France Foreign Policy and Diplomacy

The War Protest Movement and the Environmental Movement in the U.S are dead.

This ain't the 60s or the 90s. Dead and buried. The only way to revive the war protest movement is a disastrous war ala Vietnam - plenty of bodies going back in coffins - thousands upon thousands. Not the type of modern battlefield the Americans have engaged in - costly $$$ but low on lives. Home stays happy. They've learned their lesson, whether cheap propaganda always drums up the opposite in "resistance circles".

The climate change movement is well, as it always was, full of smoke and mirrors - easily manipulated, hijacked and dissipated. It would take the end of times for it to be a serious political factor in the U.S.

The competition between big rivals will continue at its pace.

Vladimir79 wrote:...PPP means jack shit to Russians who have to buy most of their consumer goods as imports.

They should buy local, if something as miniscule as Serbia can do it then I don't see why 'superpower' like Russia can't.

ATLASCUB wrote:The only way to revive the war protest movement is a disastrous war ala Vietnam - plenty of bodies going back in coffins - thousands upon thousands.

These are not draft troops, they can all drop dead and will easily be replaced by another batch of nobodies for hire.

And nobody gives two s**ts if they die, proven in practice.

ATLASCUB wrote:
The climate change movement is well, as it always was, full of smoke and mirrors

Climate change mob is just another PR campaign owned and operated by people with money, they will do as they are told AKA nothing.

Just another new age cult, dime a dozen of those.

The climate change movement is well, as it always was, full of smoke and mirrors - easily manipulated, hijacked and dissipated. It would take the end of times for it to be a serious political factor in the U.S.

And then you have the evangalical christians who are looking forward to the end of times when they can float up to heaven while everyone else burns for their sins of not being white christians from merica... Jesus was American didn't you know....

Under the new PESCO ruling, non European companies are basicly locked out of defense contracts. This was forced into
the paper from France.

Last week an angry latter was send to the EU commisison, coming from the US side. The americans complain about shutting out american corporations from contracts.

The EU reacted cold and answered nothing will change regarding that. The answer letetr included the fact that USA also as a "buy american act"

https://www.france24.com/en/20190514-us-warns-eu-over-poison-pill-defence-plans

Some countries like Netherlands and Sweden dont want exclude USA and are nervous because of that.

France leads the group that want lock out US companies completly.

America the exceptional country... they can ban non US products in their economy but no one can ban US products from theirs...

My real question is why it has taken an EU country this long to have the balls to do to them what they have been doing to you all along.

GarryB wrote:America the exceptional country... they can ban non US products in their economy but no one can ban US products from theirs...

My real question is why it has taken an EU country this long to have the balls to do to them what they have been doing to you all along.

Your question is wrong.

France always blocked out american companies from our market.

The difference is, that we now force the americans out of the EU. There are various reasons for that.

In the last decade or so, Germany ran the show and the Germans are weak. Now Merkel is a weak bitch and Macron wipes the floor with her. Merkel doesnt have the guts to stop
him regarding that.

This can be seen in many aspects.

If it would be for Merkel, the EU would long have kneed infront Trump. Its France that sets agressive counter tariffs EU-wide against american products.

One can critisize Macron in many things but he is a burning anti-american.

Isos wrote:

France always blocked out american companies from our market

They just bought Alstom's nuclear unit. In computing, we use mainly microsoft and its softwares especially in big companies. We watch their movies. We have hundreds of McDonalds and other subways and pizzahut ... Poeple either use apple or samsung.

What does US buy from us ? Nothing.

I never step a foot into fast food. Im an athlete. I have a standard to hold.

I dont use apple. Its also below my standard.

What USA buys from us? Obviously enough to generate a massive trade deficit. Last year USA bought goods worth 16 billion € from us more than we bought from them.

This year the trade deficit is already 4.5 billion €.

But seriously...people who eat in a McDonalds or Subway have lost control over their life.

Isos wrote:Mcdonald, apple, microsoft ... make billions per year in France. I don't know how we can sell more to them than they sell to us ? Their hyper capitalism controls all europe.

EU can't sustain an economical war against USA let alone France alone.

USA have a 16 billion trade deficit with us.

They import more from us than we do from them.

