OK, here is a cartoon that we both can agree on!

I tend to agree with the targeted killing of the Hamas leaders. It would seem, after all of their huffing and puffing about Yassin ending up in the cross hairs, that they would have retaliated if they could have. Rantissi was not even in long enough to do anything. I also think it will hurt them if their “leader” has to stay underground. It will show that the strikes are effective. Well, that and the new “wall” and cutting the supply line of the Islamic “charities”.

Carnie, what do you think about the wall, and what about targeting the guy sitting in the middle in the cartoon?

Andy :

You're right, the strikes are and will be effective. It's sad to think that israelis will have to suffer the consequences !!

Striking Arafat is a good way to start the third world war, the first started exactely the same way.

But after all, these strikes aren't worse than what the Colons and the Israelian Gov. do to the palestinian people, not comparable with some terrorist attacks in Jerusalem. And after that, Sharon complain that Palestians act this way !! Can't believe it.

Andy,

First, another cartoon.

Then, I don't want to appear picky (though I can be sometimes) but... you do have a problem with my firstname ;)

Now back to our topic.
At least those strikes seem to keep those hatemongers busy choosing a leader instead of focusing on attacks.
After all, those so-called, spiritual or not, leaders ask others to die for their fallacious cause, but they would never commit suicide themselves. Same with Bin Laden, same with Arafat and it proved true with Saddam Hussein too. And again true with the new Hamas leader who prefers to hide like the rat he certainly is.
(Btw have a look at today's Taranto's piece about Rantissi if you haven't done so already).
No negociation is possible with this type of vermin. One less vermin on the surface of the earth is always good news.

I guess the man in the middle of the cartoon you're referring to is Arafat (since Rantissi is, well, dead now). What has he done for the Palestinians exactly but rob them and send them to their death, be it "voluntarily" or not? Not to mention his other "humanitarian" activities. As I said, next in line.

As for the wall, I haven't followed the issue closely enough to talk about it (without knowing all that it implies). But I really don't see why Israel wouldn't protect itself.

Otherwise - changing topics completely - I've had a look at some newspapers and searched for articles about Bush coming to the celebrations of the 60th anniversary of the Normandy landing and I guess I had seen nothing because there wasn't much, except one or two sentences here and there mentioning that Bush would be there.

As for official tourism figures, you can find them there (including some in English). But as I said, the most recent figures we have are of 2002. I've read a lot of things in the newspapers so it's hard to give you a figure.
It was very noticeable in Paris though. Americans seemed at least to have fled the capital. Apparently, they're starting to slowly come back.

Oh my, Carine!!!!

I would love to be able to blame spelling your name wrong for SOOOO long on dyslexia, or to blame it on poor vision, or senility...however it appears that I am just STUPID!!!

So sorry!!!

Thanks for the figures. I too am able only to find “old” data on tourism.

The update to the cartoon is fantastic. Washington Times reported today that Hamas is acknowledging that the strikes have caused Hamas problems, but the biggest problem they have is the previous killing of a bomb maker and two “military” commanders.

Story also says that Hamas may be deterred of a “large-scale” attack on Israel because it would provoke Israel to kill Arafat.

Of course, I say why wait. Take him out.

Stephane, you say this would cause WWIII. Well, son, have you been living under a rock for the past year or so? World War III has already started.

Andy :

Where ???? I can't see such things comparable with the first or the second world war, I don't mean that things are going to be worst (and I hope not) but for the moment, it's a relief to see that we aren't in the middle of a world war.

Andy,

It's okay, don't worry.

As for Stéphane, he's daydreaming on his big socialist cloud. Like most of the French he doesn't realize (or worse refuses to realize) that the US is keeping his ass safe so that he can criticize and blame and lie about the US for everything going wrong in his life as much as he wants.

Carine :

I HAVE A DREAM... :)
Seriously, if US wanted to keep it's ass safe, it wouldn't have attacked Iraq !! But North Korea for example !! I admit that it's a good things to get rid of Saddam. But you must recognize that the US administration don't care at all about Iraqis comfort and about all he did to the Iraqis, they never wanted to attack the country to get Saddam (but WMD), if Bush really care about the well-being of foreigners all over the world, he would have wanted to attack NK, Iran, Israel (and Palestinia) etc...

You talk about my criticism, but yours about France is the same sort.

Yes, Stephane, we attacked Iraq to get rid of the WMD. That implies that we wanted to get rid of Saddam BEFORE he could use WMD on America. That is what a PREMPTIVE war is my little one.

Well, as even a simpleton such as you (and maybe even Marc) can figure out, that will NOW not happen.

Strange you want us to attack those other countires...Why? Must be because the UN/France have no Fraud contracts with them, eh?

Stéphane,

YOUR ass, keeping YOUR ass safe. Stéphane's ass!

Think about it for a moment: on the one hand you've got Bush, willing to protect his country (his job) and doing so while toppling a tyrant and freeing a people at the same time (no more mass graves, no more torture rooms, etc.).
On the other hand you've got Chirac, willing to protect his very own special interests by supporting a tyrant and hence, at the same time, the massacre of an entire people.
What side did you choose?

Israël? ATTACK ISRAEL??? What's next on your list of insane reasoning?

You really need to get an education, Stéphane. I am not trying to be mean. I swear, I am not. The extent of your ignorance is mind-boggling. I don't even know why I'm still arguing with you.

Andy :

No andy, because these country can be dangerous, which was not the case in Iraq...

Carine :

My reasonning isn't insane at all, these poor israelians are governed by an other kind of tyrant, whom has a lot of blood on his hands !!!! Indeed, he's sort of responsible for the massacre of thousands of innocent palestinians (not talking about armed Hamas or stuff like that). So if Bush want to get rid of all the dangerous tyrants on the world he'll have to pass through israel ! Indeed there are no mass graves in Palestinia because all the bodies are covered with a few layers of dust. The dust comes from the house of these innocent palestinians which have been destroyed by Israel's colons.

And afer that you talk about saddam... all right, but you should admit that palestinian are in the same situation ! But who cares ?? Because, noone wants to talk about that ?? The Israelians are the first to say that, and who listen to them ??

Read the Courrier Internationale Carine, you may learn something too.

In case you haven't noticed yet, Courrier InternatioNAL is a gathering of foreign articles translated into French. You may need the translation, I don't.

Learn to write French correctly first, and then we'll be able to talk.

Two words, one mistake. Not to mention the message you sent us in French, a sacrilege! Are you sure you're French?

Carine :

Ok, I guess I'm right because you bother me with a stupid mistake.

Good if you don't need the translation, actually I don't need it, but the only issue is that I'm not able to afford hundreds of newspapers at the same time. I suppose you don't understand the point in reading it.