The sickening USA chants at the RNC

[George_Bonanza]

National pride doesn't hurt, as long it doesn't fringe on racism or cultural superiority. It's okay to root your heart out for your country in the Olympics or the FIFA World Cup. It's okay to revive a little playful rivalry between historic rivals like England and France.

But what I witnessed at the RNC during Zell Miller's hateful speech was beyond repulsive. The way that those sun-fried idiots that comprised of the delegates at the RNC turned international institutions like the UN into hated enemies was mind-blowing. Listen you goddamn morons, the United States is a great country that deserves to be respected. But the U.S.A. is not more important than the rest of the world. The French are not worse than the Nazis simply because they opposed an globally unpopular war. The French were America's greatest allies since the American Revolution to Afghanistan. Just because they had enough sense to oppose your stupid so-called "Christian" president doesn't make them cowardly terrorist abetters. That somewhat amusing, now sickening slogan about how France never won a war is bullshit. How many wars have the Americans really won? The War of Independence? Okay, I'll grant them that, even though it was a war that many Britons back home didn't really care about, especially since they identified with their brothers fighting oppression than with their aristocratic betters. The Civil War? You guys fought yourselves, you both lost. The wars against Mexico, the Native Americans, and the Spanish? I wouldn't be too proud of that. World War I? That was a joint effort of many allies, America being a key one, but still only a piece of the puzzle. Again, the same with World War II. America played a hugely important part, but so did the British, and the French Resistance, and the Poles, and the Russians, and all the other allies working against the evil Axis. And if these idiots actually remembered what they learned in college (if they went at all), France won plenty of wars, from Phillip Augustus' reclaiming of English lands on French soil, to Joan of Arc's crusade against the British in the Hundred Years' War. And the fundies would love this: the French were the biggest contributors in the successful First Crusade.

Look Zell old man, most of us respect the military and the great sacrifices they make. But just because we don't kiss their feet when they fight for erroneous causes and commit crimes doesn't make us unpatriotic. You're a joke now, just like the RNC. The idiots like to band together, led by corrupt yet intelligent minds, but your time will soon come to an end. Fuck you.

[Kurt Remarque]

1. it's the new "rebel yell" from the confederates

[catbert836]

3. Um hum

Thats what I was thinking too.

[MasonJar]

5. Do not lump us Southerners with Zell; remember Georgia also

gives the world Jimmy Carter and Max Cleland.

[gatorboy]

2. Here is the main difference between Democrats and Republicans

We ask from a candidate, "What can you do for everyone?"

They ask, "What can you do for ME???"

[lastknowngood]

4. Actually if you listen close they were chanting KKK KKK KKK

n/t

[PA Democrat]

6. That chanting gave me the creeps

I've only heard that in the past when people are rooting for our country's team at an international competition, like the Olympics.

Were they rooting for their team (Republican party) by chanting "USA"? Does that mean that the Democrats are not part of the USA?

[Piperay]

7. YES...

as far as they are concerned it does mean that Democrats are NOT part of the USA, according to them we are not real American's, very sad. :-(

[Dangerman]

8. Those GOP dickheads!

Anybody who chants "USA" without criticizing the god damn government for Operation Iraqi F*ck-up (it's NOT FREEDOM) are citizens of George W. Bush's America (for which I hate), not the REAL America (which I love)

EDIT: grammar

[eeyore]

9. Made me think of Homer Simpson

That's Homer's idiotic "in your face!" battle cry, used to make him look like a loud American dolt.

I always shudder anytime that gets going, usually driving me to bury my head in my hands with shame. It's the sound of the Ugly American who has total contempt for what the rest of the world thinks.

My country, right or wrong, indeed!

I've seen packs of teenage American tourists roaming the streets of Europe doing the same chant. And then the sam people complain that the French are rude to Americans.

Fucking clueless idiots are doing their best to make sure the rest of the world hates us.

YUCK!!!

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

10. Richard The Lionhearted was actually more French than English

Although he was born in England, he remained there only a few months and primarily lived in France, where he had lands. His mother was French, Eleanor of Acquitaine. Richard spoke no English, but was raised speaking French. He even died in France. In fact, many of the Crusaders were French and the French port of Aigue Morte on the Mediterranean was one of the primary departure points for several of the Crusades.