One can critisize Macron in many things but he is a burning anti-american.

Hard to reconcile that with the memory of his little love fest with Trump... where Trump picked fleas off his shoulders... he patted him down like he was security...

They just bought Alstom's nuclear unit. In computing, we use mainly microsoft and its softwares especially in big companies. We watch their movies. We have hundreds of McDonalds and other subways and pizzahut ... Poeple either use apple or samsung.

That is an interesting point because when it comes to computing software and OS the EU is pretty much stuck with Microsoft... they don't even bother to have competitions anymore...

But seriously...people who eat in a McDonalds or Subway have lost control over their life.

Must frighten you... all those patriotic French people being turned to the fat lazy side...

USA have a 16 billion trade deficit with us.

They import more from us than we do from them.

Sounds like you have Trumps disease... who cares about trade deficit... as long as the goods are paid for everything is fine.

GarryB wrote:

One can critisize Macron in many things but he is a burning anti-american.

Hard to reconcile that with the memory of his little love fest with Trump... where Trump picked fleas off his shoulders... he patted him down like he was security...

They just bought Alstom's nuclear unit. In computing, we use mainly microsoft and its softwares especially in big companies. We watch their movies. We have hundreds of McDonalds and other subways and pizzahut ... Poeple either use apple or samsung.

That is an interesting point because when it comes to computing software and OS the EU is pretty much stuck with Microsoft... they don't even bother to have competitions anymore...

But seriously...people who eat in a McDonalds or Subway have lost control over their life.

Must frighten you... all those patriotic French people being turned to the fat lazy side...

USA have a 16 billion trade deficit with us.

They import more from us than we do from them.

Sounds like you have Trumps disease... who cares about trade deficit... as long as the goods are paid for everything is fine.

I think Macron tried to be Trumps best friend at start. While Merkel acted as antagonist, Macron did what Trump likes. Performed a pompous parade for him ect.

It did not work so Macron goes the other way.

Kicking USA out of european defense projects is a logical step and i see that as positive.

USA never was a trustworthy partner and under Trump thats more obvious than ever.

As it looks now, its French core principle to kick american companies out of european defense contracts.

The french ideology is, that China, Russia and USA are rivals and i think thats a healthy ideology.

That empty bla bla regarding "friendship" was always just that, empty words.

The difference is though, that at least Putin is trustworthy. When we have a deal with him, we can bet he holds it. Something that does not count for China and also not for USA.

USA never was a trustworthy partner and under Trump thats more obvious than ever.

Trump is nothing new... he acts the same as all previous US presidents... the difference is that he is open and up front about it.

The french ideology is, that China, Russia and USA are rivals and i think thats a healthy ideology.

Americas problem is that they don't understand the difference between rivals and enemies...

The difference is though, that at least Putin is trustworthy. When we have a deal with him, we can bet he holds it. Something that does not count for China and also not for USA.

Totally agree, but the problem there is that France backed out of a signed and paid for Mistral deal, so while Putins Russia might be trustworthy, France is not.

This action against the US might correct that, but I really don't see them ordering another military ship from France...

GarryB wrote:

USA never was a trustworthy partner and under Trump thats more obvious than ever.

Trump is nothing new... he acts the same as all previous US presidents... the difference is that he is open and up front about it.

The french ideology is, that China, Russia and USA are rivals and i think thats a healthy ideology.

Americas problem is that they don't understand the difference between rivals and enemies...

The difference is though, that at least Putin is trustworthy. When we have a deal with him, we can bet he holds it. Something that does not count for China and also not for USA.

Totally agree, but the problem there is that France backed out of a signed and paid for Mistral deal, so while Putins Russia might be trustworthy, France is not.

This action against the US might correct that, but I really don't see them ordering another military ship from France...

Russia should not order a military ship from France and France should not order one from Russia.

We are rivals. We can cooperate in geopolitics and trade but not in military projects.

The thing is, that we can trust deals with Putin, since he usually doesnt break them. USA is untrustworthy. China is also untrustworthy.

France tried to keep the peace with Iran and to protect the treaty we had. But as things develop...it looks war is coming soon.

What you think will this lead to?

France follows more and more a policy to push USA out of Europe.

