Article

2003-11-28 Europe

Has Christmas come early? French diplomats ready to strike

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Posted by Bulldog 2003-11-28 4:59:59 PM|| || Front Page|| [2 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 But-but-but-but-but HOW CAN THIS BE?! Le Euro is above $1.20, how can Le Republique de Francais be le bankrupt?!

HA! SUCK IT, Jean-Pierre.

Posted by Anonymous 2003-11-28 5:09:20 PM|| 2003-11-28 5:09:20 PM|| Front Page Top

#2 Only in France could Diplomats be unionized. Christ on a crutch, how do these people expect anybody to take them seriously.

Posted by Cheddarhead 2003-11-28 5:26:22 PM|| 2003-11-28 5:26:22 PM|| Front Page Top

#3 I'm impressed that Minister deVillepin is able to produce so much bullshit with such meager resources. He should be awarded the Order of Lenin.

Posted by Matt 2003-11-28 5:52:27 PM|| 2003-11-28 5:52:27 PM|| Front Page Top

#4 Bulldog, the next time the Germans run amok let's find a way to liberate Europe that doesn't involve going through France, OK? These dipwits aren't worth setting free.

Posted by Dave D. 2003-11-28 6:13:46 PM|| 2003-11-28 6:13:46 PM|| Front Page Top

#5 Wonder if perhaps the French diplomatic strike could spread to other European countries. Sounds like a positive development!

On NATO, seems to me it's been an alliance in search of a mission for a decade. The fiasco of Kosovo confirmed that what was a tremendous success as a defensive alliance in the Cold War wasn't neccessarily able to serve other functions, even on the European periphery. Afghanistan today confirms that for out-of-area land missions, NATO's not terribly relevant.

The real contributions of several European militaries today (including German naval activities) probably could be arranged bilaterally, if need be. As are the contributions in Iraq.

In any contingency larger than displacing a fragile African dictatorship, no NATO member save the UK has had any meaningful out-of-area military capability for decades. I'm talking combat, not "peacekeeping" quiet areas.

Move the bases, accept our spectacular success in Europe, and adapt to the current threat. NATO's decline will probably be a net positive for US and European security as the Euros face reality and we re-orient our activities around the truly reliable and capable. On a global level -- militarily -- the UK, Australia, Spain, Italy, Singapore, the Philippines, Turkey, Israel, Jordan, and Bahrain (to name a few) are our new alliance, whether through bases or actual participation. Law enforcement and intel bring in many more. NATO was a means to an end that's now moot; current efforts to "protect" its status resemble an irrational end in themselves.

Posted by IceCold 2003-11-28 7:28:11 PM|| 2003-11-28 7:28:11 PM|| Front Page Top

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