Guys whilst I can understand American sentiment on this issue, and I have to agree that the French are perhaps being ,in your eyes, disloyal to an old friend, you have to take a slightly broader perspective. CNN DON'T report anything other than the American slant on the world.
France has a long history in the Middle East, and has no wish to upset the balance there, and has far more experience in the region than the US, and accordingly a better understanding of the Arabs and the way to get things done.
Whilst I feel that Saddam is a piece of vermin, and I fought in the last Gulf War, I don't feel that criticising a whole country for the failings of its political leaders is necessarily justified. I too feel strongly on the matter of France and its behaviour on a number of issues (illegal immigrants being helped into the UK for example), but let us not forget the many good things that they have contributed too. Criticising them for just one thing is hardly fair, and besides with the sheer number of British and American troops in the Gulf already, do we need to add to the complications? I mean, communications (both systems and language) etc.
So I will apologise to any of our French, or German members of this forum on your behalf.
Ozzy
PS. Craig, err you guys didn't get involved in any way other than supplying war materials to Britain until the end of '41..... Dec the 7th if my history serves!