[JohnWill]

At a time when our president and other politicians apologize for our country`s prior actions, here`s a refresher on how some of our former patriots handled negative comments about our country...





JFK'S Secretary of State, Dean Rusk, was in France in the early 60's when DeGaule decided to pull out of NATO. DeGaule said he wanted all US military out of France as soon as possible.

Rusk responded "does that include those who are buried here?

DeGuale did not respond.


You could have heard a pin drop.





When in England , at a fairly large conference, Colin Powell was asked by the Archbishop of Canterbury if our plans for Iraq were just an example of empire building by George Bush.

He answered by saying, 'Over the years, the United States has sent many of its fine young men and women into great peril to fight for freedom beyond our borders. The only amount of land we have ever asked for in return is enough to bury those that did not return.'


You could have heard a pin drop.






There was a conference in France where a number of international engineers were taking part, including French and American. During a break, one of the French engineers came back into the room saying 'Have you heard the latest dumb stunt Bush has done? He has sent an aircraft carrier to Indonesia to help the tsunami victims. What does he intended to do, bomb them?'

A Boeing engineer stood up and replied quietly: "Our carriers have three hospitals on board that can treat several hundred people; they are nuclear powered and can supply emergency electrical power to shore facilities; they have three cafeterias with the capacity to feed 3,000 people three meals a day, they can produce several thousand gallons of fresh water from sea water each day, and they carry half a dozen helicopters for use in transporting victims and injured to and from their flight deck. We have eleven such ships; how many does France have?"


You could have heard a pin drop.





A U.S. Navy Admiral was attending a naval conference that included Admirals from the U.S. , English, Canadian, Australian and French Navies.

At a cocktail reception, he found himself standing with a large group of Officers that included personnel from most of those countries. Everyone was chatting away in English as they sipped their drinks but a French admiral suddenly complained that, whereas Europeans learn many languages, Americans learn only English. He then asked, 'Why is it that we always have to speak English in these conferences rather than speaking French?'

Without hesitating, the American Admiral replied, 'Maybe it's because the Brit's, Canadians, Aussie's and Americans arranged it so you wouldn't have to speak German.'


You could have heard a pin drop.






AND THIS STORY FITS RIGHT IN WITH THE ABOVE...

Robert Whiting, an elderly gentleman of 83, arrived in Paris by plane. At French Customs, he took a few minutes to locate his passport in his carry on.

"You have been to France before, monsieur?" the customs officer asked sarcastically.

Mr. Whiting admitted that he had been to France previously.

"Then you should know enough to have your passport ready."

The American said, 'The last time I was here, I didn't have to show it."

"Impossible. Americans always have to show your passports on arrival in France!"

The American senior gave the Frenchman a long hard look. Then he quietly explained, ''Well, when I came ashore at Omaha Beach on D-Day in 1944 to help liberate this country, I couldn't find a single Frenchmen to show a passport to."


You could have heard a pin drop.

[thingamajig]

Good post JohnWill

[LauraMJ]

Thank you for posting that.

[BlackSpike]

How does this old, tired attack on USA's old friends produce any debate?

[bp936]

very good reminders, John. Thanks for sharing

[JohnWill]

Originally Posted by BlackSpike

How does this old, tired attack on USA's old friends produce any debate?

Maybe it doesn't, in that case I suggest you don't do any debating.

[thingamajig]

Originally Posted by BlackSpike

How does this old, tired attack on USA's old friends produce any debate?

Perhaps because such misplaced anit-American sentiment is alive and well today?

I read plenty of forum posts that present that the world's problems were all created by America without the posters including their own country's complacency in the mix. From the cultural threads to economic threads, It's not an old tired attack on the USA. So, I see some reminders of the past as very relevant. Thanks for some hints on how to respond JohnWill.

[Paquadez]

Originally Posted by JohnWill

At a time when our president and other politicians apologize for our country`s prior actions, here`s a refresher on how some of our former patriots handled negative comments about our country...


JFK'S Secretary of State, Dean Rusk, was in France in the early 60's when DeGaule decided to pull out of NATO. DeGaule said he wanted all US military out of France as soon as possible.

Rusk responded "does that include those who are buried here?

DeGuale did not respond.


You could have heard a pin drop.

Actually the French president's name was Charles De Gaulle.

