The French military may not be fighting in Iraq, but their tires are: Michelin just landed an exclusive $1.7 billion contract with the US Department of Defense to supply the American military behemoth with tires. For the next ten years (at least), every vehicle in the US Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps deployed around the world will be shod in Michelin rubber.
This isn't the first Pentagon contract Michelin has won, either. The French tire company previously won a contract worth $700 million to supply the tires for all US warplanes. In order to meet the enormous supply demands of the US military, Michelin has invested a reported $16 million. For the sake of our brave boys and girls serving overseas, let's hope the French tires don't throw up their arms and surrender at the first time of trouble. (No whitewalls, please.)
[Source: F1i.com]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Silentbob @ Feb 2nd 2007 8:17AM
Why should they follow some morons conquering countries for oil? Oh, yes, sure, the WMD thing... I forgot.
Chuck @ Feb 2nd 2007 8:26AM
Oh, come on!
Especially YOU americans should stop those ridiculous gags about the french military. Aren't YOU the ones who keep starting wars and then losing them?
No wonder your boys don't surrender if you send boys down there who couldn't even write their mothers' names.
That's at least how the world sees it.
Disclaimer: No, I'm not french.
Frank @ Feb 2nd 2007 8:43AM
"No wonder your boys don't surrender if you send boys down there who couldn't even write their mothers' names."
Can anybody translate into English what the hell this foreigner just said? My only interpretation is that our troops are incapable of surrendering because they can't write or they can write but they can't remember how to spell their mom's names (uh, is that married or maiden name?). Gee, wouldn't they just call them "Mom"???
#1 Please go to www.I'm-a-pussie-who-hates-the-military.com - you will feel right at home there.
#2 Please go to www.I'm-an-ungrateful-(probably-European)-foreigner-who-hates-the-USA.com - you will feel wanted and loved. Now piss off!
Gardiner Westbound @ Feb 2nd 2007 8:44AM
That's a kick in the head for U.S. tire manufacturers and their employees who pay taxes that support the military. Adding insult to injury, France is one of the U.S. most vocal detractors.
dejal @ Feb 2nd 2007 8:49AM
Seems no one remembers the "Disaffected" French "Utes" from last year. There are large sections of France where French authorities will not enter.
How many cars were firebombed?
innocent bysitter @ Feb 2nd 2007 9:07AM
Chuck, you may not be not French, but you are an asshole.
PS - I am of French extraction, so I know one when I see it.
DriftPunch @ Feb 2nd 2007 9:19AM
The American Military doesn't lose wars, the inept left wing of American politics does everything possible to politically withdraw from conflict it sees as 'icky'. If we went into Darfur (something the left currently wants), you know quite well that it wouldn't be long before they'd change their tune and cry that we are abusing the populace, and that we have imperialist goals. Just drop bundles of money and go way eh?
"War for oil"? It's always amazing how those who use that slogan see 'oil' as such a one sided thing like these countries are perfect utopias that the big bad US is targeting to slurp up the black stuff. It's oil that is propping up these douchbag Dictatorships, Monarchies, and Monarchies (and with the advent of Hugo & pals, Communists). Oil producing regions and countries are always all about the oil. Therefore if a war is fought there, it is typically 'all about the oil'.
Back on topic, the contract should have been awarded to an American company, and if a capability was needed not present in their factories, it should have been developed.
Only in America is being proud of your country and wishing it to succeed is considered a negative.
Silentbob @ Feb 2nd 2007 9:36AM
#3 Where's the connection between my post and your offense? Why I'm a pussy? Because I don't trust blindly to your presidents words? But I'm sure that you do. I don't know if you realize that many people in the world hates Americans because they play World Police and no one asked the USA to do that? But I'm sure that you don't care about that.
Btw, #2 means that the most of your soldiers are underprivileged young boys, fighting for something they don't understand. I feel sorry for them, especially because this war has no reasonable cause.
John P. @ Feb 2nd 2007 9:46AM
If it's one thing the French do well, I have to admit it's tires. Ok, and maybe wine. Michelins traditionally have always been at or near the top. I recall my dad getting over 100k miles regularly with the michelin x truck tires on his f150's.
I'm sure there are some michelin employees that are at least a bit thankful to see where their croissants are buttered. Maybe this will help with those legendary double digit unemployment rates, in France.
Mike @ Feb 2nd 2007 9:46AM
Quick Post:
1- it's the first "sign" of trouble, don't you morons proof read?!?!?!
2- Stop the mud slinging. Let's be real: the French are amazing cooks and make wine like no one else but can't fight a war to save their own ass and they know it so stop denying it. On the contrary, us Americans know how to kick ass and take names yet were fat and without much class (and we know it). Yeah I said it. We're even. ;-)
John P. @ Feb 2nd 2007 9:52AM
oh, and silentboob, you should stay silent if you have no idea what you are talking about. This is a blog about cars, not mindless country bashing.
Silentbob @ Feb 2nd 2007 9:52AM
#7 Well, if the oil is not the reason, what is it then?
The dictator? C'mon! There are so many dictators, killing much more people then Saddam ever had, so why Iraq? Some years ago, USA pushed Saddam with money and weapons.
