Unfortunately, Splash, it's the truth. Consider these facts:
•The French welshed on NATO duties very early; I think it was the mid-60s.
• The fact that American tourists visited France, and refused to adapt to the French ways, exacerbated an already-wide cultural gap.
•The French have never gotten over the idea that the French language, once the lingua franca of the world, have taken a back seat to English.
•Almost everybody I've ever met who has visited France has commented on the rudeness of the natives. I can't speak for the English, but by most accounts, they really do hate Americans more deeply than anybody except for the Islamics.
•The US (and presumably the UK) has historically been pro-Israeli. By contrast, France always sided with the Palestinians, let millions of them immigrate to France, and now is paying the price for it.
If you ask me, they got what they deserved.
DeGaulle - a total prick - agreed.
American tourists: When in Rome, do as the Romans do. When in France, do as they do in Miami? No; fuck that, I agree with the French.
French is still a major world language. And English is getting messed up by Globish. I want French back.
American tourists? Those are the people who've visited france and found it rude? I thought it was great. But standards are different for every social interaction. Just one example: restaurants.
At a good American restaurant (and that kind of service is creeping in north of the border too via US chains), the server will hover over you and check on you and ask you if everything is okay, and offer to re-fill your drink and "create a relationship with you" while they "romance the menu."
At a good French restaurant, the waiter will leave you the fuck alone. They assume you can either read the menu, and that hovering over you will only be a bother. At the very least they know that pointing out any inability to read would only make you feel awkward. If you want more information, they know you would prefer to ask than to sit through a recital of the "daily special." And for your comfort and privacy, you will never see them during the meal - but if you need something, look up; they'll be there.
It isn't rudeness, it is just one example of showing respect for a totally different set of customer expectations. They will never act deferential ( the customer is sometimes an ass), but I have always found them to be professional.
And the US (and to a lesser extent, the UK) have not been Israel's friend to turn a blind eye when Israel behaved poorly. I couldn't disagree more with everything you've been wrong about on that list. Wow.