Why is France so chummy with the Muslim middle eastern nations?

Question

If someone could give me an explanation from both sides, French-Middle Eastern and anti-French American, that would be awesome.

Also, please no ranting and no assuming of my position on this. I honestly don't have a strong (or any) opinion.

Okay, I guess I have to be more specific.

America supports Israel because of our ridiculously large number of evangelical "Christians" who believe Israel fulfills prophecy.

Also, I know the French like Americans but hate our government.

I'm wondering why France has funds Iranian cinema, supported Ayotallah Khomeini, and lets such a huge number of non-peaceful middle easterners into their country.

I have nothing against France, the Muslim middle east, Israel, or the USA....

There were a lot of informative answers from different viewpoints, so I'll put this question to vote.

Answer 1

Actually the French hate us not just our government.

France has very little oil, it needs the OPEC imports.

And we don't support Israel because of religion...It is financial the IAPAC is a major contributor to both parties.

Answer 2

I think that France can identify with the weak because though it was a colonial country it did get occupied by the Germans. The US on the other hand was never occupied.

Also, France has a smaller military power, so it has to play the game differently. France uses the friendly approach and gains more economically and otherwise. It has Arabs buying French made weapons.

One last thing is that France has good relationships with countries it previously occupied like Lebanon(where more people speak french than English), Algeria and Syria.

Answer 3

Frances connection with the muslim world is from there colonial days. The french have had over a hundred years of dealing with the arab problems and know stupid slogans don't cut it. To rule these people is to see things from there view as well as your own it's not a popular way but has served france well. This is why france is welcome though out the arab world and we are not. Not because the arabs agree with the french but because the french will give them a fair shake.

Answer 4

It is oil you know and I myself get sick and tired of these people who call themeslves the French government.Sometimes I do not undrstand them at all.One thing I saw when I was young I see how the French colonized the Laotian people and allowed them to be lazy.I do not like them the French and I give up my trip to France.I do not drink French Wines because,they do not help anyone.( this is my opinion ) oh I do not eat French food either.By the way sinec the Iraq war the American tour to France is very low,and I love it.It about time the American fight back.

Answer 5

I have visited france many times. The french seem to truely love American people, but hate our government. 5 years ago, our friends, the french, told us to stay out of iraq. They knew no good would come of it. We are stuck in iraq now, and the french were correct. Conservative media claim that the french hate Americans, while the french just dislike our government, not the people of America.

Answer 6

Did you miss the terroristic pouinding France took from Algeria in the previous decades? More recently look at the riots that rocked the french countryside. France is adequately occupied and subdued.

Answer 7

Mohammed has very well explained friendship between France and some Arab countries.

As concerns Lebanon, it has to remember that it was a French protectorate until 1943 and that 45% of Lebanese people speak French.

I’m French and I like Lebanon very much, a very beautiful country and Lebanese people are very warm. I have some admiration for their joys of life in spite of all the wars they had to live. I feel sad that our government do not help more Lebanon.

Having 10% of our people being Muslim, we know by living close to them that they are not the evil that Bush wants us to believe they are. Just people like us who aspire to live in peace. Even if discrimination and racism in France brought about issues with some of Muslim youth, this is a minority.

I feel deeply sad when I see so many Lebanese civilians being killed and I’m very rancorous and hateful with USA who was the only nation of UN who opposed to a cease-fire. So here in France, as in many other countries, we consider that USA is as much responsive of this war as Israel is.

I feel hateful with US’s government but also with American ones who support Bush’s Foreign policy and who are unable to talk without reciting Bush’s doctrine about how to bring peace and democracy in middle-west by killing thousand of innocents.

Most of French people are convinced that we can’t fight terrorism with war, as war nourishes hate and hate nourishes terrorism. Look at what happens in Lebanon, only a few part of Lebanese people supported Hezbollah in June 2006, now and after they have seen their family killed most of them are now supporting Hezbollah. One innocent killed by Israel, then 10 persons convert to Hezbollah.

This war, as Iraq’s war did, wakes up Anti-Americanism here in France, because by reading American press, or reading Yahoo, we can see that most Americans continue to support Bush’s Foreign policy.

Well, I’m just here speaking about war, but I could give you some others reasons to my Anti-Americanism. I will do if you want.

Answer 8

They used to occupy Lebanon and other portions of the mid east, they have history with them, and are currently occupied with so many Algerians that like to riot they are afraid.

Answer 9

the same reason that the usa is so chummy with israel

Answer 10

most European nations are fare & have justice thats why they support the abused & suppresed