Over the past two years as we ramped up to deal with Afghanistan and then Iraq, we were constantly reminded that we "needed" the French as our Ally to prevent our appearing as an international bully or tyrant. Let's be fair to take a look at France, their actions and our relationship. It could be time that we re-evaluate our "ally" and our "friendship" with the French government, re-evaluate who the real Bully is.
We have years of recalling service that both nations have provided aid to one another. Everyone always points to Lady Liberty as a reminder of the French aid that was rendered in our second to last fight for final liberty. I am leaving room for the War of 1812 to finally resolve the issue of American independence. Though in reality, this sacrifice was never made with the ideal that we were founding a democracy. France was a monarchy and had NO interest in a democracy. France did have an interest in tweaking the nose of Britain and causing them grief. Maybe the venerated memory is a bit more gilded than it was ever a solid ideal; a matter of political convenience than a steadfast friendship. We on the other hand reflect on the white crosses of Normandy, the battle fields of WWI our dedication to come to the aid of a fellow democracy even if it took a bit of debate and the alarm of Pearl Harbor.
The French seemed to always remain the elusive ally; elusive in rallying to the side of America. The French government refused to allow fly over authorization to American military aircraft to respond to different terrorist activities. France was finally drug into Desert Storm to only attempt a last minute deal with Saddam Hussein to withdraw part of their troops from Kuwait promising that "they" would prevent an American led attack.
During the final years before our attack into Iraq under President George W. Bush, America and Britain were being very diligent in trying to prevent irregularities under the Food For Oil Program of the United Nations. Challenges were made of some 1600 out of approximately 2800 reequests for purchases. The challenges included requests for more information to insure the purchase fell within the authorized realm of purchases. France pushed through a 10 day review process. Now the UN only had 10 days to review and deny pruchases or they were automatically approved. We were told we had to have them to go to war with, yet with every effort to bring them in with us, they were dogged in their refusal. Kofi Annan and France has made continued disparaging attacks about America and our attack on Iraq. Our own democratic party continued to hold France up as the epitomy of the ideals..the real democracy versus our slide towards supposed "fascism". France actively flew about the world campaigning against America's potential attack even threatening the New European democracies that were told if they really wanted to be a part of the European Union, they would stay in line with France. I guess this was France apparently demonstrating the real way of building alliances. Thankfully the courage of the leaders of these young democracies disregarded these not so subtle threats and provided immensely critical support to the effort even as a tip of the spear of the intial attack into Iraq.
Now after the fall of Iraq to the American forces we know why France was opposed to the war; corruption of the Food For Oil Program was paying individuals in the French governement, French companies and internationally to bribe and influence the decisions of those who were supposed to be watching the Iraqis. This failure provided billions of dollars in weapons to Saddam being manufacturesd and delivered months prior to the attack. Servicemen of our forces and allies have been assaulted with and some taken by the instruments that France provided to build Saddam up just before the war. Some of this equipment was night sights for RPGs, Roland 2/3 Anti-Aircraft missile and other rockets which have all been found. This isnt just sporadic amounts but stockpiles. The combined effort of France, Germany, Russia, and China provided up to 1,000,000 tons of items to the Iraqi's. You can venture a guess now as to why a "supposed" 300 tons of explosives raised in the election, in some circles didn't phase the more experienced in the arena. We can only hope that the "INTERNAL" investigation into the UN and those who participated helps make some necessary changes in these organizations.
But is this the end of their particpation, the end of their "Alliance Building", sadly NO. Now the French are pressuring the younger democracies of Europe to step up and raise THEIR taxes so that it will force the price of their goods to rise ...so that France's and the other SOCIALIST nations can better compete with their goods. It is a part of their program called "Tax harmonization". rather than lower their own taxes to allow more consumer money to flow into and stimulate their market, they wish to instead force others into raising their taxes. They wish to FORCE others to share the misery of languishing economies as these poor countries had suffered under communism; rather than working and stimulating the productivity of their own. I am not sure the government of France is not still controlled by the Jacobites of the original French Revolution or just plain marxists. In the end they remind me of a quote from Napoleonic Marshall Lefevre, "I have come to give you liberty and equality but don't lose your heads about it. For the first one of you who moves without my leave will be shot."
So who is really the bully, the US for encouraging alliances and delivering 50 million people from tyranny or those of the French who threatens free peoples with oppressions they thought they had left behind denying them opportunity for economic freedom or free thought, and supplied a tyrant for gain violating interantional sanctions?
Liberty and Equality INDEED! I think it is time to re-evaluate our "Alliance" and how we interact.. they may have earned an arms length "friendship".
