August 5, 2004
THE FRENCH VETO:
Sen. Kerry, It's French for Kiss Off (Clark S. Judge, August 1, 2004, LA Times)
Throughout the last week and in his acceptance speech Thursday night, Sen. John Kerry charged that the Bush administration should have — and could have — won greater international support before it launched military operations in Iraq. Few presidential challengers have offered such a telling and disturbing critique of an incumbent's foreign policy — telling and disturbing not for what Kerry said about the president but for what he said about himself.The lament of international isolation echoed the Democratic presidential nominee's concerns about the 1991 Persian Gulf War. Then, despite backing for the United States from virtually the entire world, Kerry contended that with more time we could build more support.
This time, the coalition was again large but missing France and Germany. After Social Democratic pacifism prevailed in its last elections, Germany was not a serious prospect for participation, so the real issue was France.
Kerry argued that we would have been immeasurably stronger in Iraq, and throughout the world, if President Bush had given the State Department time to move France toward our position. "We need a president who has the credibility to bring our allies to our side," he told the delegates, adding, "that won't happen until we have a president who restores America's respect and leadership — so we don't have to go it alone in the world."
Coming in the midst of the stirring oratory of a convention, it sounded right, but the Kerry critique implicitly assumes that the only issue moving France was the issue moving us — Iraq and the war on terror — and that the only reason for French intransigence was bungled U.S. diplomacy. As anyone with Kerry's long experience in foreign affairs should know, both assumptions are flat-out wrong. That he apparently doesn't know it is what made his convention speech so disturbing.
It's always worth remembering that the French opposed our war against Hitler. Posted by Orrin Judd at August 5, 2004 1:24 PM
I understand that he's a foreign service brat, but what "long experience in foreign affairs" can he possibly be talking about? Kerry's been Senator Do-Little for the last 20 years. Going to visit the Sandanistas and investigating BCCI isn't really a diplomatic proving ground.
Posted by: David Cohen at August 5, 2004 2:41 PMOrrin: could you please elaborate on that comment? Can you seriously say that the French opposed the entry of the United States into WWII (simulaneously declaring war on Japan and Germany in the wake of Pearl Harbor)? And that they opposed the liberation of France? Please explain what you mean. Much appreciated,
Posted by: Ange Po at August 5, 2004 3:12 PMOur first battles of WWII were with the French, not the Germans:
http://www.brothersjudd.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/reviews.detail/book_id/1326/
Posted by: oj at August 5, 2004 3:16 PMWrong.
Posted by: Harry Eagar at August 5, 2004 4:32 PMIt's always worth remembering that the French opposed our war against Hitler.
Is that the only thing you agree with the French about, OJ?
Posted by: Brandon at August 5, 2004 8:44 PMNo. They opposed the Cold War too.
Posted by: oj at August 5, 2004 8:47 PMNonsense. The French simply and purely oppose the United States.
They have no idea what to support or oppose until they figure out what the US position is. And always have.
Posted by: Uncle Bill at August 6, 2004 10:59 AM"It's always worth remembering that the French opposed our war against Hitler."
It's frustrating to see that, with John Kerry's considerable reliance on his war record(Vietnam), his detractors fail to mention the case of Marshall Petain.
Henri Philippe Petain was recognized by virtually all Frenchmen as a WW I hero(often said to be their GREATEST World War One hero.) Other nations, foe and ally alike, also regarded him as an eminent WW I hero.
But his service as head of goverment of Vichy France was appalling.
" After the French government moved to Vichy in unoccupied France, Petain was voted full power to draft a new constitution on July 10. The next day he declared himself "head of government and " head of state, taking the eager collaborationist Pierre Laval as his vice premier. In October, Petain met with HITLER at Montoire to offer his collaboration. Later, in his defense, Petain made the claim that he was playing a cunning "double game, hoping to shield France from destruction until Germany's defeat. In fact, Petain persistently sought to trade his government's cooperation with Germany for a nonpunitive peace, the maintenance of the French empire, and an important role for a regenerated France in the new order that he believed would be established after Germany's victory over Britain. "
http://gi.grolier.com/wwii/wwii_petain.html
He cooperated in the roundup and trainload deportation of Jews. Nice guy, for a Frenchman. One biography states that he fled to Switzerland after the Normandy(D-Day) invasion, returning in 1945.
After the war his execution was commuted by Charles DeGaulle.
Posted by: at August 6, 2004 5:28 PMIf they'd executed everyone who collaborated there'd have been barely enough left for a soccer squad.
Posted by: oj at August 6, 2004 6:24 PM