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Russia Responds To French President's Renewed Attempt To Sell Ships To Moscow

Tyler Durden's picture




 

Two months after French president Hollande, under heavy pressure from NATO, decided to scrap a deal to deliver two Mistral helicopter carriers to Russia which were sold to Egypt instead (the same Egypt whose foreign reserves are plummeting, whose fiscal house is in total disarray, which just devalued its currency, and which could only afford the $1.1 billion purchase if the CIA handed its military dictator the cash via envelope), the same French President announced on Wednesday that he "expects to sell new warships to Russia in the near future."

Quoted by AP during a visit to the shipyard of Saint-Nazaire in western France, Hollande said that "Things went well with Russia, which has agreed to cancel the contract. And I even think we'll get partnerships for new ships." He didn't specify whether they could be military ships. More from AP:

Hollande came aboard one of the warships that was originally named the Vladivostok, in reference to the Russian port. The inscription on the hull has been erased and replaced by grey paint.

The Mistral sale was supposed to be the biggest arms sale ever by a NATO country to Russia, until the deal fell apart because of the Ukraine crisis. France refunded the 950 million euros ($1 billion) already paid by Russia and sold the ships to Egypt, which signed a 950 million-euro contract last week.

 

"I had to sell them to a country that needed to ensure its own security but didn't threaten anyone," Hollande said.

 

The assault ships can each carry 16 helicopter gunships, 700 troops and up to 50 armored vehicles. They are due to be delivered to Egyptian authorities in March 2016.

 

The ships are supposed to arrive in Egypt in summer 2016 but first they should be de-equipped of Russian-developed command, control and communication systems.

Russia promptly responded with the following simple and brief message:

Paris is looking to sell new ships to Russia, France's President Francois Hollande said during his visit to the Saint-Nazaire shipyard.  The president, however, neglected to mention whether Russia is actually eager to purchase such hardware from France.

Or, as it summarized all of the above: "Sale away."

 

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Thu, 10/15/2015 - 12:57 | 6671582 Sanity Bear
Sanity Bear's picture

I seem to recall an incident with a Mistral delivery

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 13:04 | 6671603 Bumpo
Bumpo's picture

Fool me once, shame on you ... Fool me twice - "Won't get, won't get .. fooled again, heh heh"

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 13:11 | 6671637 nopalito
nopalito's picture

Three card monte

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 13:49 | 6671807 Pure Evil
Pure Evil's picture

But, but.....they'll still buy our cheese and goose Pâté won't they?

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 13:56 | 6671834 NoDebt
NoDebt's picture

Charlie Borwn fell for Lucy's "pull the football away" trick every time.  Putin is, as you all know, a student of Charlie Brown cartoons and, obviously, isn't going to fall for this same trick twice.

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 14:15 | 6671922 LoneStarHog
LoneStarHog's picture

It was reported by an anonymous source (naturally) that Putin will pay for Obozo's psychiatric sessions with Lucy, who is an ObozoCare practitioner...However, since she is now part of the Affordable Health Care Act, her sessions have increased from five cents to fifty cents.

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 14:50 | 6672102 TongueStun
TongueStun's picture

If only we could figure out how to accidentally air drop these ships on ISIS positions...

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 15:14 | 6672229 SWRichmond
SWRichmond's picture

Now that Russia has been declared an enemy and various three letter agencies have had a chance to put back doors in everything..."hey Vlad, remember that ship you wanted to buy?"

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 15:40 | 6672361 Paveway IV
Paveway IV's picture

The Mistrals are a wind that blows across the South of France out into the Mediterranean. Just like anything caught in that wind, France's shipbuilding days for Russia have blown away and are gone for good. Good job, you spineless French NATO fucks. Hope your unemployed shipbuilders visit you with a pair of pliers and a blowtorch and get medieval on your ass.  

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 18:40 | 6673137 Oldwood
Oldwood's picture

It is hard for me to imagine the French building anything like a ship, especially a WAR ship, unless the bow is designed to look like the stern, always in retreat.

