Bush Calls Chirac \'Jacka$$\' - Authors

This is one example of the fundamental foreign policy differences between Kerry and Bush.  You will either find it amusing or embarrassing depending on which side of the political fence you sit on.

October 5, 2004 -- President Bush privately refers to French President Jacques Chirac, who bitterly opposed Bush\'s Iraq policy, as "The Jackass," according to a new book.
And Bush knows how little Chirac thinks of him because U.S. intelligence eavesdrops on phone calls by Chirac at the Elysée Palace in Paris, the book says, according to The Times of London.

"The relationship between your president and ours is irreparable on the personal level," a U.S. official told a senior French military aide, according to the book, "Chirac Versus Bush — The Other War."

Among the revelations of bad blood between the two leaders, detailed by authors Henri Vernet and Thomas Cantaloube:

* Before the bitterly divided U.N. Security Council took up Iraq in early 2003, the French entourage met in Germany\'s U.N. mission because it was the only unbuggable place they could find.

* The White House wouldn\'t take any calls from the French leadership for weeks after the U.S.-led invasion. Andy Soltis

http://www.nypost.com/news/worldnews/31365.htm

You find it amusing?

Yeah, it\'s nice to know we have a mature adult leading our country.  :rolleyes:

Yes, I find it amusing.  Chirac is a jackass.  As I stated, you will either find it amusing or disturbing.  

The reason I and others find it amusing is because of France\'s constant opposition to the US in global politics - predating GWB.  Through the use of its veto power in the security council France was more an ally of Saddam\'s Baath party then it was an ally of the US.  The oil for food scandal is starting to bring this to light.

*Holds hand up*

I find it amusing too. No, I find it very funny.

I don\'t think it\'s funny that our country leader would call another country leader a jackass.  Real professional, way to represent the country.

They both call each other names:

"And Bush knows how little Chirac thinks of him because U.S. intelligence eavesdrops on phone calls by Chirac at the Elysée Palace in Paris, the book says, according to The Times of London."

I am just waiting until the investigation at the UN over the oil for food scandal eventually finds its way to Chirac\'s (and Putins) doorstep.

That doesn\'t mean Bush couldn\'t take the high road and be the better man.  

He represents the United States of America for crying out loud.

Originally posted by Ginko
That doesn\'t mean Bush couldn\'t take the high road and be the better man.  

He represents the United States of America for crying out loud.

Why?  I certainly don\'t hold France and Chirac in high esteem.  I am sorry we even consider France an ally.  A significant number in America consider France our "Oldest Enemy".  Speaking of which there is a good book on the subject.  Though I don\'t agree with everything it says - its does present valid points.

http://www.oldestenemy.com/read.php

During the presidency of Charles de Gaulle, France became the source of strife within the Western alliance as it undermined NATO and downplayed the Soviet threat—and even refused to rule out aiming its own nuclear missiles at the United States. In 1986, when the United States obtained positive proof that Libyan strongman Muammar Qaddafi was behind a fatal terrorist bombing in Berlin, the French rejected American requests to let U.S. warplanes fly through their airspace on a mission to retaliate against a sinister forerunner of Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein.

At times, Americans have reacted with passionate indignation at French hostility and intransigence. In the 1790s, during the infamous XYZ Affair, the public was outraged when French officials demanded huge bribes from U.S. diplomats. In the 1960s, de Gaulle’s shrill anti-American harangues and his dramatic decision to pull French troops from NATO resulted in boycotts of French products across the United States. Yet the myth of Franco-American friendship remains so tenacious that when each new generation of Americans encounters French enmity, it reacts with shock and disbelief.

The French themselves have harbored considerably fewer illusions. “We are at war with America,” declared François Mitterand shortly before his death in 1996. “A permanent war . . . a war without death. They are very hard, the Americans—they are voracious. They want undivided power over the world.” Indeed, anti-Americanism has deep roots in France, especially among its political and intellectual elites. Fueled by an abiding belief in French superiority, this attitude at times has assumed odd shapes: As a diplomat in Paris in the 1780s, Thomas Jefferson tried to disabuse French thinkers of their strange insistence that North American animals were smaller and weaker than those native to Europe. More often, however, the French have sought to contrast their Old World refinements with what they have regarded as New World vulgarities. As French prime minister Georges Clemenceau put it, “America is the only nation in history which miraculously has gone directly from barbarism to degeneration without the usual interval of civilization.”

You\'re missing the point...we have world leaders calling eachother names.  There are many other terms Bush could have used to describe the situation but he chose "jackass".  This might be okay in your mind but in my mind it\'s just further tarnishing our image in France\'s eye.  Regardless we shouldn\'t just go pissing on other countries.  The most powerful man in the world, a person who represents a country\'s ideals, principles, and most of all the people, is calling names.  

It\'s inexcusable, imo.

