The anti-french feeling in America at the moment seems a bit ludicrous to me. I mean, come on, freedom fries?
I'd just like to say I don't think there's anything wrong with the french.
Where do you stand?

The USA supply weapons to Israel which largely fuels the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, because 'if you've got a hammer then everything looks like a nail', and by giving the Israels such a huge volume of firing power it leads to them using it as much as possible and many innocent Palestinians get killed in the process…

I'm just trying to make the point that France isn't the only country that's supported another in this way, even though it leads to violence.
In the end it all comes down to resources I think. France had a deal with Iraq because it meant they prospered from it.

USA invaded Iraq because they will prosper from it in the end. It eliminates a threat to America, as well as getting them lots of oil, and possibly making relations better between the Western and Eastern world.

It's naive to assume that the USA invaded Iraq because they felt sorry for the Iraqi people. It was purely for their own benefit.

The same goes for the actions of France. Each country is protecting its own best interests, and I think its childish to resort to juvenile insults just because France didn't have the USA's best interests at heart, or the interests of Iraq… They were thinking of their OWN interests and don't pretend the USA isn't doing the same.

-Pen

Moonchild, what the French did was collaborate with a regime that was one of the worst since Nazi Germany. The French sold weapons illegally after the Gulf War to the Iraqis (that were used by the Iraqis), got oil deals (while callilng this a war for oil, all the while getting rich off human suffering), and spread anti-Americanism around to further their agendas. Thats why people in this country hate the French, if you don't understand that or think that its "unprovoked" even after hearing all this then you are truly naive and stupid.

It's been kind of baffling to me, this anti-french feeling in the United States. I mean we live in a free country right, we allow others to express their opinion? But, wait, we might allow them to but if they disagree with us we mock them relentlessly and call them 'smelly'? God, sounds like politicians are participating in the psychological study 'contacting your inner third grader.' Freedom fries, that's ridiculous...but please I'd like something sweet; how about a slice of AROGANT PIE?

We may have sold them weapons years ago, but the French continued to do so after the gulf war Outspoken! Thats why everyone's angry at them, they had illegal weapons and oil deals with Iraq even after Saddam invaded Iraq and killed thousands, and opposed war to protect them!

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they are dirty and selling crap to Iraq,

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Um, sure, I'm sure some of the French are dirty, but I'll be some of the Americans are too. Sometimes, it's not one's fault for smelling bad.

We sold stuff to Iraq 20(ish) years ago, so why aren't you complaining about that as well?

more later. school now.

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While many accused America of pursuing a war in Iraq for oil, the reality is the French pursued the continuation of a false "peace" in a tyrannical Iraq for the exact same reasons.

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WOO HOOO!!!!
Just when I thought no one knows what the hell they are saying, someone like you comes along...

very good

The main reason for so much of the hatred towards France is simple: They treated Saddam's dictatorship like a customer. The French armed the Iraqis with nuclear reactors and missiles at various points, and maintained oil deals as well as other illegal business practices with the Iraqis.

Now, given these deals as well as the corruption of Chirac's government, what could be the biggest reason for the French's opposition to war? Business deals, it is Chirac who values Iraqis lives over oil, not Bush. And even it that was the case, at least under Bush millions in Iraq now have Freedom from one of the most hated regimes in History, one which the French have allowed to stay in power for years while belittling the United States efforts as Unilateral (when they have launched countless Unilateral and unsupported wars, without UN approval).

It should be noted that we helped, even liberated, the French at numerous times during the 20th century without getting anything in return. We saved France from the Germans in both World Wars, helped rebuild France and much of Europe after both world wars, and continued to fight unsuccessfully in formerly French controlled Vietnam after the French army deserted us. What did the United States government and American people get in return? Leftist anti-Americanism and constant opposition in the United Nations. This is more than a slap in the face, that we continually helped a country for no money, and when we ask for their support they feebly attempt to rally the UN against us (in manipulative and self-serving ways too, might I add).

France has used its power in the UN unfairly as well, intimidating other countries into voting its way while turning on some of its former allies (Britain and America). The reason for the resentment towards France has little to do with their war stance, but the corruption and hypocrisy of the government and many of the French. While many accused America of pursuing a war in Iraq for oil, the reality is the French pursued the continuation of a false "peace" in a tyrannical Iraq for the exact same reasons.

