2Rodies

This is why Americans think the French were wussies for not invading Iraq, most have no sense of history. BTW Grasshopper we would have lost our fight for independance against the Brits had the French not bailed us out.

Grasschopper

Oh yea I think I remember them telling me something about that in elementry school, then in middle school and then in HS as well as college. Ok so over 200 years ago when someone else was fighting the Brits for them the French had some balls. I guess we paid them back when we kicked Germany out.

JoeOxfordCT

I didn't mean for this to turn into a political discussion when I brought up my concerns over security at the TDF. I just thought that anyone who meant to to LA harm could do so easily along one of the stage finishes where people are not kept from the riders.....I realize the TDF is a big event that take place at many locations but I think they should make more of an effort at security when the riders are coming through....

gcasillo

Food for oil? Lemond ate well and lubed his chain in Algeria, but the French actually won? I think I got it. I will pass this on to my kids so that we NEVER FORGET.

Chucklehead

awww...
look what happened to this poor thread. taken over by political views. its suffering. let's kill it.

karesz3

I guess the original topic of this thread was Al-jazeera becoming a cycling team sponsor. Do you think team members would be beheaded for doping?

Cheers

HigherGround

I'm guessing it would not be worth World Cycling Production's effort to stock the jersey for sale. Unless there is someone out there who is totally masochistic, and wants even more abuse from motorists...

Chucklehead

even i would throw something at that guy.

brent_dube

I wasn't even referring to French policy. Today's french society is different.

slvoid

No Politics Damn You!

mogulhead

(Start of Rant) Why all the grief about Al Jazeera. Al Jazeera is a sign that the middle east is getting a free press. This can only be a good thing. Whatever happened to I disagree with what you say but I'll defend to the death your right to say it. Even Stalin allowed freedom of speech for opinions that agreed with his. I'm from Australia and I used to get upset when the Indonesian media used to bag us for going into East Timor. I now realize that a free press means that things will be said that you don't like. Go the Al Jazeera cycling team. The more our aggression is played out on the sporting field rather than on the battle field the better off we will all be. (End of Rant )

DieselDan

How about knocking him off his bike and clubbing him like Eddie Merkx? Sad part is, that happened to him.

wabbit

I remember seeing a documentary about al Jazeera. They're really just journalists like anywhere else- except maybe Fox, since at Jazeera they actually seem to have brains and integrity. Also, a lot of them seem to be pretty secular muslims. Probably a lot of the cyclists will be as well.

gcasillo

al Jazeera is the Fox equivalent to the Muslim world: sensationalism for profit. Brains, sure. Integrity, don't bet on it. Nothing different between Fox and al Jazeera except that Fox pitches its "news" to Americans, al Jazeera pitches its "news" to Muslims.

Saudade

Its very clear from reading this thread that none of you know anything about Al Jazeera and are basing your remarks on the propoganda of the radical and biased media coverage in the United States. Al Jazeera is a reputable and independent news organization. They present their news from the point of view of muslims, similar to how american news presents their biased coverage to suit the extremist views of americans (and I'm not just talking about FOX).

Al Jazeera is not staffed by a bunch of “nut-cases”, and the suggestion that their involvement in bike racing somehow jeopardizes the lives of your precious american riders is ignorant and smacks of racism.

KrisPistofferson

Anyone ever noticed how our media gives the impression that everything the government does is reasonable, right and just? Well so does everyone else's media. Do your homework and think for yourself and you'll be O.K.

JoeOxfordCT

My point about my concern for Lance's safety at the tour had nothing to do with the Al-Jazeera cycling team. He could easily be attacked while riding the Tour by anyone with an agenda, political or otherwise...and his sucess & nationality only serve to make him a more desirable target abroad.

I have no great love of either Fox or Al Jazeera, the network, or at least how they convey the news....however, it's curious to me why whenever Osama or Al-Zarchawi (spelling ?) release a tape it seems to go directly to Al Jazeera ?? Why don't these terrorists send a tape to the BBC or CNN or some other "neutral" news organization ???

I will also point out that, even as a democrat, I felt that our media (other than Fox which was biased the other way) was noticeably biased against Bush and pro Kerry this past election season. I don't know if it's me paying closer attention to these things as I get older (41) or what. I think the other thing that was eye-opening for me was listening to BBC news streaming over the internet.....its very refreshing to get a different take on world events and it could well serve us to have more people do this and realize that there are opinions & views closely held other than our own.

HigherGround

I stand corrected. World Cycling Productions should carry the Al-Jazeera jerseys...

peterm5365

I generally have better judgement than this, but I hate idiots bashing France for being beaten in WW2. Let's look at some stats

WW I Casualties
France 1.4 mil dead 4.2mil wounded casualties 75%
Great Britain 700k dead 1.6mil wounded casualties 44%
United state 117k dead 204k wounded casualties 8%

WW II casualties
France 201k dead 400k wounded
UK 357k dead 369k wounded
US 291k dead 670k wounded

Now, when you have two wars 20 years apart and the last one killed or wounded 75% of your soldiers how well do you think you can fight? When 1.4 mil young men die in 4 years how many are left to have children that will be ready to fight again in 20 years? They still lost almost as many as we did in WWII even though they fought for a much shorter period and didn't fight the Japanese. They lost plain and simple and they fought a lot harder than most of the other countries in mainland Europe.

FXjohn

Why did you leave out the percentages in WWII?
How many died in Germany, yet they had millions for armies 20 years later.
The french capitulated, and became "Vichey France"

Tell the WHOLE story why don't you?

JoeOxfordCT

When did this become about France ??
I made a comment about security at the TDF...not the whole country **********

bac

Can't you already hear Phil, and Paul?

"Look @ MhiJuuim bombing down that decent!"

"It's a suiced attack by Mohammed, he'll never make it over the Galibier by himself!"

tomcat

Wrong!!! I had this same discussion on another forum recently. Al Jazeera is not reputable...they are inciteful and wrong on coverage on a regular basis. I don't want to start a big argument here but it didn't take many days of links from Al Jazeera articles to prove my point. They twist the facts to incite arabs against the west and are far worse than any USA or other western mainstream news agency such as FOX (which I hate and have no respect). But, I have no probs with them sponsoring a bike team and racing.


tomcat

Grasschopper

MacMan

This isn't entirely correct. Vichy France comprised the more southern 2/5ths of France and was administered by the Petain government from the town of Vichy. The upper 3/5ths of France was directly occupied and administered by the German occupying forces. Vichy only came into being after the French premier - Paul Reynaud - was ousted. Reynaud wanted to move the French government to it's African colonies and continue to fight Germany.