The French minister in charge of humanitarian relief called on the UN to "clarify" the American role amid claims the military build up was hampering aid efforts.
Alain Joyandet admitted he had been involved in a scuffle with a US commander in the airport's control tower over the flight plan for a French evacuation flight.
You can pretty much look it up -- if there's a place in the Third World that's largely ungovernable, with rampant corruption and a history filled with petty dictators and extreme cruelty, there's an excellent chance that the official language of the country is French. And Haiti is Exhibit A.
11 comments:
My non-literal translation would be: c'est dingue (pronounced: say DANG-guh) as in, that's nuts.
Does "chutzpah" translate into ANY language? There's a reason that little Yiddish gem is understood the world over....
....and if the French are concerned about how quickly things are getting into Haiti by air, maybe they ought to be sending their aircraft carrier over....they do have one...
Does "chutzpah" translate into ANY language? There's a reason that little Yiddish gem is understood the world over....
I love Yiddish -- it's full of useful words. In fact, I love Yiddish almost as much as I love bashing the French, BB.
As for your second observation, I suspect we already know the answer.
For some crazy reason, when I read "French evacuation flight" leaving Haiti I get this picture of an airplane full of mistresses and plunder.
No, but I know the American conservative word for French: "Evil" :p
"I suspect we already know the answer."
Argh! Why not just SAY things rather than imply them? Afraid it won't hold water, when written out?
We don't need to try to come up with any new mocking of the French. Monty Python.
No, not evil, Amanda.
Annoying? Smug? Lazy? Craven? Haughty? And most of all, ridiculous, especially in this instance? Mais oui.
This isn't 1915 -- we have zero interest in empire or occupation of a sovereign nation, especially this one. The reason the military is now in place in Haiti is that we have developed unparalleled logistical experience and expertise and we have seen what happens when aid floods into a region willy-nilly without a plan to administer it properly. The French are grandstanding about a former colony that they abandoned over 200 years ago.
And Bubba is quite right about calling the French out, especially in re their own naval prowess.
One correction on my part. I looked up the Charles de Gaulle, and it appears that it may currently be in drydock for repairs.
Of course, they COULD be sending large merchant ships with large decks that would be suitable for the same purpose. Landing a whirlybird is not exactly like getting an F18 home safely.
The fact that people are instead whining about the U.S. not bucking under to UN "authority" speaks volumes, none of it complimentary to the speakers. There is more than enough room in Haiti and off her coasts for both French and U.S. task forces to help, after all.
Or, for that matter, Venezuelan or Cuban. But oops--their dictators are currently dealing with their own self-inflicted crises. My mistake.
The fact that people are instead whining about the U.S. not bucking under to UN "authority" speaks volumes, none of it complimentary to the speakers. There is more than enough room in Haiti and off her coasts for both French and U.S. task forces to help, after all.
Yep. But grandstanding is more fun and in keeping with French policy.
i wonder if the fench realise just how easy they are to talk bout this way.
I have been on a diet but I might order some Freedom fries again tommorrow.
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