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| Europe |
| French outrage at ’old Europe’ remarks |
| 2003-01-23 |
| French leaders have reacted angrily after US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld described France and Germany as the "old Europe", marking a deepening rift over policy on Iraq. Finance Minister Francis Mer said he was "profoundly vexed" by Mr Rumsfeld's remarks, while former Employment Minister Martine Aubry described the US as arrogant. Mr Rumsfeld made the remarks in Washington after French President Jacques Chirac and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder agreed to work together to oppose US threats of war in Iraq.He told foreign journalists that France and Germany were not representative of modern Europe. "You're thinking of Europe as Germany and France. I don't," he said. "I think that's old Europe." Bitch slapped them! He pointed to the planned expansion of Nato, with seven eastern European and Baltic countries invited to join the alliance. "If you look at the entire Nato Europe today, the centre of gravity is shifting to the east," Mr Rumsfeld said. And they remember who their friends are. The BBC's James Coomarasamy, in Paris, says the divisions between Europe and the US over Iraq are growing more public and the rhetoric more pointed by the day. The French Environment Minister, Roselyne Bachelot, told one interviewer: "If you knew what I felt like telling Mr Rumsfeld..." She then stopped herself, saying the word was too offensive. Rummy would gut her and nail her hide to his office wall without breaking sweat Europe is deeply divided over the possibility of war with Iraq. France and Germany are opposed to early military action, while the UK is sending massive troop deployments to the Gulf. US Secretary of State Colin Powell has questioned the commitment of France and Germany to disarming Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. However, he has described the disagreements with France as a "blip", saying he hoped "the French would come to the understanding" of the need to use the threat of force to compel Saddam Hussein to disarm. Bye, bye, France! Don't let the door hit you in the ass on your way out. |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #10 I love it! That's even better than when Powell told former Foreign Minister Vedrine that he was getting the vapors. Driving a wedge between Fra & Ger and Eastern Europe (and Spain and Britain too) is a good move. We should further try to drive a wedge between the elites and the average everyday Joaquim. I don't like seeing all the "surrender" jokes all over the blogosphere. The French have an excess of pride (who doesn't) but their problem has always been one of leadership. |
| Posted by: Anonymous 2003-01-23 21:02:13 |
| #9 I'm not sure about this but I think France's veto threats at UNSC and their opposition to us stems from their oil sources. I remember in '73 during the oil embargo that France had all it wanted while lots of people in Europe were driving around on bicycles when fuel was tight. France just gave their foreign policy away to OPEC and the nozzle stayed on for 'em. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2003-01-23 20:36:36 |
| #8 France has just announced that it is going to end-run its 97 year old law which separated church and state, by providing state funding to mosques. They even recognized a Muslim authority, with which they will negotiate state-church relations. The Muslim Brothers are well represented in this cash-cow feeder. |
| Posted by: Anonymous 2003-01-23 19:19:08 |
| #7 Who would of thought that France have done the US a huge favor and as a result history will show France triggered the war in Iraq? By pre-empting Blix's ramblings, they have taken all the pressure of Saddam to cooperate with inspection, and absolved the US of any need to return to the UN to "make the case" for war. No more debate, no more time, no more consultation. What were they thinking? This is like walking of the field in the fourth quarter in a Superbowl tie. The situation will now spiral rapidly. If I was in Bagdad today, I would be on the way out of town pronto, because the war may already be over by the time GW meets with Congress on Tuesday. |
| Posted by: john 2003-01-23 17:46:04 |
| #6 I think's it's safe to say the French became irrelevant earlier than 1946. I'd say it happened shortly after Dunkirk. |
| Posted by: Robert Crawford 2003-01-23 11:59:14 |
| #5 Have they brought the issue of their intervention in Ivory Coast before the Security Council yet for UN approval? I seen anything on that yet... and I doubt I ever will. Must be tough to wake up one day and realize that your country's been pretty much irrelevant in the world picture since 1946. Let them piss and moan. That's pretty much all they're good at any more. |
| Posted by: tu3031 2003-01-23 10:58:36 |
| #4 And the French have just invited Robert Mugabe,the mass-murdering,whitey-hating,gay-bashing "president" of Zimbabwe,for a visit despite the EU-imposed "travel-ban".With the French like these... |
| Posted by: El Id 2003-01-23 10:47:24 |
| #3 I think the phrase is rectocranial inversion. That MLF Lullaby reference brought me back to the last verse of the song Sleep well, my darling; the sandman won't linger.Well, they might just be giving us the middle-digit salute. |
| Posted by: Mark Byron 2003-01-23 10:11:00 |
| #2 Or as Tom Lehrer (noted satirist) put it back in the 60's when talking about the proposed MLF (Multilateral force) made up of "our current friends, France, and our traditional friends, Germany". Still good satire almost 40 years later. |
| Posted by: Denny 2003-01-23 09:30:17 |
| #1 Bye, bye, France! Don't let the door hit you in the ass on your way out. Yeah - they don't need any more brain damage! |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2003-01-23 09:27:06 |