Tim Blair

Quick! Make this woman president of France. She may be the only person there who's smart enough to figure out that military actions ain't much fun but sometimes they have to happen.

In Stephen Ambrose's book Band of Brothers (the basis for the Steven Speilberg and Tom Hanks miniseries) there is a story about an innocent French kid gunned down by Yanks.

The kid was about fourteen and was accidently shot and pretty severely wounded. He survived, grew up, and became mayor of his village.

Every year he welcomed returning American GIs to his village with forgiveness and open arms.

I try to keep Frenchmen like him in mind when I'm tempted to write off the entire nation as a bunch of cynical ingrates.

"Mr Dargols said he believed that in Iraq the US had forgotten some of the lessons of D-Day. "I thought there would be [many] military intelligence people who speak the Arabic language," the wartime interpreter said. "What a mistake he made," Mr Dargols said, referring to President George Bush. "And look at the huge mess we're in now."

It is the French who have forgotten the lessons of D-Day. Freedom is not just a French value; it is God's gift to and the common heritage of every man.

I'm rather astonished that Dargols, remembering the U.S. role in freeing France from Nazi oppression, does not see the connection between his country under the Nazis and Iraq under Saddam.

I agree with helen. Its amazing how people that lived through world war 2(normandy in particular) can call Iraq "a mess". If anything, this has been the least violent, fastest progressing occupation/reconstruction in history.

except, i guess when the evil/nazi/zionist/fascist/satanic/cowboy/oil robbing/war monger Bush is in charge, it happens to cloud peoples perception of reality.

Mr Dargols said he believed that in Iraq the US had forgotten some of the lessons of D-Day. "I thought there would be [many] military intelligence people who speak the Arabic language," the wartime interpreter said. "What a mistake he made," Mr Dargols said, referring to President George Bush. "And look at the huge mess we're in now."

Plans for D-Day:

Bombs? Check
Bullets? Check
Brave men willing to die to bring freedom to Europe? Check
French interpreters? ...

French interpreters? ...

Damn! Ok hold up the invasion and get me Mademoiselle Le Pew's school of French on the line!

well i guess Iraq is a mess if you listen to Latham or any ABC news program. However, they could at least elude to the facts a bit. More than 2000 damaged schools have been rebuilt and 400 new ones have been constructed. Electricity and Oil production is at pre-war levels. Iraq's inflation has fallen from over 60% to just over 20%. 400,000 children have been immunised against disease and infections. Hundreds of small businesses have opened and pre-existing businesses re opened. Hospitals have been re-opened with the construction of new hospitals under way. Trade links with foreign economies are bing negotiated, phone services are slowing returning, yeah, it's a real mess!!!

My god, we have destroyed -400 schools and have a net death rate in Iraq because of us is -70,000. Man thats the worst war in history!

How heroic for the Rangers to storm Pointe du Hoc -- oops, no artillery there -- intelligence failure!

Hedgerows behind Utah beach? Oops, didn't realize how that affected operations, didn't provide troops with tools to deal with it -- bad planning!

Twenty thousand French civilian dead -- horrendous civilian casualties, war crimes!

Sherman DD tanks for Omaha mostly sank and failed to reach the beach -- bad planning, scandal!

Only UK was a major military partner -- unilateral invasion! Alienation of allies!

BTW, Tim, although technically true that "similar sentiments" of gratitude amidst the rubble may be found in Iraq, don't get carried away. Iraqis, and for a long time particularly isolated and propagandized, even by Arab-world standard -- are capable of the most impossible sorts of cognitive dissonance and upside-down thinking humans have ever displayed.

The sickening thing is to see even Normandy residents mouthing the mindless Euro-slander about the US in Iraq. Well, saves me a trip I'd always hoped to make, I guess.

On the 50th anniversary of D-day a show on our local PBS station was reviewing the events, in France, that marked the day. One thing that really bugged me were two interviews they had with French citizens. Both made a statement about how glad they were to be liberated *BUT* they went on and on about how much damage was done by the Allies during the invasion!!

I couldn't believe it. These two citizens are living free from the Nazis and they have the nerve to complain about the bombs dropped by the Allies during the invasion?! I recall shouting at the TV something about dropping bombs to help save Allied soldiers' lives as they landed.

If my country were freed from the Nazis, I'd be very thankful. I'd consider any damage done during the war to be worth my freedom.

I chose to believe their views were not the majority. Our PBS (Public Broadcasting) station just *had* to ensure there were statements like this. They couldn't allow an entire program to be shown without reminding us of how bad we are.

Yes, if only we could have saved lives without breaking any crockery.