the Isrealis.

 

[Jenny_Jackson]

Bush doesn't want a cease-fire. He says there's no point until there is a "sustainable, lasting cease-fire." Meanwhile, American firms rake money out of the middle east and arms sales to Israel are accelerated.

Yeah. Damn French.

Aren't both those happening now? Exxon posted it's second record quarter at the end of June and arms shippments to Isreal is higher than they've been in years.

What I'm saying is, the French are playing that game too and blaming the U.S.

 

[Roxanne Appleby]

Hmmm . . . I detect a tendency to change the subject here.

"It seems to me the French are pretty much playing a double game, blaming the UN for inaction in public and stuffing their pockets with arms money in the background. Anyone else think this?"

I think this. And not just in this instance.

Actually, the French have been playing cynical games like this going back at least to the time of Cardinal Richelieu, who contributed to the deaths of millions of Germans by continuously stirring the embers of the 30-Year War whenever it appeared that the bloodletting might cease. He often did so by giving subsidies to Protestant political entities, who used the resources to fight Catholic ones in that religious war, and so weaken both. This was in the early 1600s.

 

[Quiet_Cool]

Bush doesn't want a cease-fire. He says there's no point until there is a "sustainable, lasting cease-fire." Meanwhile, American firms rake money out of the middle east and arms sales to Israel are accelerated.

Yeah. Damn French.

Hmmm . . . I detect a tendency to change the subject here.

Nice call, Roxanne.

Q_C

 

[Guest]

.....

 

[wazhazhe]

Yes, Ms Hynde. I'm not worried about the French boycott specifically. My thinking is more along the lines of Bush having no credibility with the Arab world but the French do. Bush having sway with the Isrealis but refusing to use it.

When the French walked out claiming the UN Security Council has to come up with a plan before the French will sit down I see a problem, since the French are a member of the UN Security Council and are producing vital componants for the Scud "D" missles that Hezbollah is using against the Isrealis.

The US government is supplying arms to Israel.

Is it French government or French companies supplying components for the missiles? I see the two as quite different. Also, who are the components supplied to? Hezbollah is not building the missiles they are using. I could be wrong but I would imagine most of these components were sold before Hezbollah started shooting the missiles at Israel. I don't see this as analogous to the US role at all.

 

[Roxanne Appleby]

Is it French government or French companies supplying components for the missiles? I see the two as quite different.

Given that French government expenditures as a percent of GDP are around 54 percent, the two are not all that different. In addition, the French government may be a partner is some of its defense firms.

 

[Jenny_Jackson]

The US government is supplying arms to Israel.

Is it French government or French companies supplying components for the missiles? I see the two as quite different. Also, who are the components supplied to? Hezbollah is not building the missiles they are using. I could be wrong but I would imagine most of these components were sold before Hezbollah started shooting the missiles at Israel. I don't see this as analogous to the US role at all.

1) The Scud missle componants are manufactured by French companies and shipped with the approval of the French government to Syria. Syria then assembles the missles and sells them to Hezbollah. The French government knows about this. Recall that the French also ignored the UN arms emargo with Iraq and sold fully operational missles to them too.

2) To protect the arms deals with Syria, France is now refusing to take part in forming a long term peace plan in the middle east, blaming the UN Security Council. Oddly enought, France has always been a Perm member of that same UN Security Council they are now blaming.

3) The U.S. situation is quite different, I agree. The U.S. has little influence in the Arab world since the Bush administration engineered the Iraq War. The only influence the U.S. could have is with the Isrealis but have chosen not to do so, thereby legitimizing the Isreali attack on Lebanon. The U.S. reasoning has only been explained as, 'No interference until a workable long term peace plan can be set in place'. That policy is just as bogus as France's refusal to co-operate in drafting a peace plan. My gut feeling is, the Cowboy Bush administration sees a chance to appear tough on terrorism and is simply allowing Isreal to remove Hezbellah while feeding the world responsible sounding, but misleading, rhetoric.

 

[scheherazade_79]

The French are always awkward. They probably walked out because they were on strike, or they decided that they suddenly couldn't speak English, French or any other language... or maybe they were just miffed because no one ate the bread rolls they put on the table - the ones they were hoping to charge a small fortune for as soon as they were touched by human hands

Does that make me a Francophobe?

Btw - beautiful target, Jenny

 

[Jenny_Jackson]

In addition, the French government may be a partner is some of its defense firms.

If not partners, then certainly participants in the arms trade. Under International Law, modern arms cannot be sold to another country without, government approval.

Thank you, Roxanne

 

[Jenny_Jackson]

Btw - beautiful target, Jenny

Thank you, Love

 

[CharleyH]

Bush doesn't want a cease-fire. He says there's no point until there is a "sustainable, lasting cease-fire." Meanwhile, American firms rake money out of the middle east and arms sales to Israel are accelerated.

Yeah. Damn French.

LOL - Yes, god damn the French!

 

[TheEarl]

That's it. It's officially World War III. The french just surrendered.

Dran, that just got a laugh that scared the neighbours. Thank you.

The Earl

 

[Straight-8]

Trying to decide whether the French or the American foreign policy is worse is like trying to decide between fire and ice:
Fire and Ice


Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I've tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.

(Ironically penned by the American) Robert Frost

Between the two of them they have had a hand (and usually a lot more) in every war in close to the last two hundred years. Admittedly occasionally on the right side (and occasionally on opposite or both sides) but, if you bet on the ponies that often, you are bound to win sometimes.

 

[Roxanne Appleby]

Btw - beautiful target, Jenny

That makes me think of Jenny's new ass, er av for some reason - beautiful target, er, av, Jenny.

 

[wazhazhe]

That makes me think of Jenny's new ass, er av for some reason - beautiful target, er, av, Jenny.

I agree. That's why it's taking me so long to respond to this thread. Jenny's ass ... er, av is quite ... What was the question?

 

[3113]

I agree. That's why it's taking me so long to respond to this thread. Jenny's ass ... er, av is quite ... What was the question?

I think the question is whether those lace panties are from France

 

[TxRad]

That makes me think of Jenny's new ass, er av for some reason - beautiful target, er, av, Jenny.

This is as close to a political thread as i can get without a lady with a rubber chicken jumping out and bashing me about the head and shoulders..... Nice ass...uh, av Jenny....

 

[wazhazhe]

I think the question is whether those lace panties are from France

Now that's a question I can concentrate on!!!

This is as close to a political thread as i can get without a lady with a rubber chicken jumping out and bashing me about the head and shoulders..... Nice ass...uh, av Jenny....

You mean the ... :whispers: the SRCOC?

 

[Weird Harold]

My personal attitude is if there's every going to be a comprehensive peace plan, the UN needs to stop the French from selling arms in the region.

I think the UN needs to stop EVERYONE from selling arms in the region.

Unfortunately, a UN arms embargo would be about as effective as a screen door in a submarine and only make illegal arms merchants rich.

 

[TxRad]

You mean the ... :whispers: the SRCOC?

That would be the one......

 

[Wildcard Ky]

That's it. It's officially World War III. The french just surrendered.

LMAO!! I don't care who you are, that's funny right there.