Kerry Cares About France’s ‘Attitude’ of the United States (VIDEO)

[onedomino]

Really? Because the facts tell us that the Indian economy is growing at about twice the rate as the US economy, and the Chinese economy is growing at nearly three times the rate of the US economy.

We're fallable. Even you have to admit that.

And your point is what? The US economy is much larger than those in Asia (or anywhere else). The US economy is what? $12 trillion? The Chinese economy is what percent of that? And the Indian economy? When you compare the US economy to China or India, you are comparing a gigantic economy to medium economies. If the US economy grew at the rate of the Chinese economy, it would consume the Earth in a few months. It is not statistically fair to compare the US economic rate of growth to that of China and India. Anyway, the Chinese rate of growth would be much (much, much) smaller if their currency was allowed to float on International money markets; instead, it is artifically pegged to the US dollar.

 

[onedomino]

Now for those of you who haven't caught on, this is an example. The United States and France have traditionally been allies. Without French naval support, training expertise, and battlefield strategy, America wouldn't exist other than as a crown colony or "dominion" (I'm looking at you, Canada). Admittedly, this alliance has always been strained. Revolutionary French forces attacked American shipping in the late 1790s, and Charles de Gaulle withdrew from the NATO military alliance following the Suez War, but, despite these difficulties, the alliance has held. It is in America's best interest to have allies, no one can deny that. While the French stood steadfast against the war in Iraq, thereby in opposition to America, we should not let this incident start to undo the longstanding friendship between our two countries. It is not in America's interest to drive away it's closest friends on the international stage at the time when their assistence could be the most useful, especially one so central to Europe. We do not need the help of either France or NATO in all things, but their help is much appreciated and adds an air of international legitimacy to any action. NATO forces in Afghanistan have eased the burden of the occupation of that country for us, and their help would bolster or efforts in Iraq.
France is full of arrogant assholes, but we've had an alliance with her for over 200 years, and maintaining that relationship is the pragmatic course.

Come on...France gave US revolutionary forces some marginal support (it was hardly decisive) for the sole reason of making life difficult for the British. You cannot seriously think that the French gave two shits about what happened to English colonists in North America...can you? You consider France an ally? You should reconsider the friends you keep. A short list: the Germans were close to Paris when US forces intervened in WWI and saved French butt (what possessed us?); the French capitulated to the Nazis and we had to save their asses yet again in WW2 (at the time they had the largest land army and armored forces in the world, yet they gave up in just 6 weeks); the French turned SE Asia into complete chaos while trying to get back their colonial empire after WW2 and America was left to clean up the French mess after the tri-color cut and ran (as usual). Those were only three of the nasty run-ins with the French that America has had. There are many lesser ugly complications with the French that could be listed. The French are NOT American allies (they despise the English speaking world and fundamentally resent American economic and cultural dominance), and in most instances they act exactly like American enemies (e.g., Iraq, and the latest French diplomatic turd regarding Lebanon, where the French want to give up before Hezbollah is disarmed..let's see...Lebanon was a colony of what greedy European power? Oh, that's right...France!). There have been many French incidents of anti-semitic violence in recent years and you must remember that it is the French culture that sent more than 100K Jews to be murdered in Nazi death camps during WW2. NO. The French are not American allies...I would be very worried if they were.

 

[MtnBiker]

It is not statistically fair to compare the US economic rate of growth to that of China and India.

For the year 2004, Iraq's GDP growth was 52.3%.