CBC wrote:
LONDON (AP) - The U.S.-led invasion of Iraq mobilized Islamic extremists and made the world more dangerous, French President Jacques Chirac said, keeping up his vocal opposition to the war on the eve of a visit to London.
"There's no doubt that there has been an increase in terrorism and one of the origins of that has been the situation in Iraq," Chirac told the British Broadcasting Corp. in an interview to be broadcast later Wednesday.
"To a certain extent Saddam Hussein's departure was a positive thing. But it also provoked reactions, such as the mobilization in a number of countries, of men and women of Islam, which has made the world more dangerous," he said, according to excerpts published on the BBC website.
Despite Chirac's criticism of the war, officials in Paris say he wants stronger relations with Washington.
The issue will figure prominently in talks Thursday between Chirac and British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who has called for reconciliation between European leaders and the newly re-elected U.S. President George W. Bush.
According to a transcript of the BBC interview released by the Elysee Palace, Chirac said France and the United States have a 200-year history of "co-operation, friendship and solidarity."
The dispute over Iraq does not "mean that our relationship is in question," he added. "Don't let's confuse a state of continuing friendship, understanding and mutual respect, allied to a transatlantic link, with a differing stance on the specific situation in Iraq."
Chirac added that while France would help Iraq "achieve her sovereignty and hopefully develop her potential," he could not envisage sending troops to the country.
Blair's spokesman said Chirac's views on the war are well known, and insisted differences over Iraq would not stop co-operation on such issues as climate change, alleviating poverty in Africa and pushing forward the Middle East peace process.
"President Chirac's position (on Iraq) does not come as a surprise," the spokesman said on condition of anonymity. "Let's be grown up about this. We have a difference of view but that does not mean we can't work together."
He emphasized that France, Britain and Germany worked closely in reaching a deal with Iran over civil nuclear power. He pointed to France's support in Afghanistan and the role Paris could play in the Middle East peace process.
In Paris, French presidential spokesman Jerome Bonnafont said Chirac and Blair would discuss ways of rebuilding the transatlantic relationship, which he described as "the spine of our security."
He said Chirac planned to give a speech to the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London arguing that "the transatlantic relationship is more necessary than ever."
Bonnafont said the two leaders would work closely on the issue of climate change and join forces to persuade Bush to reverse his opposition to the Kyoto Protocol on global warming.
"It clearly won't be an easy task. But it seems to both the president of the Republic (Chirac) and to Tony Blair to be an issue that merits a very strong political commitment," Bonnafont said.
Chirac will spend two days in London to mark the 100th anniversary of the "Entente Cordiale" - a historic pact ending centuries of warring and hostility, and will enjoy the hospitality of the Queen at Windsor Castle.
Note the bold. Unfortunatly French troops are missing weapons caches right under their noses. In fact the latest ones were found by Canadian troops. Just goes to show that if it's not the Legion than they suck.
M1891/30: A bad day on the range is better then a good day at work.
Spyder and Mackey know I feel nothing but love for our cousins next door. The French have done some real shitty things in the Pacific, and my little quip was aimed against Greenpeace and not at New Zealand.
Stofsk wrote:Spyder and Mackey know I feel nothing but love for our cousins next door. The French have done some real shitty things in the Pacific, and my little quip was aimed against Greenpeace and not at New Zealand.
But they don't love you as they're too busy shagging the sheep.
"You say that it is your custom to burn widows. Very well. We also have a custom: when men burn a woman alive, we tie a rope around their necks and we hang them. Build your funeral pyre; beside it, my carpenters will build a gallows. You may follow your custom. And then we will follow ours."- General Sir Charles Napier
"To a certain extent Saddam Hussein's departure was a positive thing. But it also provoked reactions, such as the mobilization in a number of countries, of men and women of Islam, which has made the world more dangerous."
Wow. I'm surprised he used those words. "Men and women of Islam..."? If Bush said something like that, he'd be hounded for months. It would rightly be considered a huge faux-pas. But Chirac gets off scot-free?
"To a certain extent Saddam Hussein's departure was a positive thing. But it also provoked reactions, such as the mobilization in a number of countries, of men and women of Islam, which has made the world more dangerous."
Wow. I'm surprised he used those words. "Men and women of Islam..."? If Bush said something like that, he'd be hounded for months. It would rightly be considered a huge faux-pas. But Chirac gets off scot-free?
If Bush had said that I think we'd all be so surprised that he got a whole unscripted sentence out in an actual interview, which wasn’t replete with basic errors in grammar and full of non-existent words, that we’d have difficulty on actually noticing what he had said.
