# Yup, that outta do it. France flexes it's muscles. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 18, 2006, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yup-that-outta-do-it-france-flexes-its-muscles/369178 "2006-08-18T02:07:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2006, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yup-that-outta-do-it-france-flexes-its-muscles/369178/81 "2006-08-19T17:57:06Z")
[QUOTE=Squink] Nope. I posted some info refuting duffer’s claim that the Iranians refused or were ungrateful for the Bam aid, and got bashed by the USA cheerleading squad. Sure, Iran is teh evil, but that has fuck all to do with whether the claim was accurate or not. [/QUOTE] Well…um, I agree. Ok? 😛 -XT ---
**Author:** ![Rune](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e68b1a/32.png) [@Rune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rune)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2006, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yup-that-outta-do-it-france-flexes-its-muscles/369178/82 "2006-08-19T22:03:19Z")
[QUOTE=clairobscur] Besides and more generally, if, as you say, peacekeepers are going to be shot at, it would be nice to know what they are allowed to do in this situation : nothing? defend themselves? fight back? attack? Will they be allowed to disarm the Hizbullah? Required to do so? Forbidden to? What are the respective jobs of the UN and Lebanese forces? Who decides what? What if the fight resume? What if the Hizbullah fire missiles? If Israel bomb the area? What level of autonomy will this force have? Will its commander need an UN resolution each time he wants to take a dump? What regard will France (and all other countries involved) have regarding the use of its troops? And so on… There are an endless list of questions, and it seems to me that indeed, given the tense and complicated situation, the mandate given to the UN force should be clear and consistent. And according to the french government, it’s currently neither. [/QUOTE] Well we can only agree that sending troops on an unclear or ineffective mandate is a very bad idea. However it’s not like this should have come as any big surprise to France, since the whole ceasefire was pretty much written by France itself. Don’t you think it was France’s own responsibility to have hammered through a ceasefire, with a clear and workable mandate, now they themselves had such a big hand in it? And don’t you think it is somewhat absurd to force the Israel to accept a ceasefire, France itself won’t even trust? And what’s with all the questions? If France had any questions, the time for that would have been before proposing the ceasefire. Not after. And now apparently Malaysia and Indonesia are to make up a sizeable part of the UN “force”. Neither country acknowledges Israel. How are we to presume that they are to effectively guard a border they do not recognise? Lebanon apparently doesn’t recognise Israel either. One should have thought the latest round of bombardments should have given them a clue, there’s something down yonder. But apparently not. The whole thing is fast approaching a total farce. And what became of all those European countries who so vehemently criticised Israel? Suddenly it seems so remarkable quiet on that front. Switzerland, who were the first to come down on Israel for breach of human rights, or whatever. Are they willing to put troops where their mouth is? Of course not. They haven’t committed to squat for the last 300 years, why start now? Germany, perhaps with good reason, has said it will not be put in a situation where it could be necessary to point weapons at Israel. Britain which before had some words to do with disproportional force, is occupied elsewhere. Sweden, just today once again issued one of their ritual condemnations for something or other to do with Israel. But will they send any troops? I sure wouldn’t bet on it. Not sure there is any Swedish military left, come to think of it. They will host some aid conference, or whatever. In Stockholm. Yeepee! How’s that for a firm comittment! ---
**Author:** ![duffer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duffer/32/1026_2.png) [@duffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duffer)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2006, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yup-that-outta-do-it-france-flexes-its-muscles/369178/83 "2006-08-20T01:30:45Z")
[QUOTE=Squink] They appreciated the aid: [IRAN’S PRESIDENT THANKS U.S. FOR AID FOLLOWING EARTHQUAKE](http://www.benadorassociates.com/article/879) [/QUOTE] Ah, so I see I didn’t recall that correctly. Thanks for the correction. And to the following posts from this first response, I never asserted it as truth, I was stating what I thought had happened. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2006, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yup-that-outta-do-it-france-flexes-its-muscles/369178/84 "2006-08-20T02:34:17Z")
You’re welcome, **duffer**. Stuff like this can be hard to remember accurately when we’re embroiled in an atmosphere of constant crisis. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2006, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yup-that-outta-do-it-france-flexes-its-muscles/369178/85 "2006-08-20T13:46:55Z")
I can’t help but think the immortal words of [Ted Nugent](http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/nugent.asp) are relevant here, When asked about the last thoughts of hunted deer about to be shot, he said: > [@](#): > > They aren’t capable of that kind of thinking. All they care about is, What am I going to eat next? Who am I going to screw next? and, Can I run fast enough to get away? They are very much like the French in that. ---
**Author:** ![slaphead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9bcb4/32.png) [@slaphead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slaphead)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2006, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yup-that-outta-do-it-france-flexes-its-muscles/369178/86 "2006-08-20T13:54:08Z")
[QUOTE=Captain Amazing] But from 1978 to about 1990, there was a massive civil war going on in Lebanon. So, why was the UN force just distributing aid, filling in paperwork, and getting killed? Why didn’t they actually try to stop the various sides from killing each other? If groups like Hezbollah were operating, why didn’t UNFIL go in there and arrest/kill them? [/QUOTE] Um - because no-one was willing do devote half a dozen divisions of troops to do so? This is the same civil war that sent the US running off with its tail between it’s legs, remember? Or have you not heard of [this?](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1983_Beirut_barracks_bombing) ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2006, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yup-that-outta-do-it-france-flexes-its-muscles/369178/87 "2006-08-21T15:48:48Z")
[QUOTE=John Mace] Because I’m really smart. 😃 I think anyone who’s read about the situation in Iran would share my view. The Iranians themselves typically vote for the moderate candidates-- when they’re given the choice. And given the demographics of Iran (highly skewed towards \< 30 years old), it doesn’t take a genius to see why the clerics keep a tight rein on the choices the electorate gets. [/QUOTE] I bet if we bombed the shit outta them and invaded, the people would greet us with flowers. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yup-that-outta-do-it-france-flexes-its-muscles/369178.md?page=4)