I know that this website has been devoid of chatter concerning the situation in Iraq, and for good reason. Joe is into games, and the site is supposed to be used mostly for game reviews. I hate to be the guy to "break the seal" here, but I need to vent. What better place, huh? For those who don't like it, Sorry!

Douglas Adams once wrote, "There is a theory which states that if ever anyone discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarrely inexplicable. There is another theory which states that this has already happened" I believe that the last time this happened, The Universe gave us The French.

The French - who helped America survive the Revolutionary War (mostly because they hated the British - but who's splitting hairs). The French - who took a major beating in World War I until the US bailed them out. The French - Who turned tail and ran during World War II until the US came to rescue them. The French - an old school Imperial power who was given a permanent seat on the Security Council of the United Nations simply to keep them from whining and crying about how they have no influence over world politics. And now, The French - who brought us French Fries, and French Dressing......French Heals, and French kissing (they may even be responsible for creating the thong, but thats not important right now) - are holding the world hostage at the UN as rogue states across the world scurry to amass weapons of mass destruction.

What the HELL are they thinking?

I look at it this way: In the sport of hockey, teams keep rather large, goony looking men on their team for one specific reason. Its not to play hockey. You see, in the game of hockey, the referee is in charge of keeping the game fair. But sometimes, the referee is too much of a pussy to do his job properly. It is in these situations that the "goon" steps onto the ice and beats the living shit out of someone on the other team. Fighting in hockey is used to deter your opponent from playing unfairly - or from playing too physically, or playing recklessly. Sometimes, the linesmen (the referee's assistants) stop players from fighting - thereby allowing the "frustration" to build up until someone gets hurt or until the game explodes into a massive bench-clearing brawl. These are often fun to watch (I've seen this happen several times, and its quite scary but exciting at the same time!)

So........The United States is the "goon", Iraq is the other team who is playing recklessly, and the UN (the referee) is unwilling to call the penalty (bunch of pussies!) The French, meanwhile, are trying to be the linesman and break up the fight. They obviously don't see the fulility of their situation - the players will either ignore them or the situation will only get worse until they get caught up in a "bench-clearing brawl" that drags the world into another global conflict.

Now, I could live with the war, and I could live without it. I am neither for it, nor against it. Its not up to me, I have no control over any decisions that will be made in this realm. But what I am for is "banning" the French. I mean, no imports or exports from France. No tourism to or from France. No diplomatic relations. Isolate them until they understand their role in the world now is not what it was hundreds of years ago. Keep them seperated until they realize that when the cold war ended, so did any influence they had over world politics. All they have going for them now is wine and chesse. Neither of which I buy anyway.

What really got me boiling was a quote from the French President, Jacque Chirac, who said something to the effect of, "if the Americans attack without our permission we will isolate the Americans and expell them from our country. We don't need the Americans, or anything American." I have to ask, if he means everyone, and if he doesn't really need the Amercians, does that also then involve all those Americans buried on French soil who gave their lives for the freedom that the French now use to keep us tied to useless diplomacy? The French are missing the point.

Thanks for letting me vent. It felt good. Now I can go have dinner. Hot dogs and "Freedom" Fries. I hate the French.