In a post last week I wrote about Stefan who said he loved George Bush. The next night, on Wednesday, I sat next to a Frenchman who genuinely liked George Bush. I had dinner with the executives of the Maison de la Chime, a professional organization of chemists. The man in question was in his mid-70s. He had served five years in the French Army including fighting in Algeria in 1961.
He is a French Conservative who believes in strong central government and strong national defense. He said invading Afghanistan was definitely the right thing to do and was very proud that French soldiers served there. He admitted the reason for invading Iraq was wrong—there were no WMDs and he believes the US knew it at the time—but he said the excuse led to the right action, which was to get rid of Saddam Hussein. He admires George Bush for staying on course despite all criticism. He was the only one at the table who admired the former president.
One of the best things about international travel is seeing the USA from a distance. The US showed up in every newspaper. Sarah Palin was on the cover of one. But at this distance, commentators don’t exist. Limbaugh, Beck, Savage and the other croaking toads that are so loud in America don’t exist here. They do not lead. They talk. They never take responsibility. Outside America, people analyze our actions, they don't listen to words on the radio.
