http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,5944-631671,00.html
ILL-FEELING between Britain and France over the invasion of Iraq
has plumbed new depths with the desecration of that most sacred of
memorials, a war cemetery.
The defilement of Commonwealth war graves in northern France
coincided with a poll for The Times which found that 54 per cent of Britons
no longer regarded France as a close ally because of its opposition to the
war.
Relations will be further rent by a second poll, in Le Monde,
showing that only a third of the French felt that they were on the same side
as the Americans and British, and that another third desired outright Iraqi
victory over "les anglo-saxons".
Eleven thousand Allied soldiers lie buried in well-tended peace
at Etaples, on the Channel coast near Le Touquet, victims of the struggle by
Anglo-Saxons to liberate the French from the German invaders during the
First World War.
Last week the obelisk raised in their memory was defiled by
red-painted insults such as "Rosbeefs go home"; "May Saddam prevail and
spill your blood"; and, in a reference to the long-dead casualties beneath
the manicured turf, "They are soiling our land".
Local gendarmerie have launched an inquiry, but have so far
found no clues. They say there had been no significant demonstrations
against the war in that area of France.
The graffiti have been scrubbed off, but the incident has
provoked outrage among British politicians, war graves staff and the few
remaining relatives of those buried at Etaples. French politicians have
joined the condemnation.
Bruce George, Labour chairman of the Commons Defence Committee,
said: "Remembering what sacrifice these men made for the liberation of
France, I cannot believe any mature, sane person would be so stupid as
that."
David Uffold, 63, a Shropshire farmer, is the only surviving
relative of Rifleman Frederick Uffold of the London Regiment, who is buried
at Etaples. "I find it sickening that anyone would vandalise the cemetery,"
he said. "It is the last place they should be protesting about Iraq. These
fellows were drafted in to fight for France. I can't see any connection
between the men buried at Etaples and the war in Iraq."
Peter Francis, of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, said
he was disgusted that a place remembering those who died defending freedom
in world wars long ago should be dragged into a current political debate.
French politicians did their best to portray the desecration as
an isolated act, but it nonetheless underlined anti-American and
anti-British emotions running through France over what is seen there as a
bungled invasion rapidly turning into a humanitarian disaster.
President Chirac's spokesman said: "We are indignant and shocked
by the desecration of the graves of soldiers who fought for our liberty."
Jean-Pierre Raffarin, the Prime Minister, said: "The Americans are not the
enemy; just because we are against this war, it does not mean that we want
the victory of dictatorship over democracy."
xponent
In Need Of Band-Aids Maru
rob
Ours entrace we surely carry on
And change the passing of the sun
We don't even need to try we are one
And I do think very well
As the truth unfolds you
Silently
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