The WMD's? Ok, where are they? Nothing was found down there, absolutely nothing.
Democracy? How can a country, so much undemocratic like the USA are at the moment, teach other countries?
So tell me, WHY?
Silentbob @ Feb 2nd 2007 10:08AM
#11 Maybe you're right, but now I play "American" - I don't care what you say :-)
John P. @ Feb 2nd 2007 10:14AM
Bob, Now you are catching on. LOL. :) Ohhh, I wanted to add one more thing, I want to see the finish of the Tour de France before I die. there's another great thing from France.
Lithous @ Feb 2nd 2007 11:09AM
"Why I'm a pussy? Because I don't trust blindly to your presidents words?"
So, if Hillary was MARRIED (pretty close relationship I'd say) to the previous President OF EIGHT YEARS (i.e. 8 years of intelligence reports compared to W's short time in at the time) and Hillary voted for the war AND she is pretty much politially aligned the opposite of W, what does that say? How about VOLUMES. I.E. "Hey honey, you've been in there for 8 years getting intelligence reports, what do you think, are they a threat? Because I'm voting on WAR you know, I think you could give me at least a yes or no answer to that without giving away secrets". One simple F'ing question. Why do you think Hillary is still only admitting that W's way was bad and not the war. Read her lips!
And no, I am an Independent and vote for the best candidate at the given time I am voting. But common sense is common sense. Why would they have wanted to waste their time and lives on the future generation of woosy ass complainers that rather: If you can't beat them, join them?
And yes, now back to the topic on hand. Why are we giving a non-American company this contract WHEN THERE STILL IS AN AMERICAN TIRE COMPANY AND THEY ARE WORLD CLASS (not just some tiny operation or something). Let's reserve that stuff for when we lost the industry and not having a choice. Makes me wonder about our military decision making. Why didn't we just get them from China? Hell, we should get our aircraft and guns from there too, probably cheaper and oh, don't forget, if we keep feeding them money they *will* turn to democracy eventually (when our children's children's great great grand children...)
One thing is for certain. If our fore-fathers could have seen the future, they would have drank more ale and F'ed the Revolution. Why would they have wasted time and lives on a bunch of woosy as future Americans that stick to the motto: If you can't beat them, join them?
Lithous @ Feb 2nd 2007 11:14AM
"Why would they have wanted to waste their time and lives on the future generation of woosy ass complainers that rather: If you can't beat them, join them?"
Sorry that sentence got copied and pasted weirdly (I must have hit a key sequence) in the wrong paragraph above where it should have been.
Donny @ Feb 2nd 2007 11:25AM
Well, I'll try to comment on the tire situation...
Can anyone help me understand why Goodyear didn't win this contract? It sure would have been nice to see it go to them.
Rob @ Feb 2nd 2007 11:36AM
I would have preferred to see Goodyear win this too, but keep in mind that Michelin employs over 23,000 people in North America and I doubt many of them will complain about new business.
Oh yeah, almost forgot: Silentbob, if you know as much about cars as you do the world economy and oil markets, you are obviously in the wrong place. You will dismiss me as a neocon warmonger (and I am neither), but surely you understand that A) our soldiers in Iraq aren't stationed at the oil fields- we could have invaded 5% of Iraq and controlled the oil fields, while staying completely out of Baghdad, Falluja, etc.; and B) it would have certainly been easier to invade Canada, Mexico, or Venezuela, all of which provide more oil to the U.S. than Iraq.
DriftPunch @ Feb 2nd 2007 11:40AM
"How can a country, so much undemocratic like the USA are at the moment, teach other countries?"
Huh? How are we undemocratic. No matter how much I don't like it, the Democrats took back the House and Senate. Why, because the people voted them in! If as you suppose, we were "so much undemocratic", how did this happen? It must be a part of a greater Republican plan eh?
"The WMD's? Ok, where are they? Nothing was found down there, absolutely nothing."
So? While that does make the various intel sevices look bad, it doesn't change the fact that the war was still 'legal' as defined by your precious UN. The '91 war ended with a cease fire. The war could legally resume upon any breech of the terms. There were what, 17 separate breeches(?), and any one of them could be used as reason for re-engagement. I hope you don't persue the same discipline model for your children. "Ok little Johnny, you can have your 17th cookie before dinner, but if I catch you again, your mother and I will really start getting mad!"
"Btw, #2 means that the most of your soldiers are underprivileged young boys, fighting for something they don't understand. I feel sorry for them, especially because this war has no reasonable cause."
How arrogant! By default this would mean that males entering college right after high school are 'overpriveliged young boys'. The fact is that these people are adult MEN, and they don't ask for your pity. You ooze the elitism that I dislike about today's Democratic party.
ssgtakeo @ Feb 2nd 2007 12:24PM
Yeah this one definitely left me scratching my head. None of the American tire manufacturers could hack it? I find that hard to believe, I definitely would have preferred an American company, (or an American company in the lead in an alliance with a foreign one) rather than giving a French company sole-source.
Granted, this is not a comment on Michelin tires themselves, I've had a good experience with them.