and viet nam

France doesn't think so:

There is a story about a conversation between General de Gaulle, who, as president of the French Republic, telephoned his American counterpart Lyndon B Johnson, to inform him that France had decided to withdraw from the North Atlantic Treaty alliance.

Since its foundation nearly two decades earlier, Nato had had its headquarters in France. Now Nato would have to move.

Furthermore, de Gaulle added, it was his intention that all American service personnel should be removed from French soil.

"Does that include," Johnson is said to have replied, "those buried in it?"

news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/progr...7942086.stm

In case you don;t feel like reading the whole article, here's my favorite part:

"Paris launched a series of events to mark the 60th anniversary of its own liberation in August 2004.

The city's mayor had given the celebrations the title Paris Se Libere! - Paris Liberates Herself!

One of the newspapers published a 48-page commemorative issue. There was no mention of the allies until page 18. "

>> yep, if anything I would say France owes us a lot for 17, 18 and 44, 45. . <<

nationalist pride is great. and deserved in the face of anti-Americanism.

bashing France and Germany when they have attempted to talk some sense into the heads of our leaders is just about as productive as the Bush cronies insulting our allies when they tried to prevent us from getting bogged down in Iraq. but it seems to be a very American trait to ignore our friends in Europe as well as the Canadians, Australians and Japanese. especially when they are offering timely advice and constructive criticism.