Doesn't Chirac's musings about a cult of pessimism remind you of someone else's musings circa 1979-80?

Except that he's right to be pessimistic and there's no French Gipper.

About six weeks ago Rob Long did a piece in National Review based on a discussion between Chirac and his shrink. Pay only, so I couldn't post or link it, but it was one of the funniest and cleverest things I've seen in a while. Highly recommended to those who can find it.

A German Chancellor who dispatches his orders from the Elyssée ? Yeah, that's going to persuade the French voters. But not to say "yes". At least that other German Chancellor had the decency to dictate his terms in a train wagon.

You gotta think bringing in Schroeder to convince the French will backfire. Then again I believe the consequences to a French no are so dire they will pull out all the stops (including having the dead vote) to get a yes vote (even if by 1 vote).

As for the Tories I agree completely - taking an anti-EU stance or even a skeptical EU stance seems like such a no brainer that they must be incompetent not to do so.

A "weakened France" if voters say no? How much weaker could France actually get? Their economy stinks, and they're completely defenseless from a military standpoint. A bunch of American pre-schoolers could take the whole country over in a day and half tops.

How much weaker could France actually get?

France might actually lose its moral authority.

Barry:

Not to worry. Canada would pick up the ball if that happened.

As much as we would all like to see Chirac and the EU fail, I have to ask: If the EU vote fails and the EU goes belly up will the Euro collapse? If the Euro collapses what will be the effect on the dollar in particular and the world economy in general?

France is not weak militarily; unless you also consider the U.K. "weak" (as they are roughly equivalent).

The dire and shrill predictions of collapse of the E.U. are rather silly.

oj,

How do you know there is no French "Gipper?" I've never seen any evidence that you know squat about French politics or that you follow it.

Britain is weak and it would annihilate France.

daniel:

The euro's going belly up regardless. The dollar is the only safe haven currency.

oj,

How, pray reveal, would it annihilate France? They have roughly equal nuclear weapon arsenals after all, France has the larger and more up to date fleet, etc.?

oj,

Maybe instead of basing your opinions on ignorance you ought to subscribe to Jane's?

BTW, I'm waiting for your answer to my Gipper question. I suspect I will be left quite a long time.

Hus:

Everyone beats the French. The resort to nukes would be an admission of weakness on their part and being French they'd likely misfire.

In 1979 Ronald Reagan was the popular leader of the conservative movement, had nearly unseated a sitting president in his own party's primaries, had been governor of a state more important than France and was the leading radio commentator of the day. The French equivalent would be? Ah, yes, no one.

Hus,

How, pray reveal, would [Britain] annihilate France?

The British would actually fight.

Doesn't France have only 1 aircraft carrier and that carrier is constantly broken down? And like the rest of the EU nations there army is underfunded/undersupplied? Agree with OJ that if not for its nukes France would be considered a 3rd rate military power.

Third? Isn't that a social promotion grade?

The French only "fight" when they can shoot mobs of blacks and Arabs - under any other circumstances, they run away, or park their trucks across highways and tunnels. Perhaps it is all they know. Chirac's great fear is that if the vote fails, he will be removed from office and then arrested.

If the Euro collapsed, the US economy would grow and the Asian economies would grow. The Chinese government will probably become quiet for a while, unless they turned spastic in reaction.

And most of the "new" EU countries would immediately seek free trade agreements with the US, probably within weeks.

the french are a funny race
they fight with their feet
and f*** with their face

why would a society like france produce an
equivalent to reagan; its just not going to happen there. maybe a gorbachev or carter, at best.

hus, the DeGaulle is a rusting nuclear-powered hulk.

We peons might know a lot more about frogistan than you think.

You want minutae (sp)? Start visiting Rantburg. You'd better know your stuff.

Otherwise, pave france, f*$& france No Pasaran and the dissident frogman are only the beginning.

---

Just picked up Philippe Roger's new tome, The American Enemy.

Haven't even started it yet but am coming to the nutshell conclusion that our problem w/the frogs is it's the Gauls v Anglos. We're in another 1000 year-old war.

Why can't some just let it go and look to the future?