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 20:35 | 6673491 Paveway IV
Paveway IV's picture

French shipbuilders are top of the line, just expensive. Russia got a bargain with the Mistrals and a damn good ship for what it was designed for. French shipbuilders needed the work and could have had plenty more orders from Russia.

The French government fucked their workers over so bad that I keep getting confused - it seems exactly like something the U.S. government would do to our workers.

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 21:05 | 6673607 jeff montanye
jeff montanye's picture

has done.

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 22:56 | 6673899 old naughty
old naughty's picture

Russia to France: "We got loads of CNY from sale of oil and we'd use them to buy ships built in China, cheaper."

Oh, don't expect any gas from us anytime soon...Euro, ha, ha, ha."

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 22:35 | 6673845 StychoKiller
StychoKiller's picture

 

 

[quote]"I had to sell them to a country that needed to ensure its own security but didn't threaten anyone," Hollande said. [/quote]

Isn't this the same France that was violating Iraqi sanctions after the first Iraq war?  Isn't this the same France that's

been violating sanctions with Iran?

Unkie Sam must be pretty good at arm-twisting!

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 07:35 | 6674420 fallout11
fallout11's picture

Completely true Paveway. Further, and perhaps more importantly, Russian shipyards are full, at max capacity, and have existing orders for years into the future currently as Russia works to modernize and upgrade its naval capacity (new subs, such as the Yasen and Borei classes, new frigates, complete overhauls of older ships, such as the joint effort with India to overhaul all the Kilo's, scrapping of old Soviet-era ships, etc).
https://russiamil.wordpress.com/2015/01/23/russian-naval-shipbuilding-pl...
Russia has never had a lot of shipbuilding capacity, as it lacks year-round ports outside of the Black Sea and Baltic. 

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 08:08 | 6674510 August
August's picture

Let's all lighten up on the "cheese eating surrender monkeys" shit. At least the French have a more coherent foreign policy than the USA.

Except for maybe the "conquer the left-over pieces Africa for La Gloire" program, which hasn't really worked out all thet well.

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 00:37 | 6674063 Proofreder
Proofreder's picture

The Maserati Mistral remains one of the most beautiful automotive bodies ever made.

All smooth flowing contours - does at least 180 standing still.

http://www.classicmistral.com/who-i-am/

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 19:00 | 6673191 mkkby
mkkby's picture

You guys all missed the best part of the joke.  Russia is supposed to be under sanctions.  France, a major Nato member is trying to sell them arms.  Sum tin wong trr.

Another insult to the kenyan nigger.

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 20:50 | 6673559 ZippyDooDah
ZippyDooDah's picture

CIA-approved sales.  USAF pushes a button, and look, they all blow up.  How did that happen?

 

Putin is no dummy.

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 21:09 | 6673621 jeff montanye
jeff montanye's picture

or something even more deleterious.  all decoded messages sent to langley along with the decoding process, microphones in the wheel house again bounced off a satellite and on to va, etc.

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 02:13 | 6674167 wizteknet
wizteknet's picture

What is their to stop egypt to sell them to russia for a higher price?

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 15:00 | 6672157 macholatte
macholatte's picture

 

"I had to sell them to a country that needed to ensure its own security but didn't threaten anyone," Hollande said.

 

Bra ha ha ha

 

 

 

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 21:10 | 6673628 jeff montanye
jeff montanye's picture

thanks to jimmy carter and menachem begin.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egypt–Israel_Peace_Treaty

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 22:25 | 6673827 TheReplacement
TheReplacement's picture

I was looking for someone to catch that.

I, not we.

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 14:24 | 6671958 Antifaschistische
Antifaschistische's picture

Mr. Putin,

I bet the same Egyptian thug who bought the two ships from France (via CIA Brown paper bag) would be willing to sell them both to you for about 1/3 of the first transaction.   Just sayin...it's yard sale time.

