dalem

But Velveeta is the Devil's work. Even a cheese philistine (cheesistine?) like myself knows that.

-dale

uzitgc

To be honest, I was very optimistic when Sarkozy got elected.
I thought that France will finally get over its socialist ways and that he would lead France towards a more free-market economic system. He seemed to have everything needed to make a good president: he is young, dynamic, smart, spontaneous.
So far however, he hasn't made (in my opinion) any major political success. In fact, he's made quite a few errors, which set him back as a president:

• European Central Bank dispute
• Arms trade deal with Lybia
• Did not reduce state expenditure since entry into office

The fact that he's strengthened up France's relationship with the United States doesn't make him a good president. Don't get me wrong, I think he's better than Chirac. But he has yet to prove that France can do better than that.

gunnut

Good points. However you can't just come into office one day and say we're gonna reduce spending/deficit and make our economy more market oriented. There are a lot of resistances to reform, especially in an old world nation like that. Tradition and personal relationship run deep. It'll take some time to even stop the momentum of the socialist train.

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"Only Nixon can go to China." -- Old Vulcan proverb.

Bluesman

Absolutely correct, and I believe they started about 10 years too late. I don't believe there's a way off the runaway train now, they'll just get to hell a bit later than the socialists would've got them there.

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"The quickest way of ending a war is to lose it, and if one finds the prospect of a long war intolerable, it is natural to disbelieve in the possibility of victory."
- George Orwell

uzitgc

Yes of course, which is why I titled my post 'still waiting'. Can't really judge yet.
What I'd really like is to see a French version of Maggie Thatcher
That would sort everything out..
Anyway, time will tell..

Pablo Cortez

I supposed when I signed up that this was a group genuinely interested in history and geopolitics. What a disappointment to find out that its just a bunch of Rushie xenophobes. It's great that Sarkozy wants to repair the relationship between France and the USA, but it was Bush and the neoconservatives created the problem with their policy of "my way or the highway". Arrogance is a sure way to uniting our enemies and alienating our friends---even a superpower can't go it alone.

Ryan Bailey

It is indeed a blessing to welcome a newly inspired French Republic into the coalition of free states fighting for the future of mankind against Communism & Terrorism.

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"If we will not be governed by God then we will be ruled by tyrants" -William Penn

Parihaka

Actually it can, as Bush has demonstrated. Love him or loath him, he has shown the world that America once again means what it says and does what it says it will do. Both it's enemies and friends are beginning to respect it because of that.

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In the realm of spirit, seek clarity; in the material world, seek utility.
Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz

gunnut

We are interested in history and geopolitics. Sorry to disappoint you that we aren't interested in your brand of history and geopolitics.

You are welcome to join any number of leftist, liberal, socialist forum on the internet.

Don't like what we have to say, don't stay. You have a choice. This is a free country.

Feanor

Really? I was under the impression that most still hated you guys

This being the DPRK ??

gunnut

This should suit him even more. He'll be forced to join liberal leftist forums that are more to his taste.

Bluesman

Sorry we're such a disappointment to you.

You can find the exit, I imagine.

JAD_333

It seems you would prefer that Bush had mollified the French and not toppled Saddam. While good relations with France ought to be and is an objective of US foreign policy, the US is hardly going to shape its policy simply to suit France. The rift between France and the US over the Iraq war wasn't really a new development. It was the direct legacy of Charles de Gaulle's independent foreign policy.

France under de Gaulle began making moves on the international scene that antagonized its allies, particularly the US, the UK, and even Israel. Just to name a few: He sought to weaken US economic position in Europe by tendering France's dollar holdings for US gold; he developed nuclear weapons despite objections from the US and France's neighbors; he condemned Israel's occupation of the west bank after the 6-days war and permanently withdrew military support for Israel; thereafter he adopted a policy more favorable to the Arabs than to Israel (a policy that is still in play today); he denied UK membership in the EC several times, despite the UK's role in liberating France during WWII; he recognized China over the objections of the US and the UK; he distained the UN for the most part; he withdrew in part from NATO and would not allow NATO headquarters to locate in France...and as a last slap, he directed that no heads of state be invited to his funeral.

From de Gaulle's time until now, France has been a thorn in the side of many of its allies. So, don't blame Bush for the on-again, off again relationship between the US and France. Perhaps Sarkozy's US visit marks a sea-change in France's foreign policy. On the other hand, France may have come to the same conclusion as the US as to the danger Iran poses and only appears to have changed her independent ways. We'll see.

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To be Truly ignorant, Man requires an Education. (Plato)

JAD_333

[quote=Feanor;425594]Really? I was under the impression that most still hated you guys

The operative word is respect, not love.

Are you in Baghdad?

uzitgc

Ok, but do you think France would have the same political power it has now if De Gaule didn't do those things?