Has always marched to their own tune! Remember, if not for the British and Americans in the big world war, there never would have been a DeGaulle! Should have left Petain in charge after the war...lol Plus they are pissed at the US because we now produce better wine and cheese. And we would not buy their crappy citroens!
McFox, agree 100%. It's what I call fair weather democracy. I think it applies...my letter to our local paper, in response to a columnist who wanted to re-Christianize Christmas, which he felt was secular. He also felt all non-christians belong in some other country than mine, as ours is a "Christian Country." My response: Without trying to be presumptive, I would think the same holds anywhere we uphold pluralist democracy as a beacon of choice. In broad strokes, we in the U.S. produce wine and cheese that is big, bold, flavorful...and designed to wine awards. The French continue to produce these items as marriages to food, and seek balance as a mark of craftsmanship. Particularly their wine - balanced, deep, complex, and a counterpoint to a great meal, not designed to punch you in the chest, like those, typically, of California, or the new world wines of the south pacific. I love both. To me, nothing beats the stand alone flavors of many California, Pacific Northwest and Long Island vintages. But when serving up seared halibut, a lamb loin, or roast duck breast, give me a Rhone, Bordeau, or Loire Valley anytime. (well, German or Austrian rieslings and other whites a huge favorite as well).
That reminds me of this Robin Williams routine where he went on and on about the French, and if they had baseball... "cause the French don't have a baseball team. If they did, [with French accent] they would only have left field and no one would be safe." It was hilarious!!! I have been to France, and while I enjoyed my time there, the people at that time, did not like Americans, or America, and while I could speak a little French, (my mother spoke it quite well), I was called a stupid American several times. Have a Frenchman come to the US and stumble over English with their accent. It is perceived as rather romantic and cute. An American in France stumbling over French... "stupid American". This was back in 1982. The sentiment today is no different than it was 20+ years ago. In business however? My best customers are French. Doing business with the French has always been a great pleasure and one that on both sides always is handled with great respect and mutual trust. In all, I could not possibly call French hypocrites. They have always been quite consistent in their feelings and attitude, for as long as I can remember anyway. Nothing has changed. I've had friends (liberal friends) go on tangents about how popular the US was with France under Clinton. They have no idea that it was not that we were liked, or popular.... We were being laughed at, and justifiably so. I guess that is one more fault us American's have. We rarely see when we are the butt of a joke. Many took that to mean, acceptance or respect, when in truth, it was nothing more than amusement. Do remember that without the French's help, we would not have gained our independance from England. "Ah Lafayette." Of course the French gladly helped for other obvious reasons. It was more about thumbing off England than it was helping the US. Of course Patton returned the favor some years later returning freedom the Layfayette's France from a different kind of threat. He did get $200k out of the deal eventually as well (Lafayette that is)
The French are alright...at least you know where you stand. If you go to France and you take the trouble to learn the language properly, there actually pretty impressed as a rule. But you know I dont think its not liking the U.S in and of itself, or the people. Its more a matter of the dominance the U.S has in international affairs which the French dont like. If the French had there way the EU would spread as far as possible...as long as they get to keep control of what is essentially French interests they would be in favour of that to counter U.S dominance. They shouldnt worry too much though. Russia will join the EU within the next 20 years, bringing another 150 million people in and the largest land mass on Earth..not too mention the largest Nuclear arsenal as well..just as a little added security. The EU will stretch right through to China and SE Asia. By that time off course Russia will have the largest economy in Europe, and China and India will be 1, 2...maybe not 20 years though..probably more like 30 or 40. The entire landscape will be very differant from today..
You forgot Turkey will be in, and in 30 years it will have a population of over 100 million people, in fact as much as Russia (currently losing 1M people every year). But America is not alone, Mexico and Canada are colonies
Ya i got a little off track there but for what its worth i thought the growth rate in Russia was more like 6 and 7%....mind you a lot of that is driven by oil and gas, both of which Russia has in vast reserves. Ya turkey is definately coming up...the EU is going to cover such a large area, its going to be mighty cool to be able to take a train from one end to the other lol...
