French Polls

[Klaus]

Also my other problem is this:

the top 4 trade nations with Iraq (in order)
1. France
2. Russia
3. Australia
4. China

Top 3 Creditor Nations of Iraq (in order)
1.France
2.Russia
3.China

3 Countries with the largest oil contracts and oil field construction contracts with Iraq.

-France
-Russia
-Germany

Trade: lots of those trades were because of the UN Oil for food program, Iraq could choose where to buy the Food and the Medicine.
So the sheer numbers of trade volume don't help much.
And if we look who sold which weapons (and focus on the whole time the Baath party rules this country) it looks verry different.

Debts:
as i mentioned in other threads, just because there is a regime change in Iraq i see no reason why this would automaticaly drop the debts (if it was like this it would be easy for the African countries to get rid of their debts, no reason for a "drop the debts campaign)

To the contracts the same, if a regme change changes this contracts i would begin to understand the "no blood for oil" campaign of the "PeaceNiks"

Klaus

 

[verte76]

Well, considering the fact that the U.S. is connected to some other countries with massive human rights violations (like China) we're not exactly clean either in the grand scheme of things. Iraq is at the forefront now for obvious reasons.

 

[verte76]

I predict that in two years the U.S. and France will find something to agree on. Or maybe it will be the U.K. and France. France will recognize the post-war Iraqi government or something. The rift might not be completely forgotten but it will be mostly history. I think the Cold French War is only temporary. It's not doing anyone any good. It's bad for the U.S. It's bad for France. It will be stopped.

 

[nbcrusader]

Debts:
as i mentioned in other threads, just because there is a regime change in Iraq i see no reason why this would automaticaly drop the debts (if it was like this it would be easy for the African countries to get rid of their debts, no reason for a "drop the debts campaign)

True, the debts might not automatically go away, but how would the creditors enforce the debts? It's not like there is a court that would enforce repayment.

My guess is that their only hope of repayment is based on the relationship with Saddam's regime.

 

[Klaus]

nbcrusader:

Well they could use military force to ..
ok, sorry that was not a good joke

Imho there are lots of better ways to get your money back than to trust the word of a dictator.

For me this "logic" still seems to be invented to discredit the "peace-countries"

Klaus

 

[baener]

Chirac's apology to Queen



Chirac ... apology




By DAVE MASTERS

THE QUEEN has received a letter from French President Jacques Chirac apologising for the desecration of a British War cemetery, Buckingham Palace said today.

In the letter he described the anti-war graffiti plastered over the First World War monuments at Etaples, near Calais, as "inadmissible and shameful."

A reply was being prepared on the advice of government ministers, the Palace said.

The letter, delivered to the Queen at Windsor, read: "From the French people and from me personally, I offer you my deepest regrets."

He also said the thoughts of the French were with British soldiers currently fighting in Iraq, despite recent opinion polls showing 80% of French people being opposed to war.



Sickening ... abuse sprayed on cenotaph


The letter comes a day after we reported how vandal?s spray-painted insults including "Dig up your rubbish, it?s contaminating our soil," at a cemetery containing the remains of 11,000 British and other allied soldiers.

France?s Secretary of State for Veterans? Affairs, Hamlaoui Mekachera, was today travelling to Etaples for a wreath-laying ceremony of remembrance, accompanied by representatives of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

 

[Klaus]

baener:

that's better and more deescalating than renaming food to freedom-something

 

[verte76]

I am pleased to read about the apology. I think it's honest. I don't think grave desecration is what Chirac and Co. had in mind and I'm sure they are genuinely angry and upset about this. I know I am and I'm not liking this campaign against French things that have nothing to do with war.