France Targets Ivorian Airforce

[wunarmdscissor]

yay me an twdyp agreeing on something.

The first sign of impending apolocalypse

[twpdyp]

wunarmdscissor Posted Today, 11:16 AM

  yay me an twdyp agreeing on something.

The first sign of impending apolocalypse

LOL no I think it is something even more sinister and doom casting. OMG, wunarmdscissor you don't suppose that maybe liberals and conservatives can live in the same world and get along. Perhaps even going further, past getting along, into maybe working together to solve the world problems. Pipe dream or can it happen? I think it can.

[wunarmdscissor]

you should try living here,

there isnt nearly the nastiness and hatred in our politics that seemed to be the underlying them of that entire election campaign.

It was unerving and both parties were as bad as each other.

[Stellar]

wunarmdscissor Posted Today, 11:06 AM

  French people consider it a racial insult.

Just so you know

Stellar I believe I am going to agree with wunarmdscissor on this one. I think the French find the "frog" thing insulting.

347005[/snapback]

I cant see why its any different than ppl calling americans stupid or sheeple or anything like that...

(Plus, maybe they should ask for a cease fire... they stop treating american tourists badly, and people stop calling them frogs...)

Edited November 7, 2004 by Stellar

[wunarmdscissor]

says who stelar????????

what a downright daft thing to say.

And french people werent accosted in america lol.

After george bush' speeches and the whole "freedom fries" laughing stock what wuold u expect.

Anyway americans arent treated like sh** over there.

Only the ones who expect them to speak english and no nothing of their culture.

[Stellar]

After george bush' speeches and the whole "freedom fries" laughing stock what wuold u expect.

Did I say I support the "freedom fries" thing?

Anyway americans arent treated like sh** over there.

Only the ones who expect them to speak english and no nothing of their culture.

347023[/snapback]

I've heard lots of americans complain about the french being rude to them if they found out they're american, and thats why some went to France with a canadian flag. And can you deny that french citizens have called americans stupid and other names?

[wunarmdscissor]

like i said what do u exect with what the french had been called by even the american government lol.

I mean the whole freedom fries thing was insulting on a national, government level.

Im pretty sure that the stories i heard about french people in america far outweight ANYTHING thats happened to americans in france.

[twpdyp]

Im pretty sure that the stories i heard about french people in america far outweight ANYTHING thats happened to americans in france.

I cannot answer that one, I have never been to France. As a poor working stiff, blue collor and everything, I can't even afford to go to France. Now as far as French people being treated badly here I have never witnessed it, I cannot be everywhere but I have not seen or heard of any incidents of French Travelers being subjected to any form of abuse.

[reese2]

I mean the whole freedom fries thing was insulting on a national, government level.

OMG, Wun....... We agree... That was just so embarrassing, and I can honestly say, I never called them that...

[vimjams]

I've heard lots of americans complain about the french being rude to them if they found out they're american, and thats why some went to France with a canadian flag. And can you deny that french citizens have called americans stupid and other names?

Jeez Stellar...You've just got through calling the French 'frogs' in another post...So you haven't got any room to talk about 'rude' remarks. And besides don't you think it's a bit 'sissy' of the Americans complaining to you (of all people) about the French (what! all French people) calling them 'stoopid' (?)

Vimjams

[Blood Angel]

Isn't this about french peacekeeping in the ivory coast and NOT racism? Back on topic please...

[reese2]

Jeez Stellar...You've just got through calling the French 'frogs' in another post...So you haven't got any room to talk about 'rude' remarks. And besides don't you think it's a bit 'sissy' of the Americans complaining to you (of all people) about the French (what! all French people) calling them 'stoopid' (?)

Must I say again, that if we carry things from other threads into new threads, no one really gets anywhere, except offensive and pointless??? Come on..... You really should relax a bit more. You probably aren't even a bad guy Vim, but no one gets to ever see that side of you.... Wish I could... May be a nice surprise..

[vimjams]

Must I say again, that if we carry things from other threads into new threads, no one really gets anywhere, except offensive and pointless??? Come on..... You really should relax a bit more

Not even half the baggage you've been carrying around from thread to thread concerning my posts Reese....You do keep falling into your own 'droppings' don't you.

Vimjams

[reese2]

I think you are really a sweetie... I will see it one day...

[Guest Lottie]

Not even half the baggage you've been carrying around from thread to thread concerning my posts Reese....You do keep falling into your own 'droppings' don't you.

Please...there is no need to be insulting.

[vimjams]

I think you are really a sweetie...

What...You don't really think I'm the "vile" "vicious" "nasty" "twisted" "terrorist" that some people seem to think I am then?

Vimjams

[Blood Angel]

o_o Another thread that seems to be breeding insults.....calm down people, that means you too vimjams.

[reese2]

No, Vim, I don't think that at all. I just think you are strongly opiniated, as so many people here. I don't think those things of babs, either. Politics just get heated, it is the nature of the beast. Some of the things you say, do make good sense, but it looses it's apeal when it comes to presentation, that is all. I am sure you are a really great guy. As I know Wun, Babs and others are all good people.

Reese

[vimjams]

No...Blood Angel no insults: This is not anything like that...I think it's more of a case that I feel quite muted now. I hate it when people start being nice to me...My tail starts to tickle my belly.

Vimjams

[reese2]

Aww, Vim...... See, that was kinda sweet.... We are all more than just our political opinions.

