Commentary on current day France...An Article

Ok, this article is in the war forum because it could be inflamatory and not because of its particular relevence to the US - Iraqi war, though it does cover the subject. I am posting it to get some rebutal and some return commentary on the Author and his statements. I have not really formed a real opinion on this yet but I suspect this guy is more correct than I would like.

About the Author: The following is the result of a quick search.
......Biographie......

GUY MILLIÈRE: Philosophe, économiste, professeur d'histoire des idées et des cultures a Paris VIII
Spécialiste des États-Unis ou il enseigne également.

And now the article......


France is Not a Western Country Anymore
By Guy Milliere
FrontPageMagazine.com | March 31, 2003

French-bashing is everywhere in the American media. I am French, and I must say if Americans knew completely what's happening in France, the French-bashing would be far harsher.
Jacques Chirac has been a friend of Saddam Hussein for more than thirty years. He allowed the sale of nuclear facilities to Iraq that were destroyed just in time by Israël. He sold Iraq the planes that were been used to gas thousands of Kurds. And Saddam is not the only friend Chirac has. Chirac has never met a ruthless dictator he did not like. Worse, Chirac is unprincipled and greedy. It is common knowledge in France that he stole a lot of money when he was the mayor of Paris, and everyone knows that if he had not been re-elected in May 2002, he would be in jail now. To hear him speaking about morality or international law nauseates every decent Frenchman.
And Chirac is not the only politician of this stripe in France. These days, it is becoming hard to find a French politician ready to speak about human rights, freedom or democracy. All of them seem to have the same speechwriter or to belong to the same totalitarian political party; all of them are anti-American, anti-Israeli and "pacifists." They regard Western civilization as something filthy and abhorrent.
If you read the newspapers, it's the same. At times it seems the only difference between the Soviet Union twenty years ago and France today is that in Soviet Union you had only one Pravda, and in France you now have at least ten such propaganda outlets: Different titles, same content. Their party line is clear in reporting on the personalities found in the present Middle Eastern crisis. Saddam Hussein, the "President of Iraq"? Well, maybe he has been brutal, but you know, in "those" countries... George W. Bush? He’s a "moron" - a former alcoholic, who has become a crazy fanatic, in fact the most dangerous man on the face of earth. Ariel Sharon? A fascist who loves to kill Arabs. Arafat? A great freedom fighter. When an American general speaks, it is merely propaganda, but when Tariq Aziz pontificates, it is pure truth. Almost everyday you hear anti-Semitic remarks, to boot.
The anti-Semitism has created a threat to the physical safety for French Jews. Almost every week, some Jews get mugged, simply for being Jews. Almost nobody pays attention to it. When an anti-Semitic act is so disgusting it is impossible to hide it, journalists will speak of "confrontation between communities." When confronted with the reality that these "confrontations" are always Muslims attacking Jews, the editorial response: "Just because there has yet to be a single documented case of a Jew attacking a Muslim yet doesn't mean it will never happen. . . ."
And Jews are not the only victims of France's new identification with radical Islam. In many French cities with a growing radical Islamist population, no teenage girl can go out in the evening, at least not without a full burqa. If she does, it will mean that "she is for everybody": in short, a whore. In the same cities, every teenage girl - regardless of religion - has to wear the Muslim veil if she does not want to be harassed or killed. Almost every month, a young woman is mugged and raped in a suburb of a big city. Gang rape has become so frequent that a new word, used by the rapists themselves to define their hideous actions, is used by everybody: tournantes (revolving). To the rapists, the woman is nothing, a mere object to be thrown away after use. The people who speak about "revolving" seem to forget a human being is involved as the victim. Policemen do nothing. Every decent person knows the problem is Islam, but no one dares to say it. It could be dangerous. The streets are not safe.
One year ago, a French Muslim decided to create a new business: he was tired of seeing people drinking Coca-Cola - all this money going to Americans! He found a factory and started to produce Mecca Cola. On the label, he put a picture of the Al Aqsa mosque, with a large part of his profits would help to support the Palestinian cause. In some suburbs of Paris, Coca-Cola has disappeared; Mecca Cola has replaced it. A few days ago, another Muslim businessman announced he will start to sell Muslim-Up. It will have the taste of Sprite or Seven-Up, but it will be a Muslim drink - and naturally the profits will go to the Palestinian jihad, as well.
Three radio stations in France are Muslim radio stations, and if you listen to them, dedicated to broadcasting the voice of hate and racism all day long. One radio station belongs to a friend of the rightist Jean-Marie Le Pen, and curiously, if you listen to it, you will hear the same voice of hate and racism. Rightists and radical Muslims have discovered they have many things in common.
If you want to understand why all this is happening, you have to understand one thing: thirty years ago, French governments started to have a new foreign policy. They called this new policy, "Arabian Policy." France became closer to Arab countries - all of them disgusting dictatorships. France "benefited" by doing business easily in these countries. In exchange, France had to push Europe to unknot its ties with Israël and the United States. In exchange too, "professors" came from the Arabian dictatorships to teach the Arabic language to the young Arabs living in France. The only book they used to teach the Arabic language was THE book, Al Kuran.
Now comes the time to pay the check: six million Muslims live in France, at least ten per cent of them are radical Islamists poised on the edge of violence. And these radical Muslims have allies on both the extreme Left and the extreme Right. France is not a Western country anymore, it is now the leader of the Arab/Muslim world. Israel has to know France is its main enemy. The United States has to understand they have nothing to expect from today's France except nastiness, treason, and cheating.

