They had to save the Americans back in the 1770's and then they had to help them destroy the Taliban in Afghanistan, and now they got the Hezbollah mess. Not to mention all the whining about sending the French into the disastrous quagmire known as Iraq. Why the French?
2006-08-17 06:30:27 · 29 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Military
Sometimes it's tempting for the US to think they are the only people on earth who have an opinion. The French way of thinking is radically different from US foreign policy. There's a few comments here about Vietnam - which is quite interesting. The French realised that the Vietnamese were going to acheive independence and withdrew. Ultimately the US did the same - after ruining a generation of their kids. The French just managed to do it and retain some dignity.
The French will play an important role in Lebanon as they have large Labanese communities in France and Europe generally. The French military is highly organised and very effective - and in recent years has acted professionally and decisively - but has not allowed itself to become entangled in messy long term affairs. They recently neutralised the airforce of Ivory Coast in a matter of two hours of air operations. Sure - that's not the same as Iraq - but the point was they had clear objectives, acheived them and then got out. They also managed it without turning it into a Hollywood media extravaganza. That's a substantial improvement over some wars one could mention.
In Lebanon they will play an impotant role - but what will be more impotant will be the role played by European military generally. If they act together with good co ordination, then that could signal the emergence of a military force in years to come - and that is a whole different story.
2006-08-17 20:19:42 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
This question is either meant to be humurous, sarcastic, or you really don't know what you're talking about.
They gave little assistance in Afghanistan, and Lebanon is a UN operation, not just France.
I'd have to say that saving France in WWI, WWII, and bailing them out of Indo-China more than makes up for any assistance they've ever given the US.
Besides, why NOT the French?
2006-08-17 10:43:37 · answer #2 · answered by PaulHolloway1973 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You have the US confused with some other country . One that would dare ask the biggest whiners on earth to help out. Frankly, they are not capable of helping out, because the muslim loving French are the most self serving people on earth.
I'm confused about the French helping out in Afghanistan. When the hell did they ever get involved with Afghanistan? And if they did, it was through NATO. If that's the case, it was NATO that asked the French to get involved, certainly not the US.
We can tolerate a lot of bull crap on this blog, however most Americans see very little humor in the French. They are a lazy, smelly, arrogant, self serving, and un-appreciative lot. Certainly not one the US could ever depend on, in a time of crises.
2006-08-17 06:52:57 · answer #3 · answered by briang731/ bvincent 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The French didn't commit themselves to the US revolutionary war until AFTER it became clear that the British would lose. They chose their position only after it was safe to come off the fence. had they done so earlier Britain likely would have faced them on French soil which would have been disastrous for the French.
If they hadn't practiced cut and run when Lebanon was freed as a colony the issue wouldn't even exist today.
The United States' entering of Viet Nam was because the French started a war and couldn't finish it.
The US didn't want France to send troops to Iraq, they wanted France to support it in the Security Council. But since France was getting kickbacks from the Oil-For-Food debacle they had no interest in shuting off that pipeline of illegal cash.
Why the French is a good question. Why do we still treat them as allies, they act with only their best interest in mind and damn all others.
ADDED: and this just in off Reuters. France doubles it's committment to UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Forces In Lebanon). After proposing the UN increase the number of troops to 15,000 France decided to double it's presence in Lebanon... from 200 to 400. How is that supposed to help?
2006-08-17 06:45:37 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 8⤊ 0⤋
I think the french now days have a better way of life than the 'American dream'. Its true the French do have to clean up a lot of mess made by the US, but the US has also helped out the french several times so i guess they are even.
2006-08-17 06:40:39 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
The French certainly look after themselves first. But at least they turn up at the beginning of the war. AS for WW1 Victory was in sight when the yanks decided to join in 3 years late and WW2 well the Russians would have one in the end
2006-08-17 14:33:08 · answer #6 · answered by mkayling 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
"Bail out the Americans?" With 200 troops?
Big Woop! LOL
Hezbollah has become more of a "crime" problem than a war. How is a war on crime won?
America did not create the Lebanon problem. Lebanon has been a problem for many years thanks mainly to the French.
Hezbollah has been an international problem for 25 years -- or haven't you noticed?
1982 Hezbollah is created taking responsibility for attacks under the name "Islamic Jihad."
July 19, 1982: Kidnapped the president of the American University in Beirut, Davis S. Dodge.
April 18, 1983:Attacked the U.S. Embassy in Beirut with a car bomb, killing 63 people, 17 of whom were American citizens.
Sept. 20, 1984: Attacked the U.S. Embassy annex in Beirut killing 2 Americans and 22 others.
March 16, 1984: Kidnapped and murdered William F. Buckley, a CIA operative working at the U.S. Embassy in Beirut.
April 12, 1984: Attacked a restaurant near the US Air Force Base in Spain killing 18 US servicemen and injured 83 others.
Dec. 4, 1984: Hijacked a Kuwait Airlines plan, murdering four passengers including two Americans.
Feb. 16, 1985: Publicizes its manifesto -- ... the struggle will continue until Israel is destroyed and rejects any cease-fire or peace treaty with Israel.
June 14, 1985: Hijack TWA flight 847, severely beating Robert Stethem, a US Navy diver, before killing him and dumping his body onto the tarmac at the Beirut airport.
Feb. 17, 1988: Kidnapped and killed Col. William Higgins, a U.S. Marine serving with a U.N. truce monitoring group in Lebanon.
March 17, 1992: Bombs the Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires with the help of Iranian intelligence, killing 29 and injuring over 200.
July 18, 1994: Bombs Jewish community center in Buenos Aires -- with Iranian help -- killing 86 and injuring over 200.
Nov. 28, 1995: Hezbollah bombs town in northern Israel
March 30, 1996: Fires 28 Katyusha rockets in to northern Israeli towns. A week later, fires 16 rockes, injuring 36 Israelis.
Aug. 19, 1997: Opens fire on northern Israel with dozens of rockets
Oct. 7, 2000: Attacks Israeli military post and raids Israel, kidnapping three Israeli soldiers. Kidnapped Israeli businessman. In 2004, Israel frees over 400 Arab prisoners in exchange for the businessman and the bodies of the three soldiers.
Sept. 2 2004: U.N. Security Council Resolution 1559 calls for "the disbanding and disarmament of all Lebanese and non-Lebanese militias," a reference to Hezbollah.
March 10, 2005: The European Parliament overwhelmingly passes a resolution statin: "Parliament considers that clear evidence exists of terrorist activities by Hezbollah. The (EU) Council should take all necessary steps to curtail them." The European Union nonetheless refrains from placing the group on its list of terror organizations.
July 12, 2006: Attacks Israel with Katyushas, crosses the border and kidnaps two Israeli soldiers. Three Israeli soldiers killed in initial attack. Five more soldiers killed as Israel launches operation to rescue the soldiers and push Hezbollah from its border. Hezbollah launces rockets into towns across northern Israel.
2006-08-17 11:21:05 · answer #7 · answered by Hatikvah 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Did you forget about World War 1 and 2? I think the Americans bailed them out from being ruled by Germans.
2006-08-17 07:01:43 · answer #8 · answered by NOVA50 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Who bailed France out during WWI and WWII? Oh that's right the US did! Since when is Lebanon our mess? I don't know why America bails anyone out of their jams. It's not like they appreciate it in the long run. No one can ever just be thankful.
2006-08-17 06:46:18 · answer #9 · answered by Luekas 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Gee, why did we bail them out in WWI and WWII?
The French helped with the American Revolution solely for the purpose of pissing off the English.
2006-08-17 06:39:01 · answer #10 · answered by mason p 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