STORM2K

Some U.S. lawmakers want to ban French water, wine and move troops from Germany

WASHINGTON - Some members of Congress are suggesting the United States impose trade sanctions on France and withdraw U.S. troops from Germany to retaliate for opposition to U.S. policies on Iraq, the Washington Post reported Wednesday.



House Speaker Dennis Hastert has told associates he would like to target bottled French mineral water and wine, the paper said.


"France and Germany are losing credibility by the day and they are, I think, losing status in the world," the Post quoted House Majority Leader Tom DeLay as saying. "They are walking a fine line that is very dangerous."


Hastert has instructed Republican colleagues to determine whether Congress should pass laws that would new impose health standards on bottles of Evian and other French waters, the paper said.


According to the Beverage Marketing Corporation, a U.S. research firm France is the leading exporter of water to the United States and sold 65 million gallons (147 million liters) in 2001.


The Post said the speaker also is exploring whether the United States should require "bright orange warning labels" on French wines that are clarified with bovine blood.


"People should know how the French make their wine, " the Post quoted Hastert spokesman John Feehery as saying.


Two U.S. wine experts contacted by the newspaper, said a few French wine growers used bovine blood as a clarifier before the process was banned in the late 1990s after the "made cow disease" scare.


There is growing momentum in Congress to move many of the 71,455 U.S. troops from Germany, the Post said.


Marine Gen. James Jones the U.S. commander in Europe, recently briefed lawmakers on a plan to change the U.S. military presence in Europe by moving troops out of Germany to make them less reliant on bases in Germany and more flexible, the newspaper quoted White House and congressional officials as saying.


House Armed Services Committee Chairman Duncan Hunter said French and German attitudes toward U.S. policy in Iraq will make the modernization plan easier to sell to lawmakers, the newspaper quoted him as saying.


A bipartisan group of senators announced plans Tuesday to introduce a resolution thanking 18 European nations for standing with the United States_ and against France and Germany.



I COULD NOT AGREE MORE!

They should move em out...they are just in a country where they're more assets than security. That would take a long time to get those people reassigned somewhere else and all moved out. They did it to my base in northen Germany in a year after I left.

French poodles, too????
j/k this is a serious matter

I'll be pissed if they take away French Fries and French manicures...and french toast and ah nevermind!

they can have it all back except the French bikini

lol that and the stuff! lmao I need help!

I'm sorry, but isn't imposing sanctions going a bit...overboard???

France, Germany and Belgium abrogated their mutual obligations in NATO; France, Germany, Russia, and China abrogated their global responsibilities in the UN.

We shouldn't tolerate "fair-weather friends". The President said just after 9-11, (not a direct quote), that if you (the world community) are not with us in this war on terror, you are against us.

That's plain enough, don't you think?

Sounds good to me...I'll take sides with the USA anyday...even if we are pressing a little hard these days!

Yeah, Rob....I wonder what it will take to get our "peaceniks' on board? Another, more devastating attack?

How much blood will we ALLOW to be spilled on U.S. soil before we say with one terrible voice, "NO MORE!"

I dunno Bill...like I said before...I loved it when Stormin Norman and Powell were banded together....they really had their $#!+ together in that push....I just hope they get this going and over with and have the right people up front calling the shots and little if no casualties.

about the troops in Germany-they should have been pulled out when the USSR collapsed in 1989. There are some harsh diplomatic moves we can make against Germany and France. First we recall our Ambassadors and tell them to do the same with their Ambassadors. We close all Consular Offices in those Countries and close the Visa Sections in the Embassies. This is as close as one can get to a total break in relations as one can get and closing the Consular Offices and Visa Sections means that no German or French National can enter this Country legally. Cancel all meetings on any issues involving the Germans and French. Inform the members of the Security Council that it is the intention of the US to veto any resolution brought up by France and Germany. Inform the UN that their presence in NYC is no longer desired and that they must move their HQ in preparation for us leaving that organization. Finally, we pull all troops out of Germany as quickly as possible-and Kosovo and Bosnia for that matter and withdraw from NATO.

Steve

Banning French wine is frine with me.

Our gov't has more important things than a symbolic ban by law. We all should just change our buying habits. I think it would catch on. Someone should make a list of french products (Rob are you busy?)and we could email it to everyone in our address book, I don't have the figures, but the value of french products sold here probably exceeds the value of french products sold to Iraq (including military equpment).
There's a homework assignment for someone.
Here's another question: What was the derisive name used for the French? I think I heard it on Hogan's Heroes or something.

lmao Ed...I saw that! I wouldnt be surprised if we werent the leader of their imports as well. I just dont get how these guys get all pissy when it comes to helping the cause on all levels and not just ours.

snip <they can have it all back except the French bikini>

lets not forget the french kiss LOL

as far as trade sanctions go. they are independent countries, their governments can choose whether or not do back us in a war against Iraq.

our government should not impose sanctions/ trade embargos against them for that. if we do it goes against what we fight for. freedom of choice, etc.

if however citizens want to organize boycott their goods to protest their policies i would have no problem with that. i just dont think it is a matter for our government.

for if our government does impose laws and restrictions against goods from france and germany it will give our enemies creedance when they say "see america just wants to control the world and make everyone think and act just like them"

peace
david

Now I remember! They called the french "Frogs"

lol the Frogmen....didnt they have trenchcoats?

Now I remember! They called the french "Frogs"

Interesting. i have a different name for them

there is the ever popular "cheese eating surrender monkeys"

LOL

but seriously, we bailed out france in WWI and WWII. we gave them monetary and military aid in indochina from 1945-1954 then went into that quagmire personally.
so how are they considered to be one of the "great powers" whom has veto power in the security council?


peace
david