1 in 3 French Backs Saddam

Post-9/11 Era Forum

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Ill-feeling between Britain and France over the invasion of Iraq has plumbed new depths with the desecration of that most sacred of memorials, a war cemetery.

The defilement of Commonwealth war graves in northern France coincided with a poll for The Times which found that 54 per cent of Britons no longer regarded France as a close ally because of its opposition to the war.

Relations will be further rent by a second poll, in Le Monde, showing that only a third of the French felt that they were on the same side as the Americans and British, and that another third desired outright Iraqi victory over “les anglo-saxons”.

Eleven thousand Allied soldiers lie buried in well-tended peace at Etaples, on the Channel coast near Le Touquet, victims of the struggle by Anglo-Saxons to liberate the French from the German invaders during the First World War.

Last week the obelisk raised in their memory was defiled by red-painted insults such as “Rosbeefs go home”; “May Saddam prevail and spill your blood”; and, in a reference to the long-dead casualties beneath the manicured turf, “They are soiling our land”.

Local gendarmerie have launched an inquiry, but have so far found no clues. They say there had been no significant demonstrations against the war in that area of France.

The graffiti have been scrubbed off, but the incident has provoked outrage among British politicians, war graves staff and the few remaining relatives of those buried at Etaples. French politicians have joined the condemnation.

Bruce George, Labour chairman of the Commons Defence Committee, said: “Remembering what sacrifice these men made for the liberation of France, I cannot believe any mature, sane person would be so stupid as that.”

David Uffold, 63, a Shropshire farmer, is the only surviving relative of Rifleman Frederick Uffold of the London Regiment, who is buried at Etaples. “I find it sickening that anyone would vandalise the cemetery,” he said. “It is the last place they should be protesting about Iraq. These fellows were drafted in to fight for France. I can’t see any connection between the men buried at Etaples and the war in Iraq.”

Peter Francis, of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, said he was disgusted that a place remembering those who died defending freedom in world wars long ago should be dragged into a current political debate.

French politicians did their best to portray the desecration as an isolated act, but it nonetheless underlined anti-American and anti-British emotions running through France over what is seen there as a bungled invasion rapidly turning into a humanitarian disaster.

President Chirac’s spokesman said: “We are indignant and shocked by the desecration of the graves of soldiers who fought for our liberty.” Jean-Pierre Raffarin, the Prime Minister, said: “The Americans are not the enemy; just because we are against this war, it does not mean that we want the victory of dictatorship over democracy.”

Source: Times Online (UK)

the reason the french are backing saddam because they are tradeing weapons parts, and other conytraband to saddam for oil. And dont want to loose there connection ever how bad the connection is they dont care as long as they get what they want and you all talk about the usa and israel and look at our own allies.hmmmmmmmmmm makes ya wonder huh how many other shady deals do the french and germans have going with saddam and iraq

If America finishes this war - they will lose that connection.
Also, that is sick to deface those graves. Those people gave their lives for a country other then their own and this is how they are repaid?
I didn't have an opinion about the French and their stance until now. And it is now not a good one.
The dead have nothing to do with this war and this shows just how cold and ignorant a population can be.
Especially when those dead helped give them their Freedom.
I now regret my country EVER helping the French and bleeding the French ground red with their blood for liberation.

Probably some dumb_*** children did this. You see to desicrate a graveyard you have to have backbone, and no Full grown Frenchman does. So obviously these children haven't completed their "Coward Training School". But then again, all of the people there were already dead, so......

Nope they are cowards as well.

1 on 3 ...... check the validity of the info Marc .....


http://www.nowar.tchacheurs.com/pics/francais2.gif


stat has been done on ...... 948 french citizens .....

is this representative of ~48,000,000 french citizens above 15 years old ????

quite stupid guys, seems that you are applying the very old U.S. method:

shoot then ask questions .......

too bad

and why not saying 2 of 3 French backs the coalition ???


easy


and big BULSHIIIIIIIIIT

Indeed verry unfortunate. Those graves and the monument have nothing to do with the current situation.

And about the 33% thats support the iraqi's: they d'ont support Saddam. There is a big difference.
The americans should not focus on France. These feeling roam across the whole of Europe. And i think the picture looks even more bleak in the rest of the world. This war is a PR dissaster for the Americans.

This is disgusting and hopefully a minority. Why do I get the feeling France has never truly appreciated the number of Allied soldiers that died fighting there.

