http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/reuters/070916/world/international_iran_france_war_dc_1

The new French Minister of Foreign Affairs has announced a toughening of the French government's attitude towards Iran's nuclear programme. He even evoked the new French administration's willingness to resort to war with Iran, if necessary. This is a radical departure from the Chirac era. The new President of the Republic is a right-winger whose administration has already upset many of the traditions at the Elysée, and one could say that Sarkozy wishes the French presidency to emulate more that of the United States. He has already insisted that he be introduced 'Monsieur le Président' (Mr. President, à l'américain) instead of the traditional introduction of 'Le Président de la République'.

How do you react to this new style of French government? I ask the French-hating Republicans specifically, but I encourage everyone to say his piece.

France go to war with Iran! Haw haw haw!

It'll be a case of the monkey unlocking the lion's cage.  The Frenchies will get the U.S. on their side then wave white flag.  Now it's the U.S. at war with Iran!
::)

Personally, and with the opinions of certain friends of mine who are French citizens taken into account, Sarkozy wants to look good in front of the Americans. And the new French Foreign Affairs Minister is actually a well known and well respected member of the Socialist Party, who changed his colours at the last minute for a cabinet job with Sarko. That tarnished his reputation among the Socialist Party's base. But now with this declaration, his reputation amongst that based is forever gone. This man was a founding member of Doctors Without Borders, and now he's shooting his mouth off about making war in Iran. Imagine that!

I'm sure the Iranians are quaking in their boots.

Seriously, whose asses have the French ever kicked?  ::)

Seriously, whose asses have the French ever kicked?  ::)

Depends how far back you want to go... though I guess it must say something that the most fearsome reputation in the French army is probably that of the Foreign Legion.

I don't think Sarky was even suggesting that France go to war with Iran, merely that the French would no longer try and veto a UN resolution in the worst scenario of Iran showing that it's not going to back down in its nuclear programme.  Much as I think the idea of war with Iran is a silly one, this French volte-face is no bad thing: the more unified the international community is, the better the chance of common sense prevailing without the use of military force.

France go to war with Iran! Haw haw haw!

Seriously- It's ludicrous and will never happen.

Oh, you can be sure there will be no war in Iran w/o the U.S. But you people out there who think France is small potatoes, you should do your homework. France is one of the main military powers in the world, they're a nuclear power, like Philbo said, they have the Foreign Legion which is highly specialised, and because they're foreigners, the French have little problem sending them anywhere. Finally, don't underestimate Sarko. He's a megalo who has pledged to give France a whole new look and he'll do what he thinks he has to do to change France's image, including go to war.

Finally, don't underestimate Sarko. He's a megalo who has pledged to give France a whole new look and he'll do what he thinks he has to do to change France's image, including go to war.

Yeah, and I'll bet he's also gonna change the French national anthem from La Marseillaise to "France, F*ck Yeah!"  ::)



France go to war with Iran! Haw haw haw!

It'll be a case of the monkey unlocking the lion's cage.  The Frenchies will get the U.S. on their side then wave white flag.  Now it's the U.S. at war with Iran!
::)


Agreed. Even if France does attempt any military action against Iran, all they'll wind up doing is triggering yet another world war and come crying to us to bail their pansy asses out yet again. Don't these cheese-eating surrender monkeys ever learn?

Let's clear something up. France owes the US nothing for their participation in the allied offences which resulted in France's liberation.

The French aren't surrender monkeys or cowards. The French surrendered in WW2 only after fighting and losing hundreds of thousands of soldiers and realising the inevitability of the German victory. The Americans at this time, btw, had not entered the war. In WW1, France lost 1.5 million soldiers.

The French never went whining to the Americans. They had already been defeated by the time the US entered the war. And the Free French  certainly weren't an impetus for American involvement; Pearl Harbour was.

France, along with all the other countries in Western Europe, have more than paid back the US (in dollars and cents) everything they were 'lent' in the War.

And don't get me wrong, I don't think France will declare war on Iran either. But the way people treat it as a ridiculous suggestion because they see France as a weak, cowardly country... well, that's just incorrect. France has suffered war horrors that have never been known or imagined in the US. I'm talking village massacres, gas attacks, the works. And even if the French government finally surrendered to Germany, the French people were bitter and resistant at every turn, and many of them went underground or overseas to fight for the FFI and the allies.

Seriously, whose asses have the French ever kicked?  ::)



Depends how far back you want to go...

Wrong question to ask an Englishman!
:D

I am not maligning the character of the French people.  I'm talking about yet another right-wing loon leading another Western democracy in over its head!  I agree with McDonald about France.  I wouldn't warn people not to underestimate France so much as not to underestimate Iran, and I don't think that's what Sarkozy is doing.

If Sarkozy knew France would go it alone against Iran, I doubt he'd be sabre-rattling. 

Let's clear something up. France owes the US nothing for their participation in the allied offences which resulted in France's liberation.

The French aren't surrender monkeys or cowards. The French surrendered in WW2 only after fighting and losing hundreds of thousands of soldiers and realising the inevitability of the German victory. The Americans at this time, btw, had not entered the war. In WW1, France lost 1.5 million soldiers.

The French never went whining to the Americans. They had already been defeated by the time the US entered the war. And the Free French  certainly weren't an impetus for American involvement; Pearl Harbour was.

France, along with all the other countries in Western Europe, have more than paid back the US (in dollars and cents) everything they were 'lent' in the War.