Ok, here's how france is doing. French growth disappoints in 2005 France's economic growth slowed in the final three months of 2005, pulling the country's full-year performance down below the government's forecasts. Gross domestic product (GDP) rose by 0.2% in the fourth quarter, down from 0.7% in the previous three months, according to statistical office Insee. For the year, GDP grew by 1.4%, compared with 2.1% in 2004. Separate reports showed France's trade deficit tripled in 2005, and industrial production declined in December. 'Very erratic' The figures are likely to cause concern as the government has made boosting growth one of its main priorities. Analysts said that a number of factors, including record oil prices, civil unrest and a lack of reforms, have limited the country's efforts to boost growth and significantly cut its unemployment rate from the current 9.5% level. A main cause of the slowdown in economic growth was a drop in car production, said Finance Minister Thierry Breton The government had been expecting annual economic growth figures of between 1.5% and 2%, and quarterly expansion of between 0.5% and 0.6%. Industrial production has continued to suffer - and Insee said that output contracted by 0.3% in December from November. "The most disappointing is industrial production," said Jean-Louis Mourier, and ecnomist at Aurel Leven. "It's very erratic. Overall, we're seeing an industrial production that is very weak." "This explains the disappointment on GDP growth," he added. The trade shortfall was 26.46bn euros in 2005, more than three times the 8.284bn euros in 2004. Exports have been increasing, but at a far slower rate than imports. In December, exports were 31.3bn euros, compared with 30.34bn a month earlier. However, imports totaled 34.41bn euros from 33.4bn in November. __________________________ Viva la resistance
It was refreshing watching Fox News this morning and seeing how demonstrations are being held in a civilized nation like France. We can all learn a lot from those dudes
Like I have said before. We have come a long way in just over 200 years... Imagine if we had been around as long as Europe. We would likely be on the verge of utopia given all we have accomplished in such a short time.
No..................Say it's not so French. Peace and love is what you have preached........Say it's not so? http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/29/international/europe/29france.html D
This much is true. They did have a selfish motivation for helping though, but we appreciate the help... I think you are thinking more about the War of 1812, but I get the point.
Jeremy, respectfully, I'd disagree: he's thinking precisely about the War of Independence, and for good reason (as you allude to, above). It was Louis who committed the mass of wealth and resources to that war, and it was Louis who's head had long been lopped off by 1812 - in large part because of the ruin he brought upon himself and France for lending French strength to the American cause. And all nations act "selfishly." No nation expends its blood because its allies are just "swell people." It expends blood because it believes it is in its interest to do so. We are no different. And the price France paid was dear. Individuals, like Lafayette whom you mention, gave considerable personal wealth to our fledgling country, and lent all the skill they had to train and equip our rebellion, out of a personal and fervent belief in the cause we sought - Rousseau's "We the People" was an ideology already starting to sweep through the ranks of the young officers of Lafayette's class, and they saw in our nascent country a cause they would gladly die for. And they would - here, and when "We the People" became Robespierre's rivers of blood. (I was not aware Lafayette "made out" on the deal - interesting - can you point to a source?) I think it's important to note, too, though, that other French generals, like Rochambeau, were decisive in the outcome of our war - the defeat of Cornwallis in the Yorktown campaign was a major one, and the battle plan was Rochambeau's. Cornwallis was caught between Rochambeau's, Washington's and Lafayette's joined armies, and the French Admiral DeGrasse's navy (which, by defeating the British navy there, sealed off Cornwallis' conduit out of the trap, and he could not retreat beyond the Yorktown Peninsula). Battles raged elsewhere, too. With Franklin, France also worked her considerable diplomatic skill to ensure England's isolation; Spain was drawn in on Bourbon issues, a "matter of family" between the two dynasties; other powers, notably, Russia, Austria, Sweden, Prussia and others, were committed to a policy of neutrality. The bottom line, I believe that were it not for France, for its supremely gifted generals and admirals, and the French fighting man, we would not have won our war. Much like we owe the British and the Soviets* the deepest bow of respect and gratitude for their contributions to WWII, so we Americans owe the French our respect and gratitude for the very birth of our nation. Myopia, in all its forms, cannot change history. *Zhukov, and his armies, in my mind, were primarily responsible for gutting Hitler's warmaking ability and thus making an allied victory a certainty.
yfs1 - Read your blog post. Agreed. I don't disagree that the riots are, at best, a useless venture which will actually bring further harm to an already troubled economy. I simply believe that it's the right of the French democracy to conduct its democracy as it sees fit. That is, until such time as the very idea of the nation-state comes to a close, but that's another story...
I believe in protests, especially for job security (even if I don't agree that this law would jeopardize job security overall). I love the European job protections here. I have just seen so much violence against innocent tourists (one example being the women being assaulted) all in the name of "protest". Having our own riot a few weeks ago which I saw start and develop first hand, I know what you see on the news isn't always what actually happened and there are a lot more "opportunists" then they report. Case in point in Dublin - The first arrest was of a Lithuanian looting a shoe shop. He had only been here a short time and I hardly think he knew anything about Gerry Adams, etc.