And I would have probably retorted something like: "Your brave 24,113 solders are welcome to remain in the military cemetaries we gave you, M and may continue to sleep alongside the 6,163,000 French dead of the two wars.........................."

When in England , at a fairly large conference, Colin Powell was asked by the Archbishop of Canterbury if our plans for Iraq were just an example of empire building by George Bush.

He answered by saying, 'Over the years, the United States has sent many of its fine young men and women into great peril to fight for freedom beyond our borders. The only amount of land we have ever asked for in return is enough to bury those that did not return.'


You could have heard a pin drop.

And I would then have retorted: "All well and good: however what about the assets you appropriated? Such as Iraqi oil and gas?"

There was a conference in France where a number of international engineers were taking part, including French and American. During a break, one of the French engineers came back into the room saying 'Have you heard the latest dumb stunt Bush has done? He has sent an aircraft carrier to Indonesia to help the tsunami victims. What does he intended to do, bomb them?'

A Boeing engineer stood up and replied quietly: "Our carriers have three hospitals on board that can treat several hundred people; they are nuclear powered and can supply emergency electrical power to shore facilities; they have three cafeterias with the capacity to feed 3,000 people three meals a day, they can produce several thousand gallons of fresh water from sea water each day, and they carry half a dozen helicopters for use in transporting victims and injured to and from their flight deck. We have eleven such ships; how many does France have?"


You could have heard a pin drop.

And I would have retorted: "Ah, M. France doesn't need vast ships to illegally invade foreign sovereign states and escalate its budgetary deficit to the point where it will cripple the republic!"

A U.S. Navy Admiral was attending a naval conference that included Admirals from the U.S. , English, Canadian, Australian and French Navies.

At a cocktail reception, he found himself standing with a large group of Officers that included personnel from most of those countries. Everyone was chatting away in English as they sipped their drinks but a French admiral suddenly complained that, whereas Europeans learn many languages, Americans learn only English. He then asked, 'Why is it that we always have to speak English in these conferences rather than speaking French?'

Without hesitating, the American Admiral replied, 'Maybe it's because the Brit's, Canadians, Aussie's and Americans arranged it so you wouldn't have to speak German.'


You could have heard a pin drop.

To which I would have probably retorted;"Ah M. But I however speak fluent German, French, English and Spanish!

How about you?"

AND THIS STORY FITS RIGHT IN WITH THE ABOVE...

Robert Whiting, an elderly gentleman of 83, arrived in Paris by plane. At French Customs, he took a few minutes to locate his passport in his carry on.

"You have been to France before, monsieur?" the customs officer asked sarcastically.

Mr. Whiting admitted that he had been to France previously.

"Then you should know enough to have your passport ready."

The American said, 'The last time I was here, I didn't have to show it."

"Impossible. Americans always have to show your passports on arrival in France!"

The American senior gave the Frenchman a long hard look. Then he quietly explained, ''Well, when I came ashore at Omaha Beach on D-Day in 1944 to help liberate this country, I couldn't find a single Frenchmen to show a passport to."


You could have heard a pin drop.

I would have retorted: "Mais Oui, M. However let us remember, that without the assistance of Count Rochambeau and the French fleet under the command of Admiral DeGrasse, you would in all probability still be a colony of The British Empire.

M. Do they not teach your history in your public schools?"

[thingamajig]

This will be fun...

Originally Posted by Paquadez

And I would have probably retorted something like: "Your brave 24,113 solders are welcome to remain in the military cemetaries we gave you, M and may continue to sleep alongside the 6,163,000 French dead of the two wars.........................."

"Do you mean the French graves over which the Germans would have dessicated?"

Originally Posted by Paquadez

And I would then have retorted: "All well and good: however what about the assets you appropriated? Such as Iraqi oil and gas?"

"Indeed, what about the assets the UK has appropriated?"

Originally Posted by Paquadez

And I would have retorted: "Ah, M. France doesn't need vast ships to illegally invade foreign sovereign states and escalate its budgetary deficit to the point where it will cripple the republic!"

"And likewise claim to have nothing to offer against a global threat like Afghanistan. Why would they as long as the US is there to take care of it?"

I understand that NATO only works one way.

Originally Posted by Paquadez

To which I would have probably retorted;"Ah M. But I however speak fluent German, French, English and Spanish!

How about you?"

"I'm sorry you wasted so much of your time as my native tongue is the international language. Be thankful it's not Russian."

