"Lafayette! We Are Here!"

France was America's first friend in the world. 2 and a 1/4 centuries later, France became a real French Ho: Tyrannical despots paid billions for France's legitimacy as a democracy, her veto at the UN, and her formidible diplomatic influence in the world. Americans were flat out dissed at Chirac's thug hugging, french kissy diplomacy voltiguer against the Great Satan.
Zero sum multipolar tete a tete that seemed unreal in a post 911 world filled with totalitarian regimes, semi radical leagues, and super villian terrorists.

France has got her act together and it is sweet indeed to hook back up with America's oldest friend. French President Nicolas Sarkozy perfectly explained what the Great Satan was all about:

"From the very beginning, proving to all mankind that freedom, justice, human
rights and democracy were no utopia but were rather the most realistic policy
there is and the most likely to improve the fate of each and every person."

This universal appeal, this desire for liberty, this equality and brotherhood is truely unique:

"What made America great was her ability to transform her own dream into hope
for all mankind. This is the moral value of America. America did not teach men
the idea of freedom; she taught them how to practice it. And she fought for this
freedom whenever she felt it to be threatened somewhere in the world."

And fight she does. Sarkozy praised Americans who make the ultimate sacrifice at freedom's altar, who literally fullfilled the hallowed lyrics of the last verse of the Battle Hymn of the Republic "As He died to make men Holy - let us die to make men free". For the thousands of American white crosses and stars of David American GI's earned liberating France, Sarkozy expressed a nation's heartfelt thanks:

"To those 20-year-old heroes who gave us everything, to the families of those
who never returned, to the children who mourned fathers they barely got a chance
to know, I want to express France's eternal gratitude."

Sarkozy reinforced the truth that intolerant, nonegalitarian, unfree regimes and ideologies cannot survive with America unbound:

"The terrorists had thought they would weaken you. They made you greater."

Promising a commitment to NATO, Sarkozy held out his hand to swear an oath of alliance, with all the technology and military power only democracies can create, maintain and wield in victory against agents of totalitarianism.

"It is this ambitious France that I have come to present to you today. A France
that comes out to meet America to renew the pact of friendship and the alliance
that Washington and Lafayette sealed in Yorktown."

For France and America - this truly is the very def of tried and true old friendship. Forgiveness, faith and the future.

"Today we must fight to defend and promote the values and ideals of freedom and
democracy that men such as Washington and Lafayette invented together. "

France was America's first friend in the world. Together again.

"Together let us be worthy of their example, let us be equal to their ambition,
let us be true to their memories."

"Lafayette! We Are Here!"