| Author |
Message |
    
Buellerandy
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 12, 2011 - 04:01 pm: | 
|
There are now 2 things I thank our CIC for. 1 is what he said about his hip pocket misguided children on our b-day. 2 is for helping us Americans appreciate what we have as Americans on a day to day basis as he tries to do away with it. |
Cityxslicker
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 12, 2011 - 04:11 pm: |
|
he looks to the french for their never ending ways of retreat, surrender, appeasement and apology
The only good things to come out of france were croisants, espresso, and menage a trois |
Jon
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 12, 2011 - 04:28 pm: |
|
I'd say that insulting France is a mistake in this discussion. That's old. |
Mr_grumpy
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 12, 2011 - 04:32 pm: |
|
As a Brit living in France & married to a Breton French girl, I'm annoyed with all of yez.
But let's get a few things straight,
1. Sweeping generalisations about "The French" to get a cheap laugh make you look neither big nor clever.
2. Recent presidents of the US seem sadly to be on a steep downward curve of ineptness.
3. The "Special relationship" went out the window when Britain joined the EU, instead of becoming the 51st state.
4. French military units are serving in Afghanistan along with Brit & US forces & many others.
The French Air Force provide air cover for many US operations, & as far as I'm aware, the US ground forces have been quite happy with this.
5. I'd like to see anyone call my wife cowardly to her face. All I can say is you'd better have a damn good dental plan.
6. Britain's been going down the tubes for quite a while now, though it pains me to say it, & is accelerating.
Those points all made, in strict military terms your illustrious leader was probably right, in commercial & cultural terms much less so.
Either way what he said was dumb to the nth degree. |
Xdigitalx
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 12, 2011 - 04:36 pm: |
|
Does that mean France is now our strongest alliance?? |
Not_purple_s2
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 12, 2011 - 04:40 pm: |
|
The News story from the OP says: "He also denounced Britain during his inauguration speech."
I listened to that speech and don't rememeber anything like that.
I looked it up and could find no reference to Britain in the entire speech. |
Reindog
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 12, 2011 - 04:57 pm: |
|
I have been to France two times and have loved it, having visited Paris and Southern France. Parisians are noted for being rude to gringos but for some reason, they tend to like me. I would go back to explore some more without hesitation. |
Sifo
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 12, 2011 - 05:14 pm: |
|
4. French military units are serving in Afghanistan along with Brit & US forces & many others.
The French Air Force provide air cover for many US operations, & as far as I'm aware, the US ground forces have been quite happy with this.
I'm in the middle of reading GWB's autobiography. In the chapter on Afghanistan he specifically talks about both England and France. He made it clear that while both "supported" and sent troops to Afghanistan, they were in no way equal. The British troops worked side by side with ours. The French OTOH has severe restrictions on what they were willing to do and because of the logistics of working around their restrictions they were just as much of a hindrance as a benefit. I think GWB was in the position to know who was helping and who was giving lip service.
It gets far worse with the French in the chapter on Iraq. |
2008xb12scg
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 12, 2011 - 06:38 pm: |
|
I could not disagree with you more about the bust of Churchill. He has nothing but disdain for our best and most reliable ally. A short time later, this Thing that currently slithers around the White House, sent a questionable IPOD to the Queen with photos of his Inauguration. What an egomaniac.
If you read the link you posted she gave him an autographed picture of hereslf. He gave her viddeo of her and his swearing in. If he's an egomaniac what is she?? there's lots to hate him for, don't grasp what's not there.
to the op that was a very bad thing the President said...again... |
Blake
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 12, 2011 - 09:08 pm: |
|
Innes,
>>> The "Special relationship" went out the window when Britain joined the EU, instead of becoming the 51st state.
Let's be real here. Britain would warrant at least five new states, England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, and 55 would be a nice new number. 
Get busy on the London to NYC tunnel, would ya? |
Sifo
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 12, 2011 - 10:03 pm: |
|
Let's be real here. Britain would warrant at least five new states, England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, and 55 would be a nice new number.
Get 2 more in there and BO really could visit all 57 states.  |
Leftcoastal
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 12, 2011 - 11:30 pm: |
|
Probably good to have them as a main ally - when the USA gets involved with more 'disturbances on foreign soil' we can have the French cater the meals. They can sure cook!
I've been to England, and the food's not so great. (except the fish & chips - mmmmm!)
Just don't depend on them to back you up militarily.
 |
Aesquire
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 12, 2011 - 11:33 pm: |
|
Mr Grumpy, While I have often been unhappy with the French Government, I have never thought that French soldiers were wimps.
