Bin Laden Dead......

[Old Hippie]

My understanding is the lack of training is what may well have given the Yankee doodles the advantage...their hit and run/unconventional tactics of firing into British colums were unheard of at the time, and the Enemy did not know how to respond. Additionally, I believe *certain* factions of French troops were indeed more les mercenary and paid for their services. This is said for clarification, not condemnation.

 

Additionally, the French had planned to back the South during the American Civil war, to protect their interests in potts such as New Orleans. But their defeat in Mexico at the Guerra de Publo made this impossible. Odd how no one accuses them of supporting slavery (which the civil war was really not at all about).

 

And lets not simply schmooze over certain events following WWI and WWII and the way *Some* US and British troops were treated by the French. And of course that whole thing with French Airspace, the "accidental" droping of a bomb of 2 on the French embassy shortly there after, the blowing up of Green peace ships, Them calling the USA Arrogant etc...... All history and thus in the passed, so maybe time we moved on?

[Flashermac]

Please explain how anything, from any newspaper published by the [French - KS] could in any way be considered Republican?

 

 

Okay, I'll try: "L'Est Republicain"

 

 

 

 

 

[elef]

"L'Est Republicain"

 

The east republican or better republican in the east - a local french newspaper

[Flashermac]

<< We owe the French a hell of a lot >>

 

 

You sort of forget -- or maybe never knew -- that our gallant French allies in the Rev War fully intended to limit the US to the eastern seaboard, with the western boundary running along the Appalachian mountains. The Froggies wanted a weak US they could dominate. The Brits, on the other hand, let the US have everything to the Mississippi River, including land still under British control at the end of the war.

 

Also, just 15 years after the peace treaty reognising American independence, the young US found itself in a naval war with the French in the Caribbean.

 

The French ... like everyone else ... do not do things except for self-interest.

 

p.s. Not so sure the French aid to the "Patriot cause" was such a good thing anyway. A British victory in the Rev War would have ended slavery much sooner, and if you check into history you'll find that probably a majority of African-American slaves were hoping the Brits would win!

 

e.g. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colonel_Tye

 

[unit731]

BBC News:

 

 

 

Bin Laden is blamed for attacks across the world

The Saudi government has denied a French newspaper report saying France's secret services believe Osama Bin Laden is dead.

The newspaper quoted the Saudi secret services as saying the al-Qaeda leader had died of typhoid in Pakistan.

 

But, in a statement, the Saudi government said it had "no evidence" that Bin Laden was dead.

 

The French president has ordered an inquiry into the leaked French secret service memo containing the claim.

 

 

 

[Bkkbound04]

he's probably been dead for years entombed in the bora bora mountains, but its not convienient for anyone to admit it, Al Qaida need their leader, Bush needs his excuse to stay in Afganistan.

 

JP

[Khun Hunter]

It's always so very nice when euros instruct Americans about history. It would be more enlightning however, if they had a more firm grasp of the subject about which they choose to pondificate on.

As to the American Revolutionary war and the French intervention into it; it is true that near the end of the war, the French king Louis provided some arms, and some military advisors. But not much and very infrequently. If it had not been for Benjamin Franklin it is doubtful they would have given even that small amount. In addition, it was not out of the goodness of their black little hearts, the French have never acted out of a committment to moral standards or loyalty to an ally. French royalty wanted to do anything possible to hurt the English with whom they were engaged once again in open hostilities.

As to French being present at the surrender at Yorktown, yes they watched, just like they always do, watch, voyeresque pleasure I suppose. And yes they did contribute by blockaging the harbor disallowing the British an avenue of retreat hence the need for them to surrender to Washington.

However, to state that the USA would have lost the war and remainded a colony of the UK had not the French intervended, is sophomoric reasoning, but it what should be expected of the third world, jealous of US success and as in WWII just to cowardly to make any stand against evil; they wait desperately, hoping that if they 1. ignore the problem it will go away or 2. the US will come to save them once again, so that they can once again proclaim how great they are, how they overcame everything and how provinical and stupid Americans are.

 

Cordially,

 

Khun Hunter

[elef]

"Aware that the new Continental Army needed engineers and experienced artillerymen, as well as staff officers, the US Congress requested that Silas Deane and Benjamin Franklin secure some professional French officers with such skills. Even before this recruiting, a number of French and other European military officers sought to join the American Army as they learned of the thirteen colonies revolt against England. Many joined even before the Battle of Bunker Hill."

 

 

"These French officers in American service were forerunners of the official military and naval participation in the war. Some of the early volunteers later assumed posts with the regular French forces under Rochambeau. Following are names of some of the French volunteers. Note that underlined names are linked to expanded biographical summaries of the particular individuals. In some cases, the links go to other pages which have returning links to this page.

 

 

 

 

 

List of Volunteers

 

 

(The following list is partial and under development. There were at least 87 officers of the French Royal army that served in the the US Continental Army, and about four French army or naval officers served with John Paul Jones' naval squadron. The estimated number of French who served 'in the ranks' of the US forces is higher, but not well documented.)

