A French emailer blames my book for destroying “the union of the western

civilisation and eventually of democracy.” But the first sentence is the best one. Maybe it should go on the paperback edition.

Dear Sir,
I am french and I am outraged by this book you just
wrote. I don’t know what your intentions are, but I
can see nothing good in calling another country “the
oldest ennemy”.
This very title is proven wrong right away by the
small excerpt presented online. You rightly remind
that Chirac was the first foreign leader on ground
zero. You could have call it “the new enemy”. I still
would have hated the intention, but at least it
wouldn’t be misleading for the many who will not read
the book and don’t know anything about history. It
sounds like you made an historical research and found
out that France really has been an ennemy over time,
which is false: you are only studying the last 4
years!!
We are thankful for what the US did in WWII, but we
gave our lives for your freedom long before you did
for us. Do I have to remind you that France helped
liberating the US in the first place? So no doubts we
don’t owe you anything but friendship.
I won’t bother you much more with my views, which you
probably don’t care about anyway since I’m one of
those “enemy”, but I just want you to know that France
will always be on the side of Liberty and Human
Rights, and that we are actually proud to be
considered like an enemy by people like you. The
parallel you’re making with Ivory Coast only proves
your total ignorance of History and Africa. Today, the
UN security council gave an UNANIMOUS (US included)
clearance of french action in this country. The same
cannot be said over Irak!
The US are falling in the trap of Ben Laden, and only
religious fanatics can buy it so easily and forget
about international law for example! Your work will
contribute to the end of the union of the western
civilisation and eventually of democracy. You can be
proud!
No salutation.
[name withheld]