Reply #5: What a load of crap

[Calvinist Basset]

I majored in French language and culture in college, and lived in France for a while. The whole time, I encountered nothing but decent French people. Of course, if there were problems, I perceived it often on the part of crass, pushy Americans who treated "foreigners" like dirty servants.

The stuff this book lays out is pure bullsh*t. Okay, so the French have a less-than-perfect record of international relations. Gee, do we have no guilt in this arena?

Franco-U.S. relations are not unique. We've been at odds with Great Britain, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Canada, Mexico, the Philippines, etc., etc. Sure, sometimes the fault could be laid at the feet of the other nations. But we share in the culpability--like backing out of agreements and such. Remember, we told Saddam Hussein it was "okay" to invade Kuwait--then we sent troops in to fight.

In order to refute the book, take the time to look at what *we* did to break trust and act with duplicity in history. It will shoot the thesis of the book full of holes.