The newest thing is, that France pushs the PESCO rule, that no american corporations hould be able to participate in european defense projects.

France forced Germany to drop the option to buy F35.

France always had a very...divided opinion about US influence in Europe, but we now counter an ally openly on so many fronts is new.

Germany is afraid on this and basicly gets pushed from France into accepting anti-american politics.

I'm only for it.
Germany is very much loyal to the US agenda - in the former USSR, in the Balkans in the Middle East, on China and on Turkey.
The only things they push back on are certain economic issues vis-a-vis Russia and Iran.
It remains to be seen if they can really be swayed to take a more independent approach.

flamming_python wrote:I'm only for it.
Germany is very much loyal to the US agenda - in the former USSR, in the Balkans in the Middle East, on China and on Turkey.
The only things they push back on are certain economic issues vis-a-vis Russia and Iran.
It remains to be seen if they can really be swayed to take a more independent approach.

Looks like France forces them to that. In the tariff conflict, Germany wanted kneel...it was France that forced them to unite with us and counter USA.

France seeks to make Europe a worldpower as whole. From french point of view, thats impossible with US influence.

Its interesting to see.

First France forced EU to kick US corporations out of PESCO defense contracts

France then told Germany, if they order F-35, there wont be a joint French-german fighter jet so Germany cancelled the F-35

Next step was President Macron to install a 3% tax on american internet companies which infuriates Trump

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/08/02/trump-threatens-france-over-digital-tax-these-countries-could-be-next.html

Then we have the situation in the gulf. American foreign minister Pompeo asked France to join a mission in the persian gulf.

France declinded this and said, as long war mongers like Bolton advise Trump, war with Iran is possible. France will not participate a war against Iran.

I must say i did not expect this from Macron. He turned out to be firecly anti american.

Maybe he misses his fleas?

Trump went over to the EU when he got elected to bust some heads and stir some shit up... he even tried to give the impression that he wanted to close down HATO... but his true feelings were revealed when europe mentioned a european army.

What did europe expect?

Before the election every single EU member state leader and all the NATO officials all said Hilary was going to be their best president and looked forward to working with her... any mention that Trump might win was considered absurd... did they actually think he would not notice?

I would expect a country like France to remember WWII and still think war should be the last option... the problem is that the Americans have the greatest military power in the whole universe so they don't try to avoid using it and showing it off...

A good war would hasten their demise as a world superpower, but a lot of Iranians would die... when what we really need is for a few thousand rich white peoples kids to be threatened with death and that would fix everything overnight.

Maduro rules over a shithole without any hope to better its situation.

As long he is president, the status should be kept that way. France and other european nations dont accept Maduro as president of Venezuela.

They either do as we want or suffer. That way we teached Bolsonaro in Brazil as well.

That way we teached Bolsonaro in Brazil as well.

what detrimental was he going to do before u allegedly did that?

Tsavo Lion wrote:

That way we teached Bolsonaro in Brazil as well.

what detrimental was he going to do before u allegedly did that?

Bolsonora burned down large parts of rain forest. After France blocked free trade agreement with Brazil and with this EU blocked further talks, Bolsonaro kneel.

He suddenly send army to fight fires, arrest farmers and asked for international help.

Bolsonaro was brought into power by the brazilian agriculture and cattle lobby. They craved for the free trade agreement with the EU.

By targeting them, Bolsonaro was forced to a 180° turn in his politics. The same guy who celebrated the "day of fire" 8 weeks ago now says he loves the amazon, send army to it to fight fires and arrest farmers.

He certainly did not do so because he loves suddenly nature. He did so, because we crush brazilian business.

Once more we used our economic power to force those savages to do what we want.

Of course the punishment will be still at place. The freetrade agreement with MERCOSUR is dead. It was planned for years and now the EU ended it. Austria voted against it. France voted against it. So its dead.

It was made public that this is fault of brazil. So the other MERCOSUR countries in south america know who to blame.

It was planned for years and now the EU ended it.

It wasn't only due to EU pressure- the whole World was outraged! If he now has nothing to lose, next time he'll tell the EU to get lost, just like President Duterte did in the Philippines. The French Polynesia is too far from that nation to be of any consequence.