NoPistons -Mazda Rx7 & Rx8 Rotary Forum

Dear Dad,

A funny thing happened to me yesterday at Camp Bondsteel (Bosnia):

A French army officer walked up to me in the PX, and told me he

thought we (Americans) were a bunch of cowboys and were going to provoke a war in

Iraq.

He said if such a thing happens, we wouldn't be able to count on the

support of France.

I told him that it didn't surprise me. Since we had come to France's

rescue in World War I, World War II, Vietnam, and the Cold War, their

ingratitude and jealousy was due to surface [again] at some point in

the near future anyway.

I also told him that is why France is a third-rate military power

with a socialist economy and a bunch of pansies for soldiers. I

additionally told him that America, being a nation of deeds and action,

not words, would do whatever it had to do, and France's support, if it

ever came, was only for show anyway.

Just like in ALL NATO exercises, the US would shoulder 85% of the burden,

and provide 85% of the support, as evidenced by the fact that this French

officer was shopping in the American PX, and not the other way around.

He began to get belligerent at that point, and I told him if he would

like to, I would meet him outside in front of the Burger King and whip

his ass in front of the entire Multinational Brigade east, thus demonstrating

that even the smallest American had more fight in him than the average

Frenchman.

He called me a barbarian cowboy and walked away in a huff.

With friends like these, who needs enemies?

Dad, tell Mom I love her,

Your loving daughter,

Mary Beth Johnson

LtCol., USMC