He's shaking, he's on his way out

[MURACU]

Road

I don't get it because Europe sucked them into a hole and tried to eradicate their race.

I think you need to recheck your history. If you said germany tried to eradicate their race that would be closer to the truth. I doubt if anyone from the UK or even those in france who died to save jewish children would agree with that statement. Isreal came about because all the westren powers, US included felt guilty. Noone really believed or wanted to believe what was happening in occupied Europe. After the war the area that is Isreal rebelled against England and the easiest solution was to give the land over to the Israelies. The land people talk about as been stolen is palestien which is occupied half by Isreal and half by Jordan following the last war .
I know it is not too popular in the US at the moment but there were more French men fighting for the allies than for the germans. If it wasnt for the French resistance blocking a couple of german SS panzer division from making it to the beaches europe might not have been liberated by the westren allies.
As you said France is a lot like the US or the UK or any nation, in that it will protect its national interest before it worries about its allies. To say France always disagrees with the US is wrong if it did it wouldnt have played a major part in Afganistan. Of course that might not have made it to the american public. You can check out the state departement web site for more details on the official US position on france.
In most cases the US and France have differances when it come to Africa where the US is trying to build up its influance while Franceis trying to keep its. Other than that France and the US were rarely in opposition till baby bush got into power. That could be because Chirac is on good terms with daddy bush but has problems with his son. I reckon that it is because they are too much alike.
On the Arafat question their is a very good quote:
why does treason never prosper because if it prospers none dare call it treason.
The same goes for the terrorist problem. I see it every day with the problem in the north of Ireland. A lot of the people in power today are reconised terrorist. The thing that made the PLO different was the fact that it targeted civilians and for that alone he should be tried.

[RoadClosed]

My application to history is simple and harsh. Not everyone in France and the surrounding country side was totally on the allied side. You as a torn people stood aside while Nazi's flooded your steets and took those members of a race prisoner and loaded them on a trains and tractors. No one stood in their way except Poland and they were crushed because the entire might of industial Germany was on them. That was the time to join and attack. Did the Germans out number you as a collective Europe? Those collected in France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland or the entire Eastern block before Lenin devestated them? Did the words of the Nazi pary appeal to you when Hitler blamed Europes problems on the Jews?

Attacks on oulaying conties and then Britain didn't come from Germany, they game from Calias, Zebrugge, Amsterdam etc and they were not all German. In fact there were some Americans in there as well when Germany made the call for Arian Brothers to join the homeland. People even got excited across the Atlantic to join the socialist workers party and make blame for world issues on a minority race.

My point was Isreal didn't steal anything and Arafat isn't a saint because he bomb school children and cafes where people work and play, he sometimes even kills his own.

Having said that, I know there are good people who resisted the Nazi party but many felt the same way as Hitler until it was too late to turn back and the truth was known. In many cases the local people didn't know or drowned out what was happening around them.

Perhaps Chirac doesn't like Baby bush because he said "we don't need your permission to defend our country" world leaders have some huge egos. Then add in Isreals constant backlash at France for supporting Arafat and our desire to support Isreal and then Frances economic ties to the middle east and you have ONE BIG ****ING MESS>

[MURACU]

Well said as usual. The main reason that Bush hates Chirac is because he called bush senior to congraulate him on his son election. i.e. Chirac never really took bush jr serious and as you said world leaders have some huge egos.

[Tedob1]

GEORGE Bush yesterday offered an olive branch to hostile European leaders — but was snubbed by the French President.

Referring to divisions over the Iraq war, the re-elected US leader said: “Whatever our past disagreements, we share a common enemy. I will continue to reach out to our partners in the EU.”

Mr Bush also said he will use his new muscle to defeat terrorism. He said: “I earned political capital in the election and I intend to spend it.”

But French President Jacques Chirac — dubbed Le Worm — was doing his best to scupper bridge-building.

He will snub a meeting with Iraqi PM Iyad Allawi in Brussels today. It is a sleight aimed at Mr Bush and Tony Blair, who back Mr Allawi.

Chirac — who tried to stop the war to topple Saddam Hussein — will leave Brussels before the new Iraqi leader arrives.

However Chirac DID find time to visit Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in hospital yesterday.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2004512444,00.html

[!mitationRust]

" 99% of the world population", Who is left the keepers of the forest? That is so radical 99% "better dead than alive ", that's similar thinking to Hitler and his sick world view.
Who belongs in this select, self-righteous 1%, you?

Originally posted here by Negative
I'm not asking respect for the man's deeds, Road. Sharon (and 99% of the world population...) is in the same "better dead than alive" category for me, but you won't see me jump on his grave when he dies.

When Iraqi insurgents did the same to American casualties (remember the "trophy"-drive through town), what I heard from this community was "they're animals, beasts. Humans don't do that". You guys just placed yourself in the same category as far as I'm concerned.

[!mitationRust]

Originally posted here by Negative

I never understood why it's ok for Israel to steal land that is not theirs. Guess it's because they're irrelevant, but happen to be backed by a super-power? And when people stand up against an attacker, they're called terrorists? That'd make Bush (and Kerry, too) a terrorist. I just don't get it...

Who is to say what land belongs to who, land has switched hands in every area in different periods. Do you get that?

The Land of Israel, has switched hands over and over again. The question is who is squatting where?

Inscriptions from the Land of Israel: inscriptions from the Land of Israel that date from the Hellenistic period (c. 330 BCE) through the Persian conquest (614 C.E.). These inscriptions were written and carved in stone (and other durable materials) and inlaid in mosaics. They were written in Hebrew, Aramaic, Latin, and Greek by Jews, Christians, and pagans....etc

Originally posted here by Negative
As usual, Tedob, I have no idea what you're talking about... were you trying to quote me?
If I understand you correctly: yes, people cheering the destruction of the twin towers fall in the same category. What's the difference between people cheering someone's death out on the streets and people cheering someone's death on AntiOnline?

And the French helped you ( if not "won it for you") win the Civil War... it's pathetic to "write off" a country as irrelevant just because they don't agree with you.
I think I'm going to do the same from now on. I'll start with Albania as the number one country that is totally irrelevant. Next will be all the other Eastern European countries (because let's face it: they really are irrelevant and the world would be better off without them); then come the Muslim countries (they ALL are nuts! Irrelevant!). Then come countries in South America (they're immigrants! Illegal, even). Then let's get rid of Western Europe! Oh wait, we can't... We can only rename their foods and stuff... that should scare them AND make us so popular and macho and stuff. Next: the Chinese. Wait, no... there's too many of them... Indians? Nah... they give us programmers and stuff...

Now you are babbling.

[Negative]

Yups... I'm trying to follow your train of thought. It ain't easy to derail that often.

[11001001]

Originally posted here by RoadClosed
... and the world rejoices. Arafat is back.

As of this morning, amid many conflicting reports, he is Brain-Dead in a French Hospital.