 

Kermorvan, Barazer de (1740-1817). Lieutenant Colonel, Engineer Corps, Continental Army.

Chastellux, Chevalier de (1734-1788). A senior officer on Rochambeau's staff.

Capitaine du Chesnoy, Michel (1746-1804). Major, Continental Army, aide-de- camp to Lafayette.

Colomb, Pierre (1754-c.1817). Lieutenant, Captain in the Georgia Regiment, Continental Army.

Du Bouchet, Denis-Jean Florimond de Langlois, marquis (1752-1826). Captain, then Major in the Continental Army, later joined Rochambeau's Army.

Du Buysson des Aix [Hays] (1752-1786). Major, then Lieutenant Colonel, Continental Army. Brigadier General in North Carolina Militia.

Du Ponceau, Pierre-Etienne (1760-1844). Captain, later Major, Continental Army, aide-de-camp and secretary to 'baron' von Steuben.

Du Portail, Louis Le Bègue de Presle (1743-1802). Brigadier General (Major General after Yorktown), commanding the Engineer Corps, Continental Army.

Fleury, François-Louis Teissèdre de (b.1749). Captain, Major, later Lieutenant Colonel, Continental Army; later joined Rochambeau's Army with Saintonge Regiment.

La Fayette [Lafayette], marquis de (1757-1834). Major General, Continental Army.

Landais, Pierre (1734-c.1820). Captain, Continental Navy, commanding the frigate Alliance.

Maudit du Plessis, Thomas-Antoine, chevalier de (1753-1791). Captain of Artillery, Lieutenant Colonel, Continental Army; later in Rochambeau's Army as Senior Adjutant of the Artillery Park.

Pontgibaud, Charles-Albert de Moré, comte de (1758-1837). aide-de-camp to Lafayette, Major, Continental Army.

Preudhomme de Borre, chevalier de, (b.1717). Brigadier General, Continental Army.

Tronson de Courdray, Philippe Charles Jean Baptiste (1738-1777). Major General, Continental Army.

Tuffin, marquis de La Rouërie [dit 'Armand-Charles'] (1750-1793). Colonel of Continental Partisan Legion; Brigadier General, Continental Army, 1783. Known in America as 'Armand'.

Vernier, Pierre-François (1736/7-1780). Major, Pulaski's Legion.

Villefranche, Jean-Louis-Ambroise de Genton, chevalier de (1747-1784). Captain of Engineers, Major, later Colonel in the Continental Army.

Gimat, Jean-Joseph Sourbader de (1743/4-?). Major, later Colonel of infantry, Continal Army.

Gouvion, Jean Baptiste (1747-1792). Major, later Colonel, Engineer Corps, Continental Army.

Laumoy, Jean Baptiste Joseph, chevalier de (1750-1832). Colonel, later Brigadier General, Engineer Corps, Continental Army.

La Radière, Louis des Hayes de (?-?). French engineer who accompanied du Portail in joining the American engineer service. He was involved in the early design and consruction of fortifications at West Point, NY.

Conway, Thomas (1733-1800?). Colonel, later Brigadier General, Continental Army.

Colombe, Louis-Saint-Ange Morel de la (?-?). Accompanied Lafayette to America in 1777, and served as Lafayette's aide. He returned to France and then joined the French army, attached to a French regiment of dragoons as a captain on 4 March 1780. He returned to American with Rochambeau's expedition in 1780.

L'Enfant, Pierre Charles (1754-1825). Lieutenant, and later Major in the Continental Army. A self-taught architect who drafted the first design for the city Washington in the Dictrict of Columbia.

Kalb, Johann ['Baron de'] (1721-1780). Major General in the Continenal Army.

Pommereuil de Martigny, Louis François de (?-?) Lieutenant of artillery in the American Army."

 

Source

 

 

 

 

 

[..]

Sacre bleu! I had no idea that my hometown of "Les Etroits" was in Europe!! What would Monsiour Cadillac say? Seems he floated a long way fer nuttin' LOL! But I shall apply for EU membership immediately -- thanks for the heads up.

 

I suppose you also believe that George Washington also could never tell a lie and chopped down a cherry tree too?

 

KH, you'd better get a refund on your tertiary education LOL! But then again, BushCo is looking for a few men with your apparent fine analytical skills, grasp on history & geography and penchant for denial...

 

 

Regards,

SD -- who knows it is a no-brainer to see that regardless of the Froggy's reasons for doing so, we'd have lost our ass in the Revolutionary War against the Brits & the Hessians without French help. And who also wonders how such an analysis could in any way be "anti-American."

[..]

Not so sure the French aid to the "Patriot cause" was such a good thing anyway. A British victory in the Rev War would have ended slavery much sooner, and if you check into history you'll find that probably a majority of African-American slaves were hoping the Brits would win!

If we would have lost, I submit that there would have never been an USA. The founding fathers would have been hanged as traitors and the steam definitely taking out if any independence thoughts for a loooonnngggg time.

 

Regards,

SD