On poor Anglo-French relations and on being an American

London won the bid to host the Summer Olympics in 2012, beating Paris which was considered the front-runner. This isn't good for Anglo-French relations, especially after French President Chirac’s call for Britain to give up the rebate that it has been receiving from the European Union (EU), and after British Prime Minister Blair’s insistence that the EU revisit its budget first, especially the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) which subsidizes boucoup French farmers.

And then, of course, there was Chirac’s less-than-generous words about British cuisine (well, that phrase does sound oxymoronic come to think of it). When the President of France jokes about British food ahead of his dining with the Queen of England, you know things are not going well over there.

But what’s fantastic about this, speaking as an American, is that we here on this side of the Atlantic just get to sit and watch. For a change, America is not involved, and I, as an American, feel some sort of deviant satisfaction about that. So, my fellow Americans, grab your popcorn and drink and let’s watch the French and the British go at it.