[Stellar]

Jeez Stellar...You've just got through calling the French 'frogs' in another post...

No actually I wasnt calling them frogs. Originally I was making a referance to how frog legs are a delicacy in france, hense the 'frog by frog" remark. Hell, I'm part french. I find that what I said is no different, and in fact less insulting, than any other jokes about Poles, Americans or any other country. Apparently, its all fine if you insult an american or americans, but it isnt fine if you make a joke about any other country?

So you haven't got any room to talk about 'rude' remarks. And besides don't you think it's a bit 'sissy' of the Americans complaining to you (of all people) about the French (what! all French people) calling them 'stoopid' (?)

Not sissy, I consider them whiners... but that doesnt change the way they're treated.

[Guest Lottie]

Troops move to end Ivorian riots

France has also sent troops to the capital, Yamoussoukro

France says the situation in Ivory Coast is "under control" after its forces fanned out across the main city, Abidjan, to end anti-French riots.

Troops in armoured cars took over road junctions and gunboats moved into position near bridges but Paris said it did not plan to evacuate its citizens.

Mobs went on the rampage after a day of bloodshed involving French forces sent to Ivory Coast as peacekeepers.

The UN has backed France's tough response to attacks on its soldiers.

French Defence Minister Michele Alliot-Marie said in Paris that while the situation was under control as of Sunday, it remained tense.

The French virtually wiped out the small Ivorian air force on Saturday shortly after an air raid on the rebel-held north of the country killed nine of their troops and wounded 22, and further damaged peace agreements reached with the rebels in July of last year.

France, the former colonial power, has dispatched 600 more troops to back up the 4,000 soldiers it already has in Ivory Coast as part of a UN force of 10,000.

The UN Security Council has called on both the Ivorian government and rebels to refrain from further violence.

The African Union has appointed South African President Thabo Mbeki to try to find a solution to the crisis and he is expected to arrive in Ivory Coast shortly.

The Ivorian government has said it is also sending troops out to "contain the vandals and stop the damage".

Separately, the president's office announced that recent action against rebels in the north was over and the army ordered its soldiers to report to their units in Abidjan.

Community in fear

The French troops have moved at least 80 people to safer locations in Abidjan since supporters of President Laurent Gbagbo went on the rampage.

Paris has denied official charges that its forces killed at least 15 protesters in the riots.

Thousands of people armed with machetes and clubs have been roaming the streets, setting up roadblocks of burning tyres.

French property in the Bietry and Cocody districts, including four schools and a library, were looted and the French-controlled airport came under attack.

A mob near the main French military base demanded to know if there were any French living in the district.

"It's better to burn them, like in Algeria," one rioter was quoted as shouting by The Associated Press.

"They burned the whites - that's why they're respected."

An unidentified French engineer living in Ivory Coast told France 2 TV by telephone that expatriates were staying in their homes, preparing to leave:

"We aren't moving, we can't move any more, we can't go out. There are no more supplies coming in. We're waiting.

"There's a very, very palpable climate of fear, which means nobody dares talk. Everyone is packing their bags but won't dare tell the neighbours."

'No hidden agenda'

Ivorian officials have been giving conflicting messages - some calling for a truce, others urging the French to leave Ivory Coast.

"Vietnam will be as nothing compared with what we are going to do here," said parliamentary speaker Mamadou Coulibaly.

In Paris, French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier denied his country's growing intervention was aimed at destabilising Ivory Coast.

"In no way is France there to destabilise the Ivory Coast and its institutions or take sides. Its aim above all is to preserve constitutional legality."

The French minister added that there was "no hidden agenda".

Speaking on French LCI TV, he added that the government did not "anticipate an evacuation of [its] nationals from Ivory Coast at the moment".

[Guest Lottie]

UN Condems Ivory Coast Attacks

The UN Security Council has condemned the bombing raid in the Ivory Coast carried out by the military in which nine French peacekeepers were killed.

After an emergency meeting, a statement was released calling for an immediate end to all military operations.

The Security Council also backed action by the French, who destroyed two government planes after the air strike.

The French ambassador to the UN has called for an arms embargo against the Ivory Coast government.

There are some 10,000 French and UN peacekeepers in the Ivory Coast, most along the ceasefire line dividing the rebel-held north from the government-held south.

The Security Council wasted no time in condemning the attack against the French peacekeepers and other recent air strikes in the rebel-held north.

The unanimously-agreed statement demanded an end to all military operations and confirmed French and UN peacekeepers were authorised to use all necessary means to carry out their mandate.

Arms embargo

When asked about the French attack on Ivorian government planes, US ambassador to the UN, John Danforth, said they understood France would defend its troops and citizens when attacked.

The emergency meeting was called by the French ambassador to the UN, Jean-Marc de la Sabliere.

Mr Annan helped broker a peace deal in July between the two sides

He said he wanted an arms embargo imposed against the Ivory Coast government.

The French are drawing up a resolution to follow the statement.

The government in the Ivory Coast started carrying out air raids on Thursday on two cities in the rebel-held north, crossing the ceasefire line agreed last year.

The attacks were condemned by the UN Security Council as grave and worrying.

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan - who helped broker talks in July at which both sides recommitted themselves to a peace deal - also attended the emergency meeting.

[wunarmdscissor]

I am sure you are a really great guy. As I know Wun, Babs and others are all good people.

PLease , what did i have to do with that argument there lol.....

[reese2]

There was no argument, it was just a compliment.