Regarding French involvement in World War II, it was far more than the resistance. The French resistance had about 350,000 participants including intelligence and actual fighters. Of those, about 70,000 were killed. But the French Army never stopped fighting throughout World War II. About 60,000 French troops left Dunkirk with the English. The French Army fought at the Battle of the Bulge, they fought in North Africa, they fought in Italy, the had units at D-Day. In fact, the first paratroopers to bail out over France on D-Day was the "Battalion Du Ciel" ("Sky Batallion") and French Commandos under Philippe Kieffer landed alongside the British at Juno Beach and took the town of Ouistraham. The French in Italy took the heights of the Belvedere, becoming the first unit to break the Gustav Line which lead to the lifting of the bloody siege of Anzio.

http://216.239.57.104/search?q=cache:i3eOATaS-YcJ:home.wanadoo.nl/cclinks/abtf/fierce~1.html+french+break+gustav+line+anzio&hl=en
"...When the Allies renew the offensive on May 11, four corps are thrown forward - the U.S. II, the Polish II, the British XIII, and the French Expeditionary Force. The 12 attacking divisions faced only 6 German divisions. While there is general progress all along the Gustav Line, it is the French who finally crack the line for good..."

One of the greatest air aces of World War II was the Free French pilot Pierre Closterman, who had 33 confirmed kills and 23 probables, one of the very highest totals for any allied pilot in the European theater of war:
http://216.239.57.104/search?q=cache:fBJ7MSpR6iwJ:users.senet.com.au/~wingman/aces.html+pierre+closterman+ace+&hl=en

One of the great stories of World War II is that of the Free French pilots who volunteered to form squadrons of fighters within the Russian Army on the Eastern Front. Known as the "Normandie-Niemen", they racked up 236 kills of German planes with several more "probables" and became one of the spearheads of the Russian Air Force against the Germans. Their leader was Marcel Albert, who was given Russia's highest military honor, "Hero Of The Soviet Union", which is the Russian equivalent of the Congressional Medal Of Honor.
http://www.frenkenstein.com/ww2/Normandy-Niemen/Normandie-Niemen.htm

The French practically saved the British Army at the Battle of Bir Hakeim (aka Battle of Gazala), when French General Koenig held off Rommel and the Afrika Korps for 10 days with regiments of Foreign Legion, French Marines, French Spahis, and French Colonial troops allowing the British Army to escape to safety. They survived despite 1400 sorties by the Luftwaffe to try to destroy them. It made the later victory of El Alamein possible, which was the key to allied victory in North Africa.
http://216.239.57.104/search?q=cache:iU_KESFuzS4J:www.ku.edu/carrie/specoll/AFS/4/d/4d4a1.html+bir+hakim+legion&hl=en

I note that Jacques Chirac was the first foreign leader to visit the devastation in New York right after September 11, arriving even before Tony Blair. I also note that the Bush Administration has never invited Chirac to his Texas Ranch, although he has invited the heads of all the other permanent members of the UN Security Council. This may not at first appear to be significant, but I think that Bush means it as a major slap at France and an attempt to isolate them from the very start of his Presidency.

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Jacques Chirac was the first foreign leader to visit the site of the destroyed Twin Towers:

"French President Jacques Chirac has become the first foreign leader to survey New York's leader to survey New York's devastated World Trade Center"

"...I want to tell President Bush, who is my friend, that we bring the total solidarity of France and the French people, it is a solidarity of the heart..." "...We are completely determined to fight by your side this new type of evil, of absolute evil, which is terrorism, and France is prepared and available to discuss all means to fight and eradicate this evil..."
http://edition.cnn.com/2001/US/09/19/ret.bush.france/

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French Military Contribution to the Operation "Enduring Freedom" May 17, 2002
http://www.info-france-usa.org/news/statmnts/2002/sfia/fight1.asp

#French airspace, air bases, and harbors opened to US military aircraft and warships

#Liaison team at the US Central Command (Tampa, FL) since October 9, 2001
#WARSHIPS (1 Frigate, 1 Oiler) in the Arabian Sea for Leadership Interception Operations
#Sharing of Military intelligence
#Intelligence gathering airbone assets at an early phase of the operations (1 Transall C160 G ; 1 Transall C 160 Tanker)
#Strategic reconnaissance
(2 Mirage IV P-Recce from October 2001 to mid-February 2002)
#Air Refueling Aircraft (2 C135 FR Tankers) for French and U.S. Navy Aircraft. From December to April
#Maritime Surveillance Aircrafts (2 MPA Atlantique 2, based in Djibouti, to monitor Aden Gulf)
#Maritime intelligence
(1 LPD, 1 Frigate, 1 Corvette, 1 Support Ship, 1 Support Ship Jules Vernes). From the beginning of May
#Mine sweeping - Maritime survey
(2 Minehunters - 1 Support Ship FS Loire). From December to April

