Curmudgeon

[Pygmy]

VJP is right!

 

Belo - Your comments seem out of character.

 

Speaking to the people who lived through WWII, you would be surprised at how fondly they feel towards Americans and how grateful they are. The next time I speak to my granddaughters, I'll ask them how they feel about Americans. I'll let you know.

 

 

 

The French fought very bravely during WWII... However, thier tactics were based on WWI strategies and they were overwhelming outclassed by the Germans' modern Bliztkrieg  tactics...

 

They did inflict very heavy causualties on attacking German forces,and the courage and stubborness of French rear guard forces at  Dunkirk allowed several hundred thousand British troops and a significant number of Free French troops to escape to England..

 

Many French resistance fighters displayed great courage  fighting the German occupation forces, and paid a very heavy toll, including  the death of many innocent civilians in the hands of the venegeful Germans..

 

Do the French tend to be arrogant ?  Yup... But  they are not cowards...Too many brave Frenchmen have given thier lives  to support that ... Read your history, boys and girls..

 

That said, I reserve my right to have fun at the expense of ANY race, nationality or ethnic group.

 

If you want want to read something really funny bashing nearly all nationalities, google up " Foriegners Around the World" which was written by P. J. O'Rourke for the National Lampoon back in the mid '70s...A true classic...

[Curmudgeon]

I was in the car with my son - who lives there and is married to a French National - traveling on a road lined with sycamore trees. He asked me why are French roads lined with trees? The answer: because Germans like to march in the shade.

 

I've always said the French are as arrogant as Americans.

Edited February 5, 2015 by Curmudgeon

[Five Seasons]

If my memory serves me right, we asked for their help in Iraq and Afghanistan and if I remember right we only received help from GB and Australia and a few others. That's what my comments were aimed at. I am old enough to remember these conflicts.

[Curmudgeon]

The French had a token force in Afghanistan - like a bunch of other European nations.

 

History doesn't seem to be treating the French too badly on the question of Iraq. Friends in France told me that France had an obligation to tell its friend the USA that it was making a mistake. Where are the WMD? Long live "Freedom Fries"!

 

 

Afghanistan 2001

 France

Over 4,000 personnel including the Marine Nationale (one CVBG, comprising the Charles de Gaulle, frigates La Motte-Picquet, Jean de Vienne and Jean Bart, the nuclear attack submarine Rubis, the tanker Meuse and the aviso Commandant Ducuing) 3,200 ground troops and 350 from the Armée de l'Air (12 Mirage 2000, Mirage F1 and Mirage IV ground-attack and reconnaissance aircraft). The first deployed French force was composed of soldiers from the 21st Marine Infantry Regiment deployed on 17 November 2001, to Mazar-e Sharif. As of 17 September 2011, 75 French soldiers have died.^[8]

In 2001 and beginning again in the summer of 2003, 200 soldiers from various units of the Army Special Forces Brigade (BFST), along with marine and air commandos, have conducted operations against the Taliban, under command and in co-operation with U.S. special operations forces present in the area. French forces have since supported the ISAF mission.

In August 2008, France took over control of the Kabul regional command. Ten French troops were killed and a further 21 wounded in an attack – the heaviest loss of troops France has suffered since deploying to Afghanistan in 2002 – it was announced on 19 August.^[9]

Edited February 6, 2015 by Curmudgeon