Axis Kast wrote:It would rightly be considered a huge faux-pas. But Chirac gets off scot-free?
Do you know what a faux pas is?
Yep.. its letting you off without a custom title
What do you mean society voted "no"....*looks at poll result* oh! Hahaha and I know there was a fucking petition over PM, and I still kicked your asses, owned!!
BoredShirtless wrote:
Do you know what a faux pas is?
Yep.. its letting you off without a custom title
Not letting him off without a custom title, it's taking the first and second VIs away.
Will you guys cut that shit out, Boredshirtless has opinions some on this bored don’t like but they’re positions he argues coherently and backs up with evidence, he positively contributes to the board in a way many people don’t. Sure he’s an aggressive poster poster on occasion but who isn’t? If he’s worthy of an offensive custom title there are a great many who others who should be ahead of him in the queue.
Also isn’t this something of a vendetta carried over from another thread and therefore against board policy?
If Bush had said that I think we'd all be so surprised that he got a whole unscripted sentence out in an actual interview, which wasn’t replete with basic errors in grammar and full of non-existent words, that we’d have difficulty on actually noticing what he had said.
Bullshit. Bush says "crusade" and the world goes haywire. Chirac imputes that all Muslims are terrorists, and the best you can do is evade?
Axis Kast wrote:Bullshit. Bush says "crusade" and the world goes haywire. Chirac imputes that all Muslims are terrorists, and the best you can do is evade?
If Bush had said that I think we'd all be so surprised that he got a whole unscripted sentence out in an actual interview, which wasn’t replete with basic errors in grammar and full of non-existent words, that we’d have difficulty on actually noticing what he had said.
Bullshit. Bush says "crusade" and the world goes haywire. Chirac imputes that all Muslims are terrorists, and the best you can do is evade?
How much crack are you on right now, Axis? How the hell do you come to the conclusion that that says 'All Muslims are terrorists'? Or do you think increased religious tension in an era of religious fundamentalism the world over is not dangerous?
Manic Progressive: A liberal who violently swings from anger at politicos to despondency over them.
Out Of Context theatre: Ron Paul has repeatedly said he's not a racist. - Destructinator XIII on why Ron Paul isn't racist.
Generally in the U.S. whenever you want to condemn Muslim terrorists you have to remind everyone that they are fanatics who have hijacked a peaceful religion to justify their actions and blah blah blah etc. If Bush had referred to the 9/11 terrorists as the "men of Islam" without the aforementioned qualifying language you can bet your ass people would have been pissed off at him.
BoTM / JL / MM / HAB / VRWC / Horseman
I'm studying for the CPA exam. Have a nice summer, and if you're down just sit back and realize that Joe is off somewhere, doing much worse than you are.
Joe wrote:Generally in the U.S. whenever you want to condemn Muslim terrorists you have to remind everyone that they are fanatics who have hijacked a peaceful religion to justify their actions and blah blah blah etc. If Bush had referred to the 9/11 terrorists as the "men of Islam" without the aforementioned qualifying language you can bet your ass people would have been pissed off at him.
Rubbish. Where's your context? "men of Islam" can be accurate or insulting, depending on the sentance it's in.
BoredShirtless wrote:Oh yeah and thanks For a moment or two this past week I thought it was me against the board
Not the whole board just the section that can’t stand to hear an alternative point of view, happily whilst they squealed, shouted and generally threw a lot of shit in your direction they only succeeded in making themselves look like a bunch of intolerant assholes who can’t stand to have their worldview questioned.
Axis Kast wrote:
If Bush had said that I think we'd all be so surprised that he got a whole unscripted sentence out in an actual interview, which wasn’t replete with basic errors in grammar and full of non-existent words, that we’d have difficulty on actually noticing what he had said.
Bullshit. Bush says "crusade" and the world goes haywire. Chirac imputes that all Muslims are terrorists, and the best you can do is evade?
Chirac “imputed” no such thing, he said (as even you have acknowledged in the past) that the Iraq war served to radicalise some Muslims, a statement which is incontrovertibly true. Bush on the other hand said that he was on a fucking “Crusade” if you can’t see how that term isn’t a colossal diplomatic “faux pas” which understandably sent many worrying messages to non-Christian inhabitants of the “Holy Land” then you are even dumber than I thought (and to tell you the truth I already thought you were pretty fucking dumb).
Hahaha and I know there was a fucking petition over PM, and I still kicked your asses, owned!! 
For a moment or two this past week I thought it was me against the board 
