The only reason that the French were there for us was they hated England, and they had a vested interest in the Louisianna Territory and what is now Canada.

Totally true. In the same way, the only reason US invaded europe in WWII was because they were attacked by hitler and were afraid of the Soviet Union progression.

That doesn't change the fact, one more time, that french people death have been useful to your independence and that US boys sacrifies have been useful to our freedom.

Don't you agree Glockmail ?

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Yes Glockmail, you're right. Plus the French were opposed to the english for ages and the independance of America also meant a weaker England as the ultimate consequence. But honestly, in politics there is seldomly room for morale (what a pitty we must say, I guess). Or do you believe the USA invaded Iraq only because it felt sorry for the Iraqies?? The USA has spent uncountable billions of dollors for invading Iraq because Bush felt sorry??That would be a little naive to believe. Even the USA is pursuing certain interests in Iraq, besides liberating the Iraqies from saddam, without speculating now....
No matter for what reasons the French supported the Americans during that war, they did support you in the end and that is what counts, and that is why you have a free country today, think about it.
Think about other things too, think about that almost a third of all American exports are sold in europe (and the other way around too), think about that in the end we do have a common culture, no matter the differences currently. Think about stuff like that, and in the end it might seem unnecessary to scream at each other. And especially think a about one thing, people in europe are not ranting because they are born ultra evil, they are just acting the way every human would act, the way YOU would act, were you born as an European. There is really no need to hate each other, except of course if you desperatly want to have an enemy and someone you can scream at, for that desease there is no medicine, unfortunately.....

Nice formulated.

Welcome to the forum btw

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When the Nazis came for the communists I remained silent, I was no communist.
When the Nazis came for the Unionists I remained silent, I was no Unionist.
When the Nazis came for the Social Democrats I remained silent, I was no Social Democrat.
When the Nazis came for the Jews I remained silent, I was no Jew.
When the Nazis came for me, there was no one left who could protest.

Well,
As to 'Anti-Americanism', I can certainly say that it is on the rise in S. Am.

I have been going to Brasil for over 2 decades, am married to a baina, and it was only last year that I was ever publically disparaged because I am an Americano.

An old woman spat at my feet in Salvador because I was wearing a Wisconsin ballcap.

Likewise, my student teacher came back from Sweden and when I asked how the Swedes viewwd us, she smiled and said: 'Fat, stupid, football cheerleaders.'

I agree that the French were useful to us back in the 1700s, yes. I also agree that we have been useful to them in WW1 and 2. Then why do they continue to stab us in the back during contemporary times?

See my post below.

Its no secret since the Monroe doctrine, that the US more or less views Latin America is its own backyard. Somehow more internal policy than foreign.

I guess its only natural that the South Americans now in the end reject this slightly "colinialisational" habit. They want to be respected as souvereign nations, not as something where the US says which regime or which government is good and which has to be putched away again.

Off course this justified resentiment against those actions can turn into unjustified anti American sentiments against the US American people. But as soon as you respect Latin America as fully souvereign where you have not more to say about their internal affairs than eg Europe or China, it might ease again.

Well, what do those Americans who happen to know that Austria is located actually in Europe and not where the kangoroos hop think about its citizen? Lederhosen wearing jodeling sound of music singing slightly retarded Alm-Öhis?

I guess thats what national prejudices are supposed to be.

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When the Nazis came for the communists I remained silent, I was no communist.
When the Nazis came for the Unionists I remained silent, I was no Unionist.
When the Nazis came for the Social Democrats I remained silent, I was no Social Democrat.
When the Nazis came for the Jews I remained silent, I was no Jew.
When the Nazis came for me, there was no one left who could protest.

You consider that french stab you in the back cause they refused engaging their forces in Iraq ?
Well to tell you the truth, after 9/11 France engaged its forces in a lot of places supporting US troops against terrorism. Concerning Iraq, US saw some good reasons to attack and invade this country and kill her own boys for that. That's a US inner decision and US is a democracy I respect. When France was asked about Iraq, France did not see any reason to attack and invade Iraq and in those conditions, there is no way our governement would have been allowed to send our boys there. That's a french inner decision, France is a democracy I respect.
But one of the question we can ask is why the US governement was unable to give France a reason to enter this war. The only thing we saw was fallacious documents and reports which the CIA herself denied after a while... I'm still waiting to see where those mass destruction weapons are.

That is a question of defending democracy and countries independence. But that being said, trust me, I would like personnaly all those US people there in Iraq being safe with their families. It's a very difficult situation for us aswell.

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Thanks


The French stabbing you in the back? I can't see them stabbing into your back. The only thing I know is they did block UN resolutions together with other Nations in order to prevent a UN supported Iraq-war. But that must be permitted, you can not expect everybody to have the same oppinion as the US government. Even less can you expect other Nations to always give in to US demands. Other countries have their own pride and interests, just like the USA, that you must respect. And truly, you must acknowledge that the USA didn't handle this very well diplomatically. From one day to the other they presented to the world "clear evidence" that Iraq possesses all sorts of forbidden weapons. Than the US expected all nations to come to their aid without objection. Other Nations figured that Iraq didn't pose a threat, and for that oppinion these countries were bashed pretty hard by the USA immediately. So, all I want to say is that the USA was not innocent for the tensions that followed afterwords. The basics of all kinds of agreements and alliances are good communications, and the USA didn't seek much communication.

Back to the Topic:
There has always been a historic rivalry between the English and the French that lastet until today. Until recently it was a healthy rivalry, here in Switzerland we call that a Hate-Love. The French teasing the Americans and the Americans teasing the French, but no one really had grave problems with the other. Today it is developing more towards an open hate-relation, that is unfortunate.

C'mon Glockmail, ask yourself, why do you hate the French so much? have you ever even met one? I'm sure I know the answer, because it's mostly the same with these things. It all works according to the same principle. There is usually one "strong Leader" and couple of "weak followers".
The leader is a very vocal person, a very talented orator who tries to catch his audience on an emotional basis. People poorly educated will swollow the bait and believe every word from this leader. Soon the teachings of the talented orator will jump over to the public, and these teachings become common "knowledge". That's the way Germany transformed from Germany into Nazi-Germany, and that's the way every war starts. Wars do not start because 2 populaces hate each other, no, its because very vocal and influential people manage to convince the weak followers that war is inevitable. Unfortunatly the Human is very sensitive to emotional influence.
Today the powerful orator is usually the television.
So Glockmail, have you ever really taken offense from French people? Is France really dammaging your country so much??
Are you a leader who makes he's own principles and oppinions based on facts, and only than makes a statment??
Or are you the weak follower who's principles and oppinions were created by FOX-Television? (Yeah, one could believe France was hell from whatching FOX)
Is France the perfect Country to bash on only because there has always been tensions between the French and the English worlds?

(Sorry for my lengthy posts but I gravly lack the ability to keep myself short)

Thats all for now and thanks for your constructive response beforehand

When were we attacked by hitler? I don't remember that. and I was alive at that time.

good post, and good answer to glockmail. I couldn't do a better job

December the 11th 1941, Germany and Italy declare war to USA by solidiraty to Japan.

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No, because they attempted to tie our hands with the UN, as well as the oil-for-food scandal: means, motive, opportunity. France is our enemy.

France is no more our enemy than you are our enemy. THey just have different national interests, so does every other nation of the face of the earth. Does that make them all our enemies?

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The universe grows smaller every day and the threat of aggression by any group anywhere can no longer be tolerated. There must be security for all or no one is secure... - Klaatu