*"CHARLES DE GAULLE" aircraft carrier - 28 aircrafts
TASK GROUP :
- 1 Guided Missile Destroyer
(3500 men)

Deployed from 18th of December to beginning of May in the Arabian Sea. On high readiness status
within two days of operational flight above Afghanistan since then.
*1 Oiler - 2 Frigates - 1 Nuclear Attack submarine (800 men)

Deployed at Manas Air Force Base in Kirghisistan:

450 men to support the operations of the following air assets:

*6 Mirage 2000D (Precision Strike Aircraft)
* 2 C135 FR (Tankers)

Airlift Transit Center of Douchanbe in Tadjikistan:

Presence of air assets including C130 Hercules and C160 Transall seployed at Douchanbe to provide airlift support of the French Components of Enduring Freedom and ISAF (100 men).
Embassy of France in the US - May 31, 2002

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French soldiers died alongside US soldiers in the terrorist bombings in Lebanon in 1983:

On October 23, 1983, 56 French soldiers lost their lives alongside 241 US Marines in Lebannon when terrorists bombed their barracks. The US media seems to always forget the deaths of the French:
http://www.veteranen.info/~cedarsouthlebanon/mnf/multinational_force.eng.htm

"...On October 23, just after dawn 241 Marines died when a truck loaded with TNT blew up a marine barracks at the International Airport. At almost the same time, another truck blew up the French barracks a few kilometres away, killing 56 French troops..."

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U.S. Ignored Warnings from the French Intelligence a few days before 911, as documented by FBI Agent Coleen Rowley.
http://propagandamatrix.com/US_Ignored_Warnings_From_French.htm

********************************************

French troops saved US citizens in the Ivory Coast in September, 2002:
http://allafrica.com/stories/200209250715.html

"...French troops have rescued 160 mainly American children and staff trapped at an international school in Bouake, the central Ivorian city which has been under control of mutinous soliders for almost a week..."

***********************************************

French military contributions to the allied coalition in Desert Storm in 1991

Air Power: http://216.239.57.104/searchq=cache:7z0syujGyEkJ:www.danshistory.com/operations.shtml+france+military+contribution+desert+storm&hl=en

Over 100 aircraft committed including Jaguar, Mirage 2000 C, 2000 D, F-1, Mir-WP, JAG-A, E3-F, C-135F, UAV, CL-289, UAV CR, PUMA SA-330, HORIZON C160, aircraft based on aircraft carrier FS Foch.

French aircraft flew 2,414 sorties in Desert Storm.

French total military contribution of 11,000 troops to Desert Storm, including the 2nd Foreign Legion Parachute Regiment
http://216.239.57.104/search?q=cache:QtzXawDPzlAJ:news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/861164.stm+french+troops+desert+storm&hl=en

**************************************************

The French Battalion in the Korean War won 3 Distinguished Presidential Unit Citations for bravery and fought alongside US troops.
http://www.info-france-usa.org/atoz/koreawar.asp

The French Battalion took part in some of the bloodiest battles of the Korean War including Twin Tunnels and Heartbreak Ridge and saved a US division by making a stand and fighting the Chinese hand-to-hand, according to one eyewitness account of a US soldier:

"....Retreating, the Chinese reorganized and hit the French who were defending Hill 453. Lt. Col. Ralph Monclar, a decorated and much-wounded veteran of both world wars, inspired his men. Freeman later recalled: "Wave after wave of fanatical Chinese continued to surge on during the next three hours in an attempt to seize the dominating ground. The gallant French 1st Company was finally engaged in hand-to-hand fighting and suffered heavy casualties. With their position becoming almost untenable, the desperate French counter-attacked with the bayonet...."

"...The Chinese, with victory almost in their grasp-a victory which had they attained would have jeopardized our entire position-pulled back......"

[Dangerman]

11. You know that the WWE treats the French like Sh*t

[brentspeak]

12. It's just Repubs wrapping themselves in the flag

and puffing their chests out, like they always do.

[REVOLT823]

13. Don't forget that without the French we probably would not

have won our independence.