France’s Ambassador to the United States, Gérard Araud, attacked the United States Thursday evening on Pearl Harbor Day in a statement posted to Twitter that ripped the U.S. for its non-interventionist foreign policy in the 1930s.
This Day in #WWII #History: On the morning of December 7, 1941, the Imperial Japanese Navy attacked the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor. #WWII #History #PearlHarbor #PearlHarbor76 pic.twitter.com/sQkkgjNc87
— World War II History (@WW2Facts) December 7, 2017
Araud wrote, “In this Pearl Harbor day, we should remember that the US refused to side with France and the UK to confront the fascist powers in the 30s.”
Araud deleted the tweet, but not before it was screen captured.
— ᴄᴏʟʟᴇᴇɴ ᴇ. ᴅᴀᴡsᴏɴ 💛💙🇺🇦 🌻🇺🇦💛💙 (@ced003) December 7, 2017
One of the first to rebuke Araud was New York Times columnist Bret Stephens who wrote, “Let’s also remember, @GerardAraud, that tens of thousands of Americans died to rescue France from the consequences of its own mistakes in the 1930s. Really bad tweet. https://twitter.com/gerardaraud/status/938897674253885441 …”
https://twitter.com/BretStephensNYT/status/938898458869563392
Rather than apologize, Araud debated Stephens, “UK, France and US committed awful mistakes in the 30s. Because of its geography, France was the first to pay for them.”
UK, France and US committed awful mistakes in the 30s. Because of its geography, France was the first to pay for them. https://t.co/EY0hjoF3KT
— Gérard Araud (@GerardAraud) December 7, 2017
To a man who wrote, “That was the fastest delete I’ve ever seen, but man that was a really, really bad take,” Araud replied, “Remembering the mistakes committed by the 3 democracies, France, UK and US, was not a “bad take”.”
https://twitter.com/dcmrph/status/938898529535381504
https://twitter.com/GerardAraud/status/938901177797939200
Araud then posted a stand alone tweet, “We are immensely grateful for what the US did for France in 1944 but it is a fact that US, France and UK commited mistakes in the 30s.”
We are immensely grateful for what the US did for France in 1944 but it is a fact that US, France and UK commited mistakes in the 30s.
— Gérard Araud (@GerardAraud) December 7, 2017
Araud, still not apologizing, retweeted a favorable comment that, like Araud in his follow-up tweets, avoids mentioning the Japanese sneak attack on Pearl Harbor that was the occasion of the Ambassador’s undiplomatic sneak tweet attack on America.
https://twitter.com/AviWoolf/status/938906307301662725
Araud then played the victim card in another reply to a compliment, “Thank you. My mistake is to consider you can have a dignified conversation on twitter.”
Thank you. My mistake is to consider you can have a dignified conversation on twitter. https://t.co/2cP0S7lKRs
— Gérard Araud (@GerardAraud) December 7, 2017
Araud retweeted a compliment from someone claiming to be an American ex-pat living in France who wrote, “I am a proud American ex pat delighted to be living in the south of France. We recently made our 1st trip to Normandy, where my wife was moved to say, “This makes me proud to have been born an American and just as proud to now live in France 🇫🇷”. Your comments were not wrong”
https://twitter.com/ReneeJacobsLens/status/938917489865646085
Araud replied to one critic who said, “I get that “mistakes were made”, but have some class man. It’s the anniversary of Pearl Harbor, why are you trying (and failing) to score political points?” Replied Araud, “I am not “scoring”. I am a historian. I deleted the tweet after 15s for the reason you emphasized.”
https://twitter.com/SpencerFlake1/status/938939106784034818
I am not "scoring". I am a historian. I deleted the tweet after 15s for the reason you emphasized.
— Gérard Araud (@GerardAraud) December 8, 2017
Still playing the victim, Araud retweeted a self-pitying Calvin and Hobbes cartoon from Wednesday that said, “Is today one of those days?”
Today is definitely “one of those days.” pic.twitter.com/LHdxuDDpEi
— Calvin and Hobbes (@Calvinn_Hobbes) December 6, 2017
How do you say (@$$&*!%) in French?