Comments? Thoughts? and please remember this is not ment to be a "flame the french" or "flame the americans" or a "flame any one" thread....Im just looking for more info.

[pritchke]

Well as for Muslims competing with big Western business, I think that is actually productive and a good thing. I mean I would much prefer to have them make useful products as opposed to blowing things up. It will help there people as well come out of the dark ages, in a way by competing on a business level they are sort of westernizing themselves.

We have had problems in Quebec with the French doing horrible acts as well.
1. Burning the American flag (our French have done this to the Canadian flag as well)
2. Booing the American anthem (our French have done this to the Canadian anthem as well)
3. Trying to tip over a bus full of 8 year olds from New York (This one is the worst as I don't believe 8 year olds have much say in US policy)

As for name calling about leaders it is childish. Although I do agree with the things said about Chirac, and Sharon. As far as the Israeli /Palestinian situation it is a mess right now and I don't think I should comment sitting in the safety of my arm chair. Personally I feel both sides have done wrong and Sharon does not help the situation but expanding Israeli territory.

Just because there has yet to be a single documented case of a Jew attacking a Muslim yet doesn't mean it will never happen. . . .

Hmm... not so sure about this one. Soldiers don't count as Jews???? The author seems a little biased with regards to the Palestinian Jewish situation but it is a decent article. (after rereading it sounds like he could be refering to the situation in France which I don't hear anything about). I think he has a problem with Islam, kind of like someone in N. America may complain about black or Spanish gangs but not the white ones. I don't think the situation in France is nearly that bad and if written in North American it could use a different racist twist if need be.

[ 04-09-2003, 12:44 PM: Message edited by: pritchke ]

Pritchke, you are quite correct, taking internationl policy out on 8 year olds is despicable .

I also agree that Arabs should work to compete in the business world rather than just blowing things up or killing infidels. Altho I think they could be a bit more original in their product naming, I think they are infringing upon some well established trademarks.

But I am hoping our French Contingent here at IW can show another side to this guys obvious anti-current french administration views.

[Mordenheim]

Well Magik nothing I have not heard before. Chirac is lucky to not be in jail for his corruption as mayor. Funny how they are so quick to bash Bush.

The world is a different place that is for sure

[Donut]

Originally posted by MagiK: I think they are infringing upon some well established trademarks. But I am hoping our French Contingent here at IW can show another side to this guys obvious anti-current french administration views.

*cough* Magik, it may have escaped your notice but there is no French contingent on IW - they've been ethnically cleansed.

[Thoran]

My opinion... the article seems overly sensationalistic.

France is a Demacratic nation, they are free to choose who they associate with and how the act on the international stage. France is also a country governed by the rule of law, if there are radicals in the country, their law enforcement will address any illegal activity.

France is also historically against US "cultural contamination", when I was there I didn't notice Coke machines on every corner. In fact I saw many more American businesses in downtown Jiddah than I found in Lyon or Paris. In other words, I doubt the French would need much convincing to use local products as opposed to imports. Also... they've historically leaned left, but they've also been a stable and moderate nation and a good country to be friends with. Nothing I've seen in the last couple months changes that opinion.

[Sir Taliesin]

I was under the impression that our French contigent had left, though I hope not. I rather enjoyed all the debates with Masklinn and Moiraine was an original "Blue Board" Member.

As for the article, I found it quite interesting and possibly a bit over the top, though it does provide plausible explainations for what has gone on.

My take on the the French attitude toward the US was that they were trying to split the EU away from the US sphere of influence, to create a stronger EU and, possibly in the distant future, a new country; in which they might have a greater say over policy. They are trying to create a balance against the big, bad Superpower known as the United States. This diffinetly puts a new spin on things. Is this guy some sort of a French Pat Buchanon?

[Skunk]

He allowed the sale of nuclear facilities to Iraq that were destroyed just in time by Israël. He sold Iraq the planes that were been used to gas thousands of Kurds.

Ummm... so did the US and UK, amongst others.

Chirac has never met a ruthless dictator he did not like.

