US Vice President JD Vance has called on European states to show greater independence, urging them not to be US “vassals.” He also said EU governments could have done more to oppose Washington over the Iraq War.

  • TON618@lemmy.world
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    2 days ago

    Vance saying Europe should’ve done more to stop his nation from going to war has a high levels of rapist blaming victim for their acts energy.

    I was young back then so my memory of the details as i’ve experienced them are somewhat blurred, but there definitely was opposition. And that was met with statements along the lines of “if you’re not with us you’re against us/part of the problem”.

    • Glytch@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      For a while a disturbing number of places in America were calling French fries “freedom fries” because France didn’t want to invade Afghanistan with us. From my recollection, most of Europe was against it and the UK was the biggest backer of the invasion. I was in high school at the time so I could be wrong.

      • SulaymanF@lemmy.world
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        2 days ago

        Close. French fries were renamed because France refused to join the Iraq war, stating they looked at the intelligence and didn’t see evidence of WMDs. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld said that this was “Old Europe” talking and that the Eastern European countries were more willing to join the war.

      • futatorius@lemm.ee
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        2 days ago

        There were mass demonstrations in the UK against the second Iraq war. Tony Blair’s credibility as Prime Minister was completely destroyed by his slimy toadying to GW Bush.

    • Simulation6@sopuli.xyz
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      2 days ago

      I remember the US and UK being the only ones that really wanted the war and others being opposed or undecided. Isn’t that when the name ‘french frys’ became a political thing?

      • Phoenicianpirate@lemm.ee
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        2 days ago

        The freedom fries, yes. I was living in Dubai at the time but it was a buzz all over the internet back then.

        My god… saying ‘i read this on the internet’ and ‘abuzz all over the internet’ when talking about 22 and 23 years ago is making me feel old. I need my meds…