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 14:49 | 6672092 the phantom
the phantom's picture

In addition to the cost to the French sucker, I mean taxpayer, of 250 million euro, there is also the cost of lost profit and uninsured expenses, such as maintenance, between 90-146 million euro.  Russia probably already reverse engineered the shit out of it anyway.  Au revoir morons.

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 19:05 | 6673201 mkkby
mkkby's picture

The french had to pay Russa a hefty fine for not delivering on time.  Russia said they didn't want it any more because they didn't fit Russia's gear correctly.  So it's a french fuck up within a fuck up.

March in backwards.  The french will think you're leaving.

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 08:10 | 6674516 EddieLomax
EddieLomax's picture

While I am no fan of the events in eastern Ukraine, there is a complete lack of reality here.  How would helicopter carriers become a dangerous weapon to Russia, when it has airbases and large amounts of heavy armour and artillery at its disposal already?

All this has achieved is tarnishing the French reputation as a reliable partner, and saved Russia a few billion in costs at exactly the time when the Russian state needs to save a bit of money.  If there was supposed to be an anti-Russian agenda here then all it achieved was to help Russian finances at a time when they were under pressure, what's next, cancelling the football world cup?

The western nations have so few levers to influence Russia with, and are so hasty to try and harm Russian interests that they are busy shooting themselves in the foot.

Oddly enough though I see that Russian money is still encouraged to flow into London properties, I guess that one is inconvenient for the UK to block, strange, I expected our government would have seen the opportunity to crash our own property market and siezed it with both hands by now :P

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 19:25 | 6673269 hangemhigh77
hangemhigh77's picture

Trade even over for Russian wadka

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 13:26 | 6671675 monk27
monk27's picture

Question of the day: is Hollande a bigger fool than Obozo ? He is for sure less important and influential, but I was just wondering from a purely IQ perspective...

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 13:31 | 6671719 Stuck on Zero
Stuck on Zero's picture

Is the whole Western world run by bozos?

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 13:34 | 6671729 Anonymous User
Anonymous User's picture

YES.

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 14:13 | 6671911 Sergeiab
Sergeiab's picture

YES

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 14:21 | 6671951 o r c k
o r c k's picture

uhhhhhhhhhhh. YES

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 21:28 | 6673685 MontgomeryScott
MontgomeryScott's picture

Asses. Clowns. Bozos. Chumps. Chumps who take it in the rump. Men who fuck dead pig's mouths. Men who run gay pedophile rings. Men who go to bathhouses and smoke choom. Men who masturbate in coffins and burn owls in effigy.

ASSCLOWNS.

(Oops, I meant to answer the question in the affirmative)

Um, yes.

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 14:18 | 6671937 Herd Redirectio...
Herd Redirection Committee's picture

YES YES YES *chant with me* YES YES YES

But actually sociopathic bozos who think they are gangsta.

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 15:19 | 6672257 AGuy
AGuy's picture

The all came from the same clown car.

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 14:07 | 6671886 Rubicon727
Rubicon727's picture

My well educated Italian friend notes that Europeans look at Hollande as a clueless idiot and puppet for banks/corporations, etc. Kinda' like how we view our puppet politicians over here.

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 14:23 | 6671955 o r c k
o r c k's picture

Our politicians won't be acceptable until they're invisible.

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 23:33 | 6673972 ImGumbydmmt
ImGumbydmmt's picture

Our politicians won't be acceptable until they're

Guillotined

There, fixed it for ya.

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 15:40 | 6672370 Liquid Courage
Liquid Courage's picture

IQ is irrelevant to those who insist (or are somehow coerced) to accept and operate from false premises and outright delusions. This is the dilema of the West.

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 15:47 | 6672404 monk27
monk27's picture

I happen to believe that all those "false premises" and "outright delusions" have very much to do with that pesky IQ...