It has been said that for France to win any war, all they have to do is put the Generals & Ministers in a castle with maps, wine and fine food, cut the com links and let them plan whatever they want. Put the Captains and Colonels in charge, & you've got something.
I'm grateful for all the allied troops, and if they suffer under insane ROE it's certainly not their fault. Canada, for example is doing mine clearing & medevac, very dangerous tasks with very limited budgets.
While by everyone else's opinion the French and the Americans have a lock on arrogance, ( some truth to that ) I am very aware of the shared heritage as symbolized by the Statue Of Liberty. It would be interesting to compare certain divergences in political philosophy that make us very different, but we are both people who tossed off our Kings and took charge of our own destiny.
Certainly I don't take the French people as being the same as their worst leaders, nor should the rest of the world think we are all like Bush or Obama. (I Kinda like Sarkosy, how is he for a Prez? )
President Obama is a very angry guy. Good talker, clean and articulate, and very faithful to the acquisition of power to achieve idealistic goals. A bit of personal history is needed to get the guy. Father split while quite young. Mother did not do the "you're fathers a ^*&%" routine, but repeated that his Father was a great guy & leader, etc. When finally meeting Father as young adult, Obama really bought into Father's schtick. ( It's a weird abandoned son syndrome thing )
Father was Communist "Revolutionary Hero" and was imprisoned by the British, so there you have the bad vibes for England. The Bust, Ipod, etc. All put downs.
Sorry, Brits.
In the final analysis, though, Barack Obama is a Pol. He will play to any group he's in. Garden group? Big for Roses. France? Closest Ally. San Francisco Elite Fundraiser? Mock the Hicks in Flyover Country to Trendy TV Cliche's.
A better laugh, though is the Big Red Button the morons at State handed Hillary to give to the Russian. Meant to be a Prop to Symbolize the "Reset" of relations with Our Leftist Comrades now that the evil Boosh was gone and we had a proper marxist in charge.... the printing on the Big Red Button instead of "reset" had "Overcharge".
Now that's a sign!
As far as England hitting the skids.... It's heartbreaking. Interesting perspective from across the Channel vs. here across the Pond. |
Trojan
| | Posted on Thursday, January 13, 2011 - 05:47 am: |
|
As far as England hitting the skids.... It's heartbreaking. Interesting perspective from across the Channel vs. here across the Pond.
Don't beleive everything you read/hear. We Brits are very fond of denigrating ourselves and running our country down, but we are actually doing very well compared to most of Mainland Europe (Germany excepted of course!).
I have friends in France who are busily trying to sell up and move back to good old blightly simply because they say 'France is on the skids'.
At least we don't have riots on the streets every time our governemt makes a decision (well not quite yet anyway) and we can still by gasoline despite needing a second mortgage to get it.
As for Obama getting rid of Winston and calling France his 'best buddies', I'm sure it won't cause any international calamity after all, and certainly won't ruin the 'special relationship', or what is left of it after GWB. Obama is certainly still respected far more over here by the general public than his predecessor ever was  |
Jon
| | Posted on Thursday, January 13, 2011 - 05:32 pm: |
|
Trojan,
Do you still make the aluminum undertray for X1s? |
Trojan
| | Posted on Friday, January 14, 2011 - 09:54 am: |
|
Trojan,
Do you still make the aluminum undertray for X1s?
No sorry  The guy that use to make them retired and there was very little demand for them so we stopped. |
Sifo
| | Posted on Friday, January 14, 2011 - 10:01 am: |
|
3. The "Special relationship" went out the window when Britain joined the EU, instead of becoming the 51st state.
I'm not so sure Britain is full tilt gun-ho on the EU. Correct me if I'm wrong, but they never did convert to the euro, did they? Good for Britain! |
Fast1075
| | Posted on Friday, January 14, 2011 - 10:06 am: |
|
I'm pretty sure Matt at Adrenaline-Moto had my US dollars converted to Pounds Sterling when I ordered my new farkle from him last month  |
Trojan
| | Posted on Friday, January 14, 2011 - 10:08 am: |
|
I'm not so sure Britain is full tilt gun-ho on the EU. Correct me if I'm wrong, but they never did convert to the euro, did they? Good for Britain!
Nobody asked us if we wnated to join in the first place (which the majority certainly didn't!), but our beloeved politicians decided to join anyway.
If there was a referendum today we would probably withdraw from the EU ASAP
Luckily we didn't fall for the Euro and kept our own currency at least |
Britchri10
| | Posted on Friday, January 14, 2011 - 10:29 am: |
|
A National referendum of UK voters was held June 5th, 1975. With a turnout of 65% , 67% were in favor of joining the European economic community.(AFAIK: The EEC is now the EU).
Chris C |
|