Originally Posted by Paquadez

I would have retorted: "Mais Oui, M. However let us remember, that without the assistance of Count Rochambeau and the French fleet under the command of Admiral DeGrasse, you would in all probability still be a colony of The British Empire.

"Touche, remaining a colony of The British Empire would have been a horrible fate."

[RSM123]

Originally Posted by JohnWill

When in England , at a fairly large conference, Colin Powell was asked by the Archbishop of Canterbury if our plans for Iraq were just an example of empire building by George Bush.

He answered by saying, 'Over the years, the United States has sent many of its fine young men and women into great peril to fight for freedom beyond our borders. The only amount of land we have ever asked for in return is enough to bury those that did not return.'


You could have heard a pin drop.

Since that part of your post is pertinent to my country, I thought I would see if it were in fact true.

You might care to read this ....

http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors...ll-empires.htm

A full transcript of Colin Powell's speech can be read here ...

http://www.weforum.org/

[thingamajig]

Don't spoil the fun with facts RSM123

Here is another link.

http://urbanlegends.about.com/librar...lin-powell.htm

[Paquadez]

Originally Posted by thingamajig

This will be fun...



"Do you mean the French graves over which the Germans would have dessicated?"

Oh no!

Not another "How we won World War Two by the Yanks" thread.

And inconveniently lost the peace................

"Indeed, what about the assets the UK has appropriated?"

Such as what and when??

"And likewise claim to have nothing to offer against a global threat like Afghanistan. Why would they as long as the US is there to take care of it?"

So......the Brits and the French did nothing in Desert Storm?

And what's this "Global Threat" nonsense?

Err, sorry to be picky, but precisely who sponsored one Osama Bin Laden??

Who funded and covertly supported what became the Taliban: then called the Mujahadeen?

CIA; CIA.

And why is the US in Afghanistan?

It's the oil (And gas) pipeline, stoopid!

You guys cannot even supervise a "Democractic" election properly and prevent the main (Your puppet) preferred leader and his gang from cheating so overtly, there is now a global furore!

Excellent management old chap.................

"I'm sorry you wasted so much of your time as my native tongue is the international language. Be thankful it's not Russian."

Well........all depends. American English aint English. Neither is the pronounciation.

Which is quite probably why waiters in Paris can't understand Americans......




"Touche, remaining a colony of The British Empire would have been a horrible fate."[/QUOTE]

Not as bad as becoming a mix of an Hispanic state run by smart Asians.

Which is where you are headed, old bean..........

[buffoon]

Muhahahahaha

And as we are slowly approaching ethnic slur , the French are the only people who can explain the difference between Napoleon and Hitler

[Blackmirror]

Originally Posted by buffoon

Muhahahahaha

And as we are slowly approaching ethnic slur , the French are the only people who can explain the difference between Napoleon and Hitler

taking of Franch wheres Cedric
>> swoons

[Fidelista]

I know a little history , some the differences in foreign policies between France and U.S.
I am also aware of Frances wariness of NATO membership and,,why De Gaulle
chose to remain somewhat independent . It not hard to understand .
What I don't understand is why France is spoken of as a enemy of sort ????
Seems to always be some negative comments about France ,and Europe in general .
The second world war against the Fascist was nothing to make excuse about , and America's contribution was important --why would we have to make excuse anyway ? .
The Russians made contribution also , tied up 80 % of Nazi forces , and lost more people
in battle for one city than British and American total losses . Does this mean France needs to be led by nose by the Russian ? . Same for the U.S.
This old " we saved you and now you owe us "stuff is silly . It took most of the world to defeat the Nazi .
There are many things that Americans can be proud of , no excuses , and then are things that should produce deep shame , its a mix that affects all nations . Trick is , to recognize both.

France was considering NATO membership last I heard , how good or important I don't claim to know? . They already cooperate when needed . I suppose command structure would be much more practical .
I do know one thing however , France is our ally, and bashing her does not make our accomplishments any greater . British / Europeans are our friends folks , some need to wake up to that fact . >f
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"French cooperation with NATO on a practical level quietly increased. France is today the largest contributor to the NATO Response Force and participates in all major Alliance expeditionary operations..."
Currently, more than 4,000 French soldiers are stationed on almost 90 percent of NATO missions worldwide, including in Kosovo and Afghanistan.