Unsupported opinion

Worse, Chirac is unprincipled and greedy. It is common knowledge in France that he stole a lot of money when he was the mayor of Paris, and everyone knows that if he had not been re-elected in May 2002, he would be in jail now.

Unproven allegation.

To hear him speaking about morality or international law nauseates every decent Frenchman.

83% of the French would appear to disagree with this statement.

And Chirac is not the only politician of this stripe in France. These days, it is becoming hard to find a French politician ready to speak about human rights, freedom or democracy.

Unsupported allegation.

All of them seem to have the same speechwriter or to belong to the same totalitarian political party; all of them are anti-American, anti-Israeli and "pacifists."

The author doesn't mention France's participation in the gulf war - nor the Newspapers headlines of "We are all Americans" during 9/11.
Nor French support of the Afghanistan action.

At times it seems the only difference between the Soviet Union twenty years ago and France today is that in Soviet Union you had only one Pravda, and in France you now have at least ten such propaganda outlets: Different titles, same content. Their party line is clear in reporting on the personalities found in the present Middle Eastern crisis. Saddam Hussein, the "President of Iraq"? Well, maybe he has been brutal, but you know, in "those" countries... George W. Bush? He’s a "moron" - a former alcoholic, who has become a crazy fanatic, in fact the most dangerous man on the face of earth. Ariel Sharon? A fascist who loves to kill Arabs. Arafat? A great freedom fighter. When an American general speaks, it is merely propaganda, but when Tariq Aziz pontificates, it is pure truth.

Rant and rave.

The anti-Semitism has created a threat to the physical safety for French Jews. Almost every week, some Jews get mugged, simply for being Jews.

Aha! Motivations are beginning to show.

And Jews are not the only victims of France's new identification with radical Islam. In many French cities with a growing radical Islamist population, no teenage girl can go out in the evening, at least not without a full burqa. If she does, it will mean that "she is for everybody": in short, a whore. In the same cities, every teenage girl - regardless of religion - has to wear the Muslim veil if she does not want to be harassed or killed. Almost every month, a young woman is mugged and raped in a suburb of a big city. Gang rape has become so frequent that a new word, used by the rapists themselves to define their hideous actions, is used by everybody: tournantes (revolving). To the rapists, the woman is nothing, a mere object to be thrown away after use. The people who speak about "revolving" seem to forget a human being is involved as the victim. Policemen do nothing. Every decent person knows the problem is Islam, but no one dares to say it. It could be dangerous. The streets are not safe.

Viva Le Pen!

One year ago, a French Muslim decided to create a new business: he was tired of seeing people drinking Coca-Cola - all this money going to Americans! He found a factory and started to produce Mecca Cola. On the label, he put a picture of the Al Aqsa mosque, with a large part of his profits would help to support the Palestinian cause. In some suburbs of Paris, Coca-Cola has disappeared; Mecca Cola has replaced it.

And competition and the law of supply and demand is an evil thing?
I thought that it was very western myself.

Three radio stations in France are Muslim radio stations, and if you listen to them, dedicated to broadcasting the voice of hate and racism all day long. One radio station belongs to a friend of the rightist Jean-Marie Le Pen, and curiously, if you listen to it, you will hear the same voice of hate and racism.

Oh now that *is* funny!!!! Le Pen - the hater of all things brown and all things Islamic, teams up with his arch enemies to remove the jews!

If you want to understand why all this is happening, you have to understand one thing: thirty years ago, French governments started to have a new foreign policy. They called this new policy, "Arabian Policy." France became closer to Arab countries - all of them disgusting dictatorships. France "benefited" by doing business easily in these countries.

Just about every western country has benefited from trade with the ME, and continues to do so.

In exchange, France had to push Europe to unknot its ties with Israël and the United States.

Did it? I hadn't noticed. Anyone else notice it?

In exchange too, "professors" came from the Arabian dictatorships to teach the Arabic language to the young Arabs living in France.

Is that evil?

The only book they used to teach the Arabic language was THE book, Al Kuran.

That one *is* a Le Pen claim that simply isn't true.

Now comes the time to pay the check: six million Muslims live in France, at least ten per cent of them are radical Islamists poised on the edge of violence. And these radical Muslims have allies on both the extreme Left and the extreme Right.

The numbers of muslims in France is correct - the rest is pure BS.

Sorry, but this guy is a complete card carrying Le Pen supporter.
I'm surprised you posted this racist drivel.

[pritchke]

I don't think Cola is a trademark only the name "Coca Cola".

[pritchke]

Skunk, Magik did not say he agreed with the article, he only wanted us to debate and get our opinions.

After reading it a second time see it as almost all racist drivel as well.

I posted some drivel on the journalist being killed a while back.

[ 04-09-2003, 12:39 PM: Message edited by: pritchke ]