Originally posted by GigaShadow
Why?  I certainly don\'t hold France and Chirac in high esteem.  I am sorry we even consider France an ally.  A significant number in America consider France our "Oldest Enemy".  Speaking of which there is a good book on the subject.  Though I don\'t agree with everything it says - its does present valid points.

http://www.oldestenemy.com/read.php

What a load of bullcrap.  I love it when someone conveniently forgets vast periods of history and picks out only the intermittant instances that prove their point.  As I recall, the French were allied with us during the two wars for independence, and we wouldn\'t have a nation if it weren\'t for them.  I\'m not saying you can\'t take issue with their post WWII leadership, but to call them our "Oldest Enemy" is complete BS.

BTW, it is highly immature to harbor an unreasoning grudge against France simply because they have the balls to disagree with us.  This is one matter where we really look like dumb hillbillies to the rest of the world.  I wish some of our leaders would grow up and realize that we AREN\'T the only country in the world.  This is one of the qualities of conservatives that disturbs me the most.  A vast disregard and disinterest in the rest of the world.  It\'s astonishing.

Originally posted by Coredweller
What a load of bullcrap.  I love it when someone conveniently forgets vast periods of history and picks out only the intermittant instances that prove their point.  As I recall, the French were allied with us during the two wars for independence, and we wouldn\'t have a nation if it weren\'t for them.  I\'m not saying you can\'t take issue with their post WWII leadership, but to call them our "Oldest Enemy" is complete BS.

BTW, it is highly immature to harbor an unreasoning grudge against France simply because they have the balls to disagree with us.  This is one matter where we really look like dumb hillbillies to the rest of the world.  I wish some of our leaders would grow up and realize that we AREN\'T the only country in the world.  This is one of the qualities of conservatives that disturbs me the most.  A vast disregard and disinterest in the rest of the world.  It\'s astonishing.

Two wars for independence?  Huh?  The War of 1812 wasn\'t a war of independence - that was American stupidity invading Canada without a military or are you referring to the Civil War?  Besides their "kindness" has been repaid in both world wars.  

There isn\'t a vast disregard for the rest of the world - just France.  Even you can\'t deny their conflicting political stance post WW2 with that of the United States.  As far as looking like dumb hillbillies to rest of the world - you are right how un PC of Bush to call Chirac a jackass - he should have called him "ane" (French for jackass).

[SirMystiq]

I think it\'s amazing and disturbing. Amazing because that kind of behavior by our President only shows his arrogance and his "brain power". Disturbing because that kind of behavior will only make our country look worst.

I don\'t see how something like this could help Bush build his alliance he keeps preaching to us. I\'m sure that Chirac isn\'t the only one that things very low of Bush.

You don\'t call other world leaders a "jackass" It only makes you look like an asshole. And people don\'t like to deal with assholes.

And on a side note...


It\'s so sad what the Republicans are trying to do with the "global test" line that Kerry made during the debate. It\'s sad how they are trying to completely change the meaning of it. It\'s pretty desperate.

Also, what they did with those flyers that had that Bible crossed out and blamed the Dems for trying to ban it. Wow, leave it to the Republicans.

Originally posted by SirMystiq


And on a side note...


It\'s so sad what the Republicans are trying to do with the "global test" line that Kerry made during the debate. It\'s sad how they are trying to completely change the meaning of it. It\'s pretty desperate.

Also, what they did with those flyers that had that Bible crossed out and blamed the Dems for trying to ban it. Wow, leave it to the Republicans.

How about dems spreading rumors that Bush is going to bring back the draft?  Trying to register illegals and convicted felons to garner more votes as well?  Wow leave it to dems... :rolleyes:

Mystiq - try using your brain... we were promised the most negative campaign ever by both sides and we are getting it.  I acknowledge both sides are trying to pull off some dirty tricks, but by the way you post the Demorats are running a clean campaign while the Republicans are not.  That shows your lack of knowledge and objectivity.

Also most American\'s could care less about our relationship or lack there of with France.  The reason Bush is popular with a lot of the public is that he shoots from the hip and tells it like it is.  No matter how much it makes the pseudo intellectuals in this country cringe.

Originally posted by GigaShadow
Two wars for independence?  Huh?  The War of 1812 wasn\'t a war of independence - that was American stupidity invading Canada without a military or are you referring to the Civil War?  Besides their "kindness" has been repaid in both world wars.  

There isn\'t a vast disregard for the rest of the world - just France.  Even you can\'t deny their conflicting political stance post WW2 with that of the United States.  As far as looking like dumb hillbillies to rest of the world - you are right how un PC of Bush to call Chirac a jackass - he should have called him "ane" (French for jackass).

Of course I\'m talking about the War of 1812, commonly referred to as the 2nd War for Independence.  That\'s beside the point.

Yes, disregard for "just France" because they are the only nuclear superpower that has the resolve to publically disagree with us.  What jackasses!  How dare they disagree with us!  Nobody\'s allowed to disagree with us!  We\'re the UNITED F**CKING STATES OF AMERICA GODDAMN IT!  Do you see the immaturity of this reaction?