For the record, I don’t necessarily disagree with Rich’s assesment. That’s why I’ve concentrated my contempt for the French on their anti-Americanism and desire to hamstring American interests. I don’t dispute that France is acting boldly in its own interests. Indeed, that’s one of the things I actually admire about France: they are unafraid to take their nationhood seriously (I’m plainng a “What I Like About the French” column in the near future so I’ll explain most of that then). But, I do think “appeasement” has a broader meaning than the mere cowardice (or cheese-eating) Rich ascribes to it.

“Appeasement” also implies a certain moral myopia. It assumes that evil can be managed or negotiated. It allows brutes and tyrants to fluorish so long as the appeaser’s own selfish interests are satisfied. And in this sense the French are appeasers because they are Iraq’s enablers. They are unconcerned if Iraq prospers so long as Iraqi prosperity furthers French prosperity as well (and America’s headaches increase). This has been the driving motivation of their Iraq-diplomacy for several years now.

That France thinks it’s more important to keep its oil contracts and screw America than do what is right for the world — and the people of Iraq — highlights this aspect of appeasement. I do not think that Chamberlain was a coward, I think in the grand historic sweep of things he was a fool (though this is probably unfair to the man). Similarly Bill Clinton was a grand appeaser and fool because he believed he could simply manage or put off the problems of the world with hollow deeds. In a sense Kissinger and the realpolitikers of detente were appeasers — and fools — too because they were willing to make peace with evil actors on the assumption that they could be reasoned with.

Yes, I may think the French jokes are funny (though I confess I’ve heard them all and grow weary of them), but my problem with France isn’t that they will surrender to Iraq. It’s that their moral compass is wildly out of whack and they would rather — due to rank arrogance, envy and ambition — make America’s job more difficult than do what is right.