I’m regularly annoyed by France’s obstinate, (often) needless, knee-jerk anti-Americanism, and I don’t hesitate to slam them when it seems called for. But come on now, are the French supposed to defer to us forever?
I’m 42, which means I wasn’t even born yet when American troops hit the beaches of Normandy. I’M not the one who fought Hitler, I’M not the one who liberated France, and I’M not the one who protected France from the Soviet Union. For that matter, it wasn’t George W. Bush or Colin Powell, either.
So, is there any reason at all that a 42 year old Frenchman should feel grateful to ME (or to Bush and Powell)? Any reason he should feel indebted to ME, or defer to MY opinion (or to Bush and Powell)?
Of course not!
I assume the average Frenchman is glad the U.S. came to his country’s aid once upon a time, just as I’m glad Lafayette helped bail out George Washington and Co. But it’s silly for either country to use past assistance as a club to beat the other over the head with.
I’d like France to be on our side, for many reasons. But they have their own interests, their own agenda, and their own philosophy. They don’t OWE us their support.