I have no problem with the French voicing their opinion against the war, you’re extremely naive if you think that this is the only reason a lot of people are angry at France. I'm against the war but I'm not happy with France because number one their president is a self admitted friend of Saddam, and number two they have been giving bio-weapon technology to Iraq, also they have a substantial economic deal with Iraq.
I could give a crap less if they are not for the war, but don't say this is the only reason why I’m not happy with France.

the whole french thing just makes us look stupid and like petty bickering children. First of all i dont believe its right to judge a whole people on their governments actions... i mean i wouldn't want to be sterotyped on what Bush did and peeps to assume all americans agree with everything the government does becuase thay don't and its the same in france. So i have no problem w/ the french people i agree w/ them in not supporting the war, but i wont get into that now... and dont take it out on the leaders they r just trying to represent the people and if 75% of the people r against the war as the representive of the people dont u have 2 go w/ the people and not support the war? If other countries got so mad w/ each other 4 1 little differnce in opinion every1 would be at each others throats 24/7 and also they r our friends and as friends they r just voicing their honst opinion and u cant yell at them 4 that... its like yelling at ur frkiend 4 telling u look bad in that outfit... they just want 2 help u and save ur further embarrassment and thats what the french r trying 2 do. Also their people dont feel threatened by Saddam and haven't been through all the terrosism we have so u cant blame them cuz we did alot e4 saying it hasn't affected us so we dont care so its being hipocritical. Also finially u should never sterotype a mass group of people cuz it will only anger u and make u mis out on people that r amazing but because of ur closemindedness u will never see it and it really will be ue loss. Streotyping the french as anti-american is like when we put Japanese people in camps in WWII cuz the govt. thought they were against us or post 9/11 when people sterotype all muslim or arab people and use racial profiling we were wrong then and will realize soon we r wrong now. U can say u think they should have agreed w/ us but u can say that about alot of Americans so realize it ends there and the french did nothing to u so y r u doing this 2 them?

For crying out loud! Why do (a lot of) Americans have to be so incredibly patriotic all the time? I mean there's pride in your country, and then there's beating up anybody that doesn't HAVE pride in your country despite not even coming from your country in the first place!
(If that makes any sense).
I think the whole thing is very childish. So France wouldn't support America in the war? I don't see what the big deal is. France had their own agenda.

They didn't make the wisest decision in not supporting America because, to be honest, it was pretty obvious from the outset that the USA would win… And you want to back the winning side. But in the end all the french government were ham-fistedly trying to do was to protect their own interests, which is what every country is trying to do when it comes down to it!

Now France is in for a bit of trouble because they've offended the biggest bully in the playground: USA.

Don't deny it! The States have always been sulky when it comes to war. Look at Vietnam! Bad losers or what? Vietnam was (and might still be, I don't know the details) an impoverished country for a long, long time after the war, simply because the USA were being bad losers and making things as difficult for the Vietnamese as they could. The war was over! Get over it! But in a lot of ways the US still bears a grudge. It's stupid and childish, and the same goes for slagging off the french.

It was the french government that made the decision not to back the war. NOT every individual french person on the planet. Would you, personally, like to be blamed and subjected to childish insults because of a decision Bush makes, as if you made it personally?

Beware of steriotyping. If I wanted to be childish about America I could say that all americans are fat, arrogant, loud and obnoxious… But I KNOW that's not true just as the French are not all foolish, snail-eating bigots that play bad music on the accordian, and not all of the english are straight-laced, cold, old-fashioned snobs that like to go fox-hunting every weekend.

Sheesh, grow up.

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Can you really blame the French though? With all the bloody (literally) wars they've been through, I think it's rather understandable. Hell, the Reign of Terror alone...

Whereas here, in America, we don't have quite so many wars...significant ones...and we like to follow our leaders blindly into the dark abyss of stupidity, then wonder how the hell we got here
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90% of which were their own fault, I disagree with the war but I have no love for France right now, they are dirty and selling crap to Iraq, so they are not favorable to me. I think the freedom fries and all that is a little bit ridiculous but I still say we should show that we aren't happy with their country.
Also I'm sure a lot of you know the saying, all the intelligent Frenchmen either left or were killed during their Revolution.

Can you really blame the French though? With all the bloody (literally) wars they've been through, I think it's rather understandable. Hell, the Reign of Terror alone...

Whereas here, in America, we don't have quite so many wars...significant ones...and we like to follow our leaders blindly into the dark abyss of stupidity, then wonder how the hell we got here.

...
how many people has this war p!ssed off?

Well, the French are stupid in that they won't support the war. I personally think the freedom fries thing is funny.

i think it's a bit childish changing the name.
later!