From the Daily Telegraph: web page I am not prone to being anti-French or European but I find this outrageous and I hope that the individuals responisble for this are brought to justice, frankly I would suggest they be stuck in a muddy hole in a field for 4 years and shot at, exposed to large rodents, forced to watch their friends killed, starved and bombarded with artillery, then sent home, but only after all their friends, family and community have been persuaded that they are sex offenders (to simulate being a social outcast you understand). Maybe that is a little extreme but frankly I am outraged. Here is a link to the BBC site which has a longer article and a photograph: web page I think I will go away and calm down now.
This is digusting, there is no need for it. The french have done this before. there is a monument on Hill 112 in normandy and on it is unit insignia and 2 of the were SS divisions that fought in the area. they had to be removed because locals kept on desecrating them. While certain parts of the SS did terrible things, aswell as sections of the Waffen SS, this men were soldier and it was a sickening thing to see.
Well all I can say is that it is no surprise to me. I have not been a fan of the frog eating French and I hope these hooligans get caught. It is no wonder why the French are held in such contempt. and it is not only because of the few but also because of the lack of response from the government and people.
Oh, I'm sure it's just "art" there. I really don't get this, though. I guess I'm just shaking my head with Mr. Otto.
Absolutely disgusting. Just because the French are against the war in Iraq doesn't give ANY of them the righ to do such a thing.....it's horrible. DUCE
Indeed, it is just vandalisme. Very bad! But let's not say that the French government is responsible for such an act. That's off course ridiculous.
The CWG commission have stated that they are disgusted with the vanalism, they added too that they are grateful that the French too are similarly disgusted. On another vein within same topic, few weeks ago there was a report on the BBC on British war graves in Baghdad, reporter took camera crew to look at Cemetary unkempt and surrounding walls broken down, headstones broken and piled in corners... Wasnt stating it was vandalism just active neglect, but was a real state. Not a fitting end to the place..Now I know there will be lots of priority projects to complete once Baghdad is secure, but would be nice if the CWG, got something in there asap. In fact ive talked myself into mailing em now, to ask what if any intentions they have of redeeming this site. Must be others too.
If anyone is interested: Thank you for your e mail of 3 April 2003. There are more than 54,000 Commonwealth war dead buried or commemorated at 13 locations in Iraq. The majority of these casualties occurred during the Mesopotamian campaign against the Ottoman Turks in World War One. Maintenance became difficult during the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s but continued until the onset of the Gulf War in 1990. Since 1996 Commission staff have made a number of visits to Iraq and some renovation work was possible before the resumption of bombing in 1998 brought further delays. These and the effects of two wars and years of sanctions have left all of the cemeteries in need of attention and although there has been considerable damage to the fabric of the cemeteries, there has been no threat to the land or disturbance of the burials. Persistent visits by Commission staff since 1998 secured an agreement to resume work in December 2001 and plans were laid for a rolling maintenance programme with the full agreement and co-operation of the Iraqi authorities. By the end of February this year the first phase of work had been completed in the largest of the Commission's cemeteries in Iraq, Baghdad (North Gate) War Cemetery, with the installation of a new perimeter fence and construction of a caretaker/watchman's quarters. More than 500 new headstones had also arrived in Baghdad in the first phase of a major headstone replacement programme. The current crisis has, of course, brought all work in Iraq to a halt. However the Commission takes the long term view of the situation and although we have suffered many setbacks, parallels can be drawn between the current difficulties in Iraq and those faced in the Lebanon some years ago. As a result of the long civil war Beirut War Cemetery became a wilderness but it has now been fully restored by the Commission. The task is much greater in Iraq because of the number and spread of the cemeteries but the Commission wishes to reassure the public that when circumstances permit, it will do everything in its power to restore the graves to a fitting standard. Thank you for your interest in this matter. Yours sincerely, Julie Somay (Mrs) Enquiries Section
Emphasis of xenophobia, sedition and generalizations are mine. As for the lack of governmental response: "No words are too strong to express the revulsion caused by such barbaric, monstrous and utterly despicable acts. (...) This crime was committed in France, but in no any way reflects the true feelings of France. (...)Needless to say, the French Government will spare no effort to bring the perpetrators of this crime to justice" Vice-Chairman of France's National Assembly and former Europe minister in the government of Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin. "France condemns these acts of vandalism in the strongest terms...The international tension only makes more heinous this violation of the memory of combatants who came to liberate our land. (...) I have asked the prefectoral authorities to organise a ceremony at the cemetery to which we shall be inviting the British consular authorities and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission" France's War Veterans Minister Hamlaoui Mekachera. President Jacques Chirac's spokesperson expressed outrage and shock at "the desecration of the graves of soldiers from allied countries who fought for our freedom." more: http://fr.news.yahoo.com/030403/202/34ptz.html as for the french people, I can't tell you; go and ask them. I personally can't think of any who supports this vandalism. [sarcasm on] But who cares, xenophobia is such a nice thing to have, we really should cultivate it. Whether it's "the" French, "the" Jews, "the" Arabs, "the" Iraqis, "the" Niggers or "the" Yankees, is a rather minor detail as long as we all have a good hate on other people, life will not be boring. Vandalized war cemetry in Australia: http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/articles/2002/12/09/1039379767775.html Uhm, why should "the" Australians vandalize their own cemetries? Maybe it wasn't "the" Australians, but just one sick, individual SOB? No, that can't be: must have been "the" French. [sarcasm off] Cheers, [ 04. April 2003, 08:53 AM: Message edited by: AndyW ]
The lack of response I have quoted was referring to actions taken. Words are cheap. Lets see what and how far the French government does to apprehend these hooligans. I was not saying that the French people and Government were directly responsible but when one is apathetic what do you call it? Words are cheap. Lets see some action.
How do you catch the perpitrators? I remember when the senotaph was graffitied with the word Nazis and someone stuck a mohawk on Churchills statue they werent caught because it was almost impossible. I still hope they get them though.
