OT - Bush to come to France in two weeks...
 

...
I don't know if I have to laugh or feel sorry regarding the current situation.
Maybe both.

This guy is not going to be welcomed...just my two cents.

I guess no one can accuse Bush of not having balls.

Since when is an American welcomed in France?

Only Americans with correct political leanings.

They were very welcome on June 6th, 1944, believe me !

Well, I commend Bush for having the cajones to travel to a politically unfriendly nation, but, honestly, the French haven't really intimidated anyone since the days of Napoleon. ;)

This headline is eerily reminiscent to "President Kennedy to Visit Dallas."

Uh oh, is that the Secret Service I hear knocking down Steve's door? ;)

Now we know who mugged him.

George Bush? I would have never guessed...

Hilarious! :D

I was living in Paris for a couple of months, and out of all the French people I met, none seemed to be that indignant that he's making the trip. The only people who were outraged were American college students over on spring break.

It is amazing the hate American College Students have for Republicans. A good friend of mine will print out a hundred copies of anything crazy he reads on the net and hand them out. Did you know that President Bush's daughter has once dated a Bin Laden? Little known fact.

Michael Moore is all over it

It's pretty much the same here. I don't think it's a focused hate, though - young people will always want to go against the grain, just to be seen as provocative. I used to walk around my campus and see the Marxist-Leninist Society ( :D ) marching, shouting and waving their placards around. The ones I got to know seemed pretty empty-headed, though, more concerned with being seen in the right places with the right people than the actual issues.

:)

I know most of you all have a deathwish for Bush, but him leaving the country right now makes me cringe. We probably struggle enough to keep him safe in the US, and now he goes to France, where surely people will try to kill him.

Uhh... I have nothing against Bush. And I don't think anyone in France is going to try to kill him.

Surely people will try to kill him????? The French are lovers not fighters.

I would have thought that people are always trying to kill him wherever he goes. When he visited the UK there was apparently some kind of 1,000 miles exlusion zone because they were afraid that someone would have a go. Even in the countryside. Where there are no people. Only cows. US-French relations could do with some work, it seems. While I personally dislike George Bush, I applaud his willingness to go to France and take that first step.

20 replies and not one person mentioned the French surrendering?

You guys are slipping.

I don't know if we're slipping ... or if it's kinda like beating a dead horse that's trying to surrender.

I dont think any FRENCH would probably try to kill him. But the Al-Qaida blend in well with the general population there. With Morocco and other countries not too far away

Bah. Al Quaida can blend in here, too. Security around the president is going to be tighter than Kobe's bunghole his first day in prison...

I don't know, he kind of looks fruity to me.

Countdown to a MrBug flame in 3...2...1...

If Bush is truly the idiot his enemies portray him as, why would they ever want to kill him? If he's really that bad ther best thing would be to leave him in place and let him screw himself out of office. Killing him only makes a martyr out of him, and replaces him with Dick Cheney, who I think is the only person on Earth Bush haters hate even more than Bush. So killing Bush would be in the Bush haters camp worst interest.

We hate Rumsfeld, Ashcroft, and Wolfowitz more, too.

I'm confused. I thought the French loved "bush."

The still can't decide whether they see him as a blumbering idiot or an evil super genius. Or both.

OK, I surrender !

On the topic, Bush is coming to France for the 60th anniversary of D-Day. Everything will of course be done to protect him. We are not an unfriendly nation, we just don't agree with the US politics in the Middle East => see the mess that is going on there now.

I dislike W but I don't want him dead. I too had the same foreboding that stevew did. My first thought was "oh crap, why now"?

It's just a no brainer that leaving the country isn't safe for a POTUS and to go to an area that doesn't like you amplifies this. I understand showing strength but this seems to almost reek of desparation. I'd like to think this isn't based on November but does he REALLY have a pressing need to go there? If he doesn't, he puts more at risk than his own life and that's not a good thing.

I hope something positive comes from this trip and I do hope for his safety as well. We don't need that kind of disruption in this country, especially not now.

As for his family jewels, his thanksgiving trip proved he had those so this isn't quite proof but honestly I think he's in more danger now as no one in his right mind lets him go to a war zone without insane security. I'm not saying he doesn't have that here but in general, complacency kills.

Good luck and good trip, Mr President. Enjoy a croissant and may you make the trip again next year as a civilian. :)

Agree wholeheartedly.

Honestly, impossible to find one. I didn't make the connection which is to my own embarrasment. I'd certainly take the risk for the occasion so I'm going to extend not only my wishes but quite a bit of pride to our POTUS. It's not easy to do, mind you, but I'm honored he's going to celebrate the occasion.

However...

I've never thought he disrespected the past or our history. I'm not surprised by this. I guess, I've just fallen into the cynical camp in regards to his actions. I've made no secret that I want him to go. Still, I must admit, he does a lot of the lesser things right. I'm not suggesting this isn't important mind you but in the world view it pales to many issues. I disagree with him on a lot of those issues.

In conclusion, I don't like him or his policies ( which is why I don't like him actually ) but I guess I do respect him.

Don't read too much into it though, I can dislike men I respect. I'd still like to see him go in November. :)

Wouldn't it be great if Bush arrived in France via beachhead lander at Normandy? Well, okay, maybe not, but let's face it, who wouldn't pay to see that? :)

CR

I'd rather he tried the surprise landing in the Pas de Calais but this is probably too obscure for most FOFC'ers to relate to. :)

LOL (at both the landing and the FOFCers)

I just saw a "documentary" a few days ago about the trick on Pas-de-Calais vs Normandy. The Germans thought the main assault was on Pas-De-Calais until late July....

I can't blame them though. :) I cut my gaming teeth playing D-Day by Avelon Hill and I always tried the Pas de Calais route myself. It was SOOOO tempting. I'm just glad the powers that be were wiser than some kid playing a wargame. :)

Of course, I did manage to win more than my share of those games so I must add that I'm glad Germany employed generals who were NOT wiser than my fellow wargamers whom I beat more often than not :)