Thomas Paine

[Jay]

"These are the times that try men's souls..."

On January 10, 1776 Thomas Paine wrote arguably his most famous work called Common Sense.

This pamphlet so influenced a nation, that the soldiers who were in George Washingtons army whose conscriptions were comming up, and were so demoralised by how the war was going, stayed enlisted, continued fighting for Washington, and eventually ended up winning the war of independance!!  Bravo Thomas Paine! Today, we salute you!!

[Anonymous]

One forgotten historical fact was those men won the war for indendpendance with the help of the French.
For with out the help of the French, the same peoples that are being put down today for their anti Iraq war stand we would still be a part of England.

  Al

[beemaster]

Comparing France's vested interest in the US during the war of Independence to todays France, is like comparing Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan to todays major trade partners of the US. Time changes people and governments. Yes, we were indeed lucky to have them back then, although even then they were late most of the time with supplies and weaponry.

France wasn't supplying us with weapons and supplies out of the kindness of their hearts, they wanted strategic land-area in return for their assistance, leading long into the trade route and gold routes during the Spanish American War. Today France sucks the teats of the Middle East again for very selfish reasons, making political enimies of many European neighbors.

The only thing we have in common with the French is the colors of our flags. Why we spend millions, if not billions there in travel money every year is beyond me - they hate us, they elect to always do the opposite of everything we stand for, and time after time they increase the number of casualties in war because they refuse to let us fly over their air space - no matter how "just" the cause.

I can understand NOT liking this war - there isn't much to "like" about any war. I too think Billions of dollars are going in the wrong direction, I imagine there are more dead Americans than appriciative Iraquies, but the USA deals with issues in the long term, we can't be blind-sided by the here and now of this war.

Nope - I can't suck up to the French, they first see what our point of view is on any issue, then take the opposite stand every time - that tells me they are Iraqy turd herders, not worth a penny of the American Dream. Don't forget either that we've saved their asses and at great cost, show me what appriciation they have shown in return.