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 16:15 | 6672565 Liquid Courage
Liquid Courage's picture

So how does Bernanke, for example, earn a perfect score on his SATs and then go on to believe utter nonsense?

There are many strange facets to the concept called "intelligence". And then there are some questions so profound and so far beyond the ken of human comprehension that you might just as well ask a fool as a genius for their opinion.

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 17:27 | 6672855 techpreist
techpreist's picture

Go to any university. Most of the professors, at least on the STEM side, are certainly not "dumb," but they have deep-seated assumptions on how the world ought to work.

The main assumption being that, "with enough science," you can achieve 4% growth forever in a finite world, or completely erase any concept of gender or permanent relationships between men and women without imploding the population and/or causing widespread psychological distortions, or whatever version of "up is down" suits your fancy today.

In other words, if you are highly educated in the "put out fires with gasoline" school, you will look very innovative by suggesting to add some thermite.

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 18:45 | 6673156 Oldwood
Oldwood's picture

You have to be pretty smart to be able to imagine an apple as a banana, and have the theorems to prove it. These people spend their whole life coming up with "science" to prove to be true what nature and history have proven wrong from the beginning of time. Whether it is religion or plain old ideology, it is the true believer who rises in the ranks, and will gather all of the great minds around him to insulate himself from reality.

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 08:26 | 6674544 August
August's picture

An old college room-mate of mine is now a tenured professor at Yale.

He's a "bright" guy for sure, but also a complete fuck-up in important ways, and as far as I can tell never thinks outside a (very small) box; I feel sorry for his kids. 

FWIW I have a family member with "perfect SATs", and it's pretty much the same story...

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 18:35 | 6673113 malek
malek's picture

Well for starters for SAT tests you need to regurgitate facts or at most apply a standard solution approach to a given problem - both do not prove high IQ of the tested.

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 18:54 | 6673174 Arnold
Arnold's picture

You are correct.

With Common Core the results will be even better.

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 23:43 | 6673986 monk27
monk27's picture

What has a SAT score to do with IQ ? There are not "many strange facets to intelligence". That is the politically correct BS taught nowadays in our schools, where you cannot tell anybody anymore that he/she is stupid ! There are intelligent people and there are dumb people, each in measurable degrees. There is no such thing as partial intelligence. You may have certain skills, but your intelligence is a sum-up of your brain power. Incidentally, it is quite easy to recognize truly intelligent people as they exhibit solid common sense in everything they do or say. From this perspective, Bernanke is an idiot with a PhD...

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 09:34 | 6674788 Liquid Courage
Liquid Courage's picture

There is clearly a correlation between SAT and IQ. Surely that’s just common sense.

That you equate such ideas on the mercurial nature of intelligence with “political correctness” indicates that you’re one who likes to simplistically slap labels on things in accordance with your biases which allows you to then pretend that you understand them.

This has nothing to do with “political correctness” and is not something I learned in school. It’s just an observation. Even intelligent people do stupid things. Sir Isaac Newton invented Calculus, then jumped back into the South Sea Bubble just in time to lose his fortune ... pretty stupid, eh?

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 14:29 | 6676047 monk27
monk27's picture

Correlation is not causation... among other things. I'll let you guess why, in this particular case. The rest of your argument is a waste of time...

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 16:17 | 6672573 caustixoid
caustixoid's picture

Don't mistake servility with stupidity.  Western governments are full of very smart people who have worked hard to promote falsehoods for personal gain.  Hollande isn't an idiot, he's a willing fool.

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 21:14 | 6673635 jeff montanye
jeff montanye's picture

“It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends on his not understanding it.”

