A few weeks ago, China ignited an Asian row when it demanded an apology from Japan for committing war crimes against the Chinese during WWII and for adding insult to this injury by whitewashing its crimes in Japanese history books.
Now Algeria has followed the lead of its new political patron (China) and demanded an apology from France for committing war crimes against Algerians during this same war. Algeria alleges that French colonial soldiers massacred over 45,000 innocent Africans in May 1945 to destroy their ambitions for an independent Algeria. (And, it is instructive to note that less than a year earlier American soldiers were reclaiming French independence from the Germans for these same marauding French colonialists).
“President Chirac, will France apologize to the Africans?” Look, let me explain: We are French, they are not. And, naturally, for this we are very sorry…but, c’est la vie! Next question…
Of course, given the current state of global affairs, such demands are relatively innocuous – notwithstanding the heated rhetoric and organized protests that attended the row between China and Japan. But if France has any national integrity left after recent disclosures about its role in the ongoing oil-for-food scandal (allegedly taking bribes from Sadaam to vote against the war in Iraq), it would swallow its pride and apologize.
Moreover, in addition to the Algerians, France should also apologize to the African people of Ivory Coast. This apology is warranted because just last year France ordered its colonial soldiers to open fire on peaceful protesters who were expressing outrage against France’s overt support for a coup d’etat by francophone rebels against their democratically elected president.
Why? Because just as American President George Bush wanted regime change in Iraq so too did French President Jacque Chirac covet regime change in Ivory Coast.
French Ambassador: Perhaps these misguided Africans are getting us peace-loving French all mixed up with those war mongering Americans…
Alas, no one knows like the French that love means never having to say you’re sorry…
News and Politics
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