Its a bit funny how people make fun of the French military

[AmateurEmale]

I wonder why the Chinese, North Koreans, and Vietnamese are not being discussed here:

France, and America, were both defeated by the Vietnamese, albeit with Chinese help that is becoming more well-known thanks to the Internet.

China and North Korea defeated America, or at least fought us to a draw, in the Korean War.

[haroldeye]

Given that my father's ancestry is Polish German from Prussia, I have to say that not all of them were that bad. I certainly wouldn't hurt a fly, never wear orange side hats and whilst not being a replica of a matinee idle my visage normally couldn't be used to to frighten the children to bed.

As to views on either the American or indeed Royal Air Force, surely it's standard practice for all decent people to look down their noses at them. They are after all pampered wastrels with dubious moustaches and, for the USAF at least, a very worrying inability to recognise friendly armoured vehicles from enemy ones.

The air wing of the Imperial War Museum at RAF Duxford, has a hangar donated by the people of the USA. It is set aside from the rest of the hangars and one has to walk about 500m to get to it. The route is sheltered from the weather by a glass wall upon which is carved the names of all those American airmen who didn't come back. There is an awful lot of names and it is very, very moving. Might I suggest your Prussian chum be told to go there it might broaden his mind and soften his attitude.

[tygrkhat40]

Originally Posted by AmateurEmale

This was the same guy who claimed that there was one weak branch of the U.S. Military: "The Air Force. I have nothing against the Air Force... But they're pansies! Most of them just do logistical work..."

At my father's wake, I told one of his Marine buddies, who survived the Chosin Reservoir, that a friend of mine had been in the Air Force. He said, "The Air Force, they're almost military."

[Riley Owain]

Originally Posted by AmateurEmale

Freedom fries, anyone?

Americans, in my experience, sometimes criticize France because of either WW2 or their unwillingness to support the Iraq invasion under Bush Jr. in the early 2000s.

Well lets be honest the French was proven to make the correct choice in 2003.

[haroldeye]

Well they were protecting their export arms sales. Second only to the Russians in supplying arms to Saddam.

[rotobott]

Cheese eating surrender monkeys, is funny, not saying it's true.

[Riley Owain]

Originally Posted by haroldeye

Well they were protecting their export arms sales. Second only to the Russians in supplying arms to Saddam.

You mean like the US in the 80s when they gave arms to Iraq in the 80s when Iraq was at war with Iran ?

[haroldeye]

Riley, The amount of military sales to Iraq from 1980 onwards makes interesting reading. By far the biggest supplier at $9Bn were the Russians followed by the French at $6Bn.

I wouldn't be surprised at your claim as from 1980 onwards the Iranians were the leaders of the America is the Great Satan claim. Giving is not quite the same as selling though.

[cginok]

July 18, 1990 Top 10 Ways France Is Preparing for the German Reunification

10. Dialing 911.
9. Installing speed bumps to slow down Panzers.
8. Cutting bedsheets into convenient easy-to-wave white rectangles.
7. Watching twice as many Jerry Lewis movies just to keep their spirits up.
6. Stockpiling Blistex so they can kiss plenty of German butt.
5. Printing up T-shirts that say, "Don't shoot! I'm a collaborator!"
4. Going a really, really long time without bathing.
3. Suddenly acting all chummy with Chuck Norris.
2. Practicing running backwards and blowing kisses.
1. Developing top secret stealth cheese.

[AmateurEmale]

The source of "cheese eating surrender monkeys" is the Simpsons TV show, featuring Groundskeeper Willie in an episode when he was the substitute French teacher:

<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZUKEVU-TwM>