[78-L] One person's opinions...?!^

[Alexandre Benoit]

Al (Simmons), 
it's new to me that France 'occupied' Indochina. 
As far as I know, Indochina was a colony. 
Your choice of the word 'occupied' implies that it was illegal - like, for example the 
occupation of the West Banks by Israel. 
 
You may not be aware of the various types of territorial status that are internationally 
acknowledged.  
For the United States, we have: 
- Federal States
- a Federal District 
 - Lease Territories (Guantanamo, Diego Garcia)  
- Outer Territories (Guam, Wake Island, Marianas...) 
- Entrusted Territories (Guam, American Samoa), entrusted to the USA by the United 
Nations, who take them back from the USA and give them to the indigenous people at any 
time they want. It's like a 'Protectorate') 
 
France has even more such internationally acknowledged territorial entities: 
- Private Property of the French Republic: Clipperton Island (Just like the Congo was the 
private property of the King of Belgium)
- a Country (French Polynesia) A 'country' is the highest status before becoming an 
independant state) 
- Territorial Collectivities (Mayotte, St.Pierre & Miquelon). Almost like a colony: their 
head is a 'Governor', reporting directly to the President
- Collectivities (St.Bartolomew, Wallis & Futuna etc.)  These are headed by an 
 'Administrateur Supérieur' under the Minister for Interior Affairs.  
 
The only Colonies left, as far as I know, are British: 
- the Crwon Colony of Anguilla
- the Colony of Gibraltar
- the Crown Colony of St.Helena and Dependencies
 
You see, Al, we here in Europe have the tendency to look at things from a legal point of 
view. When you have rights, then they will be respected and even defended. That's our 
concept of 'freedom'. 
 
We Europeans fear that the USA only do things because they have the might and power 
to create facts. Not much different from what Stalin, Hitler and Putin did. The American (or Russian) concept of freedom seems to be, 'Do as you please, and if they don't like it, shoot 
them'. 
 
This is why Europe now puts so much hope onto Obama. 
 
Alex