Scott,

ASSuming again - I am not French, only interested in a particular French
built aircraft and its airlift capabilities.

I am an American by birth, served my time in the US Army in the late 80s. I
served to protect your rights and my rights to stand up for the USA or put
her in her place - whatever views we have - we have the right to them
whether we agree or not - at least we agree to disagree.

In regards to your statement of the Afghani's and Iraqi's being grateful -
some yes, but not all - on Nightline Thursday night, an Iraqi said "at least
under Saddam the electricity was on... things were better under Saddam."

I am not saying Saddam was man of the year material or even a nice person,
however, the made up lies of Bush and Blair (six months later and no WMDs)
was no reason to invade the country. The lies are leading many to believe
that the attack on Iraq was nothing more than revenge for embarrassing daddy
Bush and/or control of the oil interests in Iraq to counter OPEC. American
wanna drive and any prez who can provide cheap fuel is going to gain points.

Now in regards to Afghanistan, the Taliban (the leadership in power at the
time) made a choice not to surrender Osama - I do not feel bad for them.
Hide a criminal and you get cast in the same lot as an accessory.

While I do not agree with Osama's choice of target (personally, I would have
chosen the Capitol Building or White House or even a large refinery), I can
understand their methods.

How else do you fight a giant? You can't trade punches in a traditional
battlefied sense and expect to win. That has been proven twice in Iraq.

Events in Somalia, Vietnam, Beruit and our responses as a country have shown
the American's weak link (public opinion) make it bloody enough and drawn
out and despite the revenge hawks, the majority will clamor for the US to
pull out - and we usually do. Leaving behind a nice void to be filled by
whomever has the biggest arsenal in the region.

The development of the terrorist (aka. Partisan (if this were WW II and
being conducted against German occupying forces), mujahadeen (if they were
fighting against the Red menace), or VC (if they are fighting for a belief
other than the mighty dollar or the Red White and Blue capitalistic
Democracy)) is completely dependant upon what the US leadership has in its
mind - both the Taliban and Saddam were US allies when the Russians or
Iranians were a concern. Now that the Cold War is over, US abandoned their
friends as they were the unclean masses used only as cannon fodder when
needed.

The US Government, in its infinite wisdom, by following the US foreign
policies determined by the presidents after WWII created 95% of the hatred
felt worldwide against the US.

The US did not support Israel until AFTER the Soviets started supporting the
Arab states - Remember the 56 war? Only US weapons in use by the Israeli's
were stuff bought from Europe (mostly WWII surplus). It wasn't until the
sixties that the US sent billions in weapons to counter the Red menace.

The Marshall Plan after WWII was only issued to the chosen countries who
agreed to kiss the ass of the USA in return for the rebuilding assistance -
did Yugoslavia or Albania recieve any aid form the US - Nope not a dime.
(Yugoslavia only got a little assistance in the fifties as an attempt to
swing them to the west).

There are several examples of the US can do that but no one else can since
the the end of WWII - it is this attitude and the RAPE of foriegn markets to
make the little guy dependant on the US that has caused so much hatred world
wide as well as disgust among our own close allies.

Some day, some one will come around and gather enough forces to kick the
knees out from under the US so that she does land hard on her ass and
possibly knock some sense into the country as a whole.

America is not ALL THAT. There are better places in the world - some with
higher taxes but more personal freedoms, others with better economies,
others with better health care, others with better eduction, others with a
lower crime rate.

Yes, on the other hand, there are more places that are worse than America -
N. Korea, Mexico, Haiti, Dominican Republic and so on. America's greatness
is only military any more - hell we don't even follow the Statue of Liberty
any more - "Give us your weak" - talk about hypocracy!

Well enough of the rant

Brian - harpoon at thegrafixguy dot com

"tscottme" wrote in message
...
Brian wrote in message
et...
Oh and the US Army is SOOO much better -

The US can't even defend her own borders to save its citizens from
attack -
9/11.

Geez, the US Army can't even police Bagdhad well enough to stop
someone from
blowing up targets in Iraq. And even though the US has completely
occupied
Afghanistan, they still can't find Osama.

Where are the claimed weapons of Mass Destruction the Iraqi's
supposedly
had????

I'll say this much for Saddam - at least the lights were on and the
trains
ran on time - can't say that for the bumbling US Army trying to make a
new
puppet state.

Typical brainwashed FRENCH fry eating slob - blindly follows the flag
even
though it is coated in bull****.

Brian



3,000 dead from an unforeseen sneak attack versus 15,000 dead from
summer heat. Which one sounds like a real condemnation of a government?
I'd say losing 400 valuable troops to destroy the Taliban and Saddam
sounds like a trade worth making. France looses more than that to
soccer riots.

The US doesn't completely occupy either Iraq or Afghanistan anymore than
the French police completely occupy The Zone around Paris or can prevent
bombing of synagogues, rape of un-Muslim women, or desecration of
cemeteries. But at least the people of Iraq and Afghanistan are glad
we've freed them. I doubt the French can say the same. I doubt the
French have the temerity to value their freedom with so many immigrant
Muslims demanding otherwise. The real question will be who will be the
first French leader to propose surrender to the Arab League.

I'm sure your concern for the promptness of Iraqi trains will comfort
the families of whomever filled the mass graves, the rape rooms, and the
children's prisons. Don't worry, nobody will accuse the French of
helping liberate anyone of the them. If someone accuse the French of
helping, you send them to me, I'll straighten them out. Your tribute to
Saddam is touching and the best proof you are French.

http://www.fas.org/news/iraq/1998/02...21903_wpo.html
FRANCE 1998
Office of the French President Jacques Chirac:
"France repeats that Iraq must scrupulously respect all the UN
Security Council resolutions. This is the only route that could enable
Iraq to be readmitted, when the time comes, into the international
community.

The President of the Republic made this clear to the Iraqi Foreign
Minister. He stressed "the extremely grave risks that will result from
a refusal by Iraq to accept the inspection of the 'presidential
sites.' Now time is running out."


http://www.fas.org/news/un/iraq/s/s1997-774.htm

--

Scott
--------
"Interestingly, we started to lose this war only after the embedded
reporters pulled out. Back when we got the news directly from Iraq,
there was victory and optimism. Now that the news is filtered through
the mainstream media here in America, all we hear is death and
destruction and quagmire..." Ann Coulter
http://www.anncoulter.com/columns/2003/091703.htm