Long Memories

The Belmont Club has an interesting post up about the reason for the Franco American “troubles.” Seems they think the French are still fuming about a slight from 50 years ago:

Some readers have argued that French intriguing against the US in Iraq is payback for the “abandonment” of the French Army at Dien Bien Phu by the US in 1954 when all they expected was “some air cover”.

This is, of course, nonsense. The French intriguing is clearly payback for John Adams’ dispatches to congress before the Quasi-War of 1798-1800 in which he said:

“I will never send another minister to France without assurances that he will be received, respected, and honored, as the representative of a great, free, powerful, and independent nation.”

Ohh lala, they were very upset and they obviously still are.

Certainly, their “intriguing” couldn’t possibly have anything to do with current events because U.S. actions have been nothing short of perfect. They just can’t let go of the past. That’s why we call it old Europe.

Via The Daou Report