I clearly remember a couple of years back that France wanted to dig up Australian war graves from WW1 to build a new airport so more traffic could come into the country. They were going to go ahead with it until the protest got too loud. I think the plain is still up in the air as well. Disgusting.

There are some things in this world that should never be forgotten my friends.

Fred Hooper

Dreamzwalker, I can't let you say that... you take a marginal group action as representative of an entire population... Most French people deeply respect those soldiers, and what they've done for us.

I've visited an american cemetary in Normandie some years ago, and I can assure you people were very respectful. What French criticize today is Bush's policy, that's all.

So please don't make these shortcuts... Ignorant and crazy people are not a french speciality!

its not bush you should be thanking it is the french and others that back saddam and his evil regeime. Alot of people died in france to liberate it and alot will die now for iraq to liberate iraq.; What i find so sad is france by doing what they have done is basically slapping the usa across the face with there actions. And let me remind you all dureing ww2 we didnt slap you when you needed help, instead we lost more men to help you and this is the way we are repaid. It is not the usa that is turning countrys against her it is all of our susposeenly allies who we helped turning there backs on the usa for money and greed and oil.

final proof that there are insane people everywhere. Dont judge a country on a stupid (i mean really stupid) action of some psychos.
the fact france is not backing US on iraq has nothing to do with WW2, france has not forget.

as for mtliveingtree, stop being dumb please, i can see that you hate france, but saying that they are with iraq because they want to sell weapons....

it s so ironic that it s USA that is invading iraq and it s france that is accused beeing greed for oil ???

growing hate between USA and france will lead nowhere. i rember an inscription i read on a tank in iraq, "First Bagdad, next Paris". And now this, an action of destruction that only insane people can do.
stop the show.

i have no problim with france at all, just her loyalties and who she is backing. And far as oil we all know whats going on there dont flatter yourself, i have no problim with france, even been there in the service, beatiful country, but standing behind saddam and backing him and what he has and is doing is what im against. killing innocent people and destroying everything around him includeing his envirement and country. Thats what i have a problim with. I have a problim with what your country is saying about the usa with out even giveing us a chance. You are right, this war is destroying our countrys friendship but it is not us that is killing kids for waveing at an american, or killing a women for supporting a change in her country. or the killing and useing there own people for sheild, setting up women and children to be killed to make and cause more hatered. Iraq is doing all these things not the usa/uk. And you back this killer and what he does by dealing with him and the weapons you sold or traded them are being used on us now. The people that helped you are now dieing from the weapons iraq got from you. That is what i hate, not you or your country, just her policies and her ways of doing buisness in this situation. Saddam is an evil man and should and will be removed. Than once the war is over i think the whole world will see how he really is and was. Another hitler. Remember him, now we are trying to help someone else that is and was in your posistion dureing hitlers reighn. And you put us down for doing the same thing we did for you. Thats what pisses me off, not you or the french people, just look at all sides will ya than you will understand where im comeing from.

mtliveingtree,

Nobody is backing Sadam here in France. This argument is a propaganda from the US neocon. France only does not agree on the means to remove Saddam.

The business France is doing with Iraq is nothing compared to the business we could have done if we had follown the US in this war (reconstruction, increasing oil production in Iraq, etc...)

Since Napoleon to the middle of XXth century, France was used to make war to "free enslaved countries" (in Europe, in Asia and Africa). But you cannot free people against their will. In fact these wars were imperialist and colonisation wars.

The arguments were always the same : we will bring the french revolution to other european countries (human rights etc...). We will bring civilization to these countries in Africa (especially if these countries have a strategic importance).

Only imperialist and colonisation wars.

And so is the US war against Iraq. That's why Iraqi people dont welcome your soldiers.

Remember : we are used to recognize imperialist wars as we were one of the biggest imperialists in the past centuries.

WWII : Nobody in France has forgotten US' help. The situation is different in Iraq.
in 1944 everybody in France were waiting the US to stop the unjust German occupation. US, UK and the remainings of French army were allies against Germany.

Iraqi people see the US as an enemy, as they have been starving to death because of the embargo leaded by the US. Nowyou will try to explain to them that it's over, you are in their country destroying the towns to free them ? with the support of Koweit (their enemy that have spoiled their oil economy) ? With the support of Ariel Sharon their worst enemy ? It's not a war for freedom, but an imperialist war !