And don't get me wrong, I don't think France will declare war on Iran either. But the way people treat it as a ridiculous suggestion because they see France as a weak, cowardly country... well, that's just incorrect. France has suffered war horrors that have never been known or imagined in the US. I'm talking village massacres, gas attacks, the works. And even if the French government finally surrendered to Germany, the French people were bitter and resistant at every turn, and many of them went underground or overseas to fight for the FFI and the allies.


I agree that the French don't owe the U.S anything.. but the idea that you've got regarding the French pulling up their sleeves and fighting the German's is misguided. No other country in Europe laid down as quickly as the majority of the French population. In Noway and Poland ridiculously smaller numbers fought ten times as hard and held back the invading forces through sheer suicidal bravery whereas the French were content to lay down arms and allow the Germans to roll through when it became obvious that victory wasn't assured.
Of course, let's not forget the RAF who although facing insurmountable odds, turned the tides of War and took the fight to Berlin (along with, might I add, the aid of the US Air Force - who had been sending pilots and planes long before the U.S actually entered the war.)


Anyway, Sarkozy is impressing me, but he'd be wrong to turn France in to America Jnr which is clearly what he seems to be doing. Presenting a United Front against Iran is the right thing to do, the majority of EU members, The US and Russia are presenting said United Front against Iran developing Nuclear weapons and I'm all for that.

I agree that the French don't owe the U.S anything.. but the idea that you've got regarding the French pulling up their sleeves and fighting the German's is misguided. No other country in Europe laid down as quickly as the majority of the French population. In Noway and Poland ridiculously smaller numbers fought ten times as hard and held back the invading forces through sheer suicidal bravery whereas the French were content to lay down arms and allow the Germans to roll through when it became obvious that victory wasn't assured.
Of course, let's not forget the RAF who although facing insurmountable odds, turned the tides of War and took the fight to Berlin (along with, might I add, the aid of the US Air Force - who had been sending pilots and planes long before the U.S actually entered the war.)


Anyway, Sarkozy is impressing me, but he'd be wrong to turn France in to America Jnr which is clearly what he seems to be doing. Presenting a United Front against Iran is the right thing to do, the majority of EU members, The US and Russia are presenting said United Front against Iran developing Nuclear weapons and I'm all for that.

The French understood the Nazi invasion was like prison rape.  You can fight it, get the living crap knocked out of you, and then get raped.  Or you can just bend over and take it.  Either way, you're gonna get raped.  Riding the same analogy, the thing to do after prison rape is to find the bigger, badder dude on the cellblock and be his b!tch instead...and that's what France did.

Yes, it's a vulgar analogy, but how shall we speak of the Nazis?
::)

The French understood the Nazi invasion was like prison rape.  You can fight it, get the living crap knocked out of you, and then get raped.  Or you can just bend over and take it.  Either way, you're gonna get raped.  Riding the same analogy, the thing to do after prison rape is to find the bigger, badder dude on the cellblock and be his b!tch instead...and that's what France did.

Yes, it's a vulgar analogy, but how shall we speak of the Nazis?
::)



You make a valid point, just wanted to make sure the French weren't seen as the great heroes of the war when it was in fact the considerably smaller forces of the Poles, Norwegians and RAF that put up the bravest fight.

You make a valid point, just wanted to make sure the French weren't seen as the great heroes of the war when it was in fact the considerably smaller forces of the Poles, Norwegians and RAF that put up the bravest fight.


Don<t misunderstand. I'm only trying to make it clear that France isn't a nation of surrender monkeys, not that they are suicidally brave. But tell me this, did Norway, the RAF or the Poles lose 1.5 million soldiers* (not civilians) in the previous war fought with the Germans? Sure, the French knew what was coming, because they had already lived it just a short time before.

Don<t misunderstand. I'm only trying to make it clear that France isn't a nation of surrender monkeys, not that they are suicidally brave. But tell me this, did Norway, the RAF or the Poles lose 1.5 million soldiers* (not civilians) in the previous war fought with the Germans? Sure, the French knew what was coming, because they had already lived it just a short time before.


One would assume not seeing as the three forces mentioned were all small.

I understood your point and it's true, the French are by no means 'surrender monkeys' but the reputation has been somewhat earned, whilst the nations of Northern and Eastern Europe were fighting until the last man the French laid down arms a bit too fast, that being said, you make a fair point, they'd been destroyed during the first world war.

You make a valid point, just wanted to make sure the French weren't seen as the great heroes of the war when it was in fact the considerably smaller forces of the Poles, Norwegians and RAF that put up the bravest fight.


The Swedes and the Swiss remained neutral.  Finland went with the Axis powers, but not because they liked the Nazis, because the frikken despised the Russkies and I can't say I blame 'em! (the Finns in particular).

The Swedes and the Swiss remained neutral.  Finland went with the Axis powers, but not because they liked the Nazis, because the frikken despised the Russkies and I can't say I blame 'em! (the Finns in particular).


The Swedes remained neutral, the Swiss were deeply in the pocket of the Nazi's and should never be forgiven for their heinous participation in the second world war.

France armed Israel with nuclear weapons.  Now, they want to pressure Iran into disarming.  Talk about hypocrisy....

Then again, it's bad enough that we're pretending this is about nukes.  It's about dollar hegemony in the oil trade.  I have a feeling the invasion of Iraq was little more than preparation for invading Iran.  We just needed to get Iran cornered first.

The Swedes remained neutral, the Swiss were deeply in the pocket of the Nazi's and should never be forgiven for their heinous participation in the second world war.


Agreed...  and the Catholic Church should never be forgiven for their spinelessness in the face of Nazism as well.

Agreed...  and the Catholic Church should never be forgiven for their spinelessness in the face of Nazism as well.


Amongst their other atrocities.