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I'm always conflicted when faced with opinions about "La Belle France". I speak the language, read the literature, enjoy the food and fashions, and with a few exceptions appreciate her fine arts. That her fighting men have courage and resolve, I have no doubt. I saw evidence of this during my service in Europe. That the vast majority of her citizens have respect and appreciation for "Les forces Armées des États-Unis" that fought and died for her liberation is not ever a matter in doubt.

That said, I lost an uncle at Safi, French Morocco. The mission, of which I had a small part, of defending Western Europe, was vastly complicated by French/Gaullist perfidy and outright appeasement of our common enemy. France following her own course, reduced by 2 Corps the frontline forces in NATO's forward defense scheme, making our stance at the FRG/GDR border tantamount to suicide.

And then Voilà! François Mitterrand! A Socialist! Recognized the danger and while German youth protested and terrorists bombed, worked for deployment of U.S. Pershing II and Cruise missile systems to counter Soviet SS-N-20 missiles. Stiffened the Germans in his speech to the Bundestag, helped Kohl keep the lid on domestically and singlehandedly reversed almost all the negatives of the 5th Republic to date.

Like I said I'm conflicted.