 

 

? Upton Sinclair

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 23:49 | 6673991 monk27
monk27's picture

Intelligence implies a certain morality attached to it. Don't mistake intelligence for cunning. Hollande is a total idiot. Just look at him... 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/francois-hollande/10285938/Francois-Hollandes-gormless-grin-has-France-in-hysterics.html

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 02:28 | 6674173 wizteknet
wizteknet's picture

certain morality, you can say that again for all the evil spawn on this planet

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 08:18 | 6674529 soniii
soniii's picture

im french and you are totally right, hollande has the IQ of a fuckin seafood.. did so much mistakes and most of all he has NO BALLS !

obama is just plain evil as an usa president must be, not stupid just evil  

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 13:00 | 6671583 HenryHall
HenryHall's picture

I'm sure the Russians will be happy to make a deal.

But cash after satisfactory delivery this time - no advance payments.

Meanwhile no-one else will buy ships from the French for fear of contract reneging.

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 13:14 | 6671655 Spitzer
Spitzer's picture

Europe almost looked like it would break away from being a Washington lackey but now it looks like the Obama admin makes every decision in Europe. From France to Germany.

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 13:30 | 6671714 Omen IV
Omen IV's picture

Holland & Merkel should be taken out by the electorate -  so that they can appoint Americans as PM's and other officials like they do in Kiev -

 

they dont need nationals anymore and nothing would be lost in translation anymore as to US objectives

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 19:09 | 6673215 Scarlett
Scarlett's picture

Victoria Nuland for French prime bitch!

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 21:16 | 6673640 jeff montanye
jeff montanye's picture

they already have a homegrown one a lot better in le pen.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marine_Le_Pen

 

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 14:22 | 6671954 Sergeiab
Sergeiab's picture

2017, presidential elections in France AND federal elections in Germany, it might be over with EU/NATO (UK referundum in late 16 also)

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 14:25 | 6671962 o r c k
o r c k's picture

Don't get Fried by France.

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 12:58 | 6671589 NoDecaf
NoDecaf's picture

Hey France how does it feel to be used like a cheap whore?

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 13:12 | 6671642 l8apex
l8apex's picture

Same as it always has for them one would assume.

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 14:20 | 6671948 AbbeBrel
AbbeBrel's picture

Wasn't 'zactly cheap - France has to pony up up a good sized penalty. Doubt that any new buyer of these slightly used floating targets will help to cover the losses on this deal. Too bad so sad.

"The total cost to France of reimbursing Russia for cancelling two warship contracts will be less than 1.2 billion euros ($1.31 billion), French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on Thursday."

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/08/06/us-france-russia-mistral-idUSK...

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 14:31 | 6671994 Implied Violins
Implied Violins's picture

Kind of like the opposite of a French rifle: fired often, and dropped repeatedly.

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 12:58 | 6671590 Joe Tierney
Joe Tierney's picture

French cowards won't be getting any Russian contracts anytime soon....

 

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 12:59 | 6671593 KnuckleDragger-X
KnuckleDragger-X's picture

Well tsk etc....

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 13:01 | 6671600 Payne
Payne's picture

Why did Egypt need 2 Mistral carriers ?  they didn't !  US paid for them to bail out France for the screw job to Putin.

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 13:10 | 6671633 SDShack
SDShack's picture

If by some miracle these ships actually are physically sold and delivered to Egypt (probably only after using all the helicopters they can carry to drop USD to the Egyptians from the Fed and US Treasury), then what prevents Egypt from selling or "leasing" them to Russia?.... probably for pennies on the dollar. Wouldn't that be a hoot! Russia gets the ships at a massive discount because the US Taxpayer "gifts" them. LOL!

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 14:33 | 6672008 o r c k
o r c k's picture

Maybe a profitable shuttle service to Mecca.

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 15:17 | 6672243 Blankone
Blankone's picture

Pennies on the dollar?  Dream on.

People keep bring up how this is the plan and how cleaver Putin is.  If he is smart that is the last thing he would do.  He would have to reinstall Russian navigation systems.

Some one other than Egypt paid for the ships (my guess).  Thus someone wasted a lot of money.  If Putin buys them later then Egypt will just have to transfer the money to those who actually bought the ships and will reimburse them for their wasted money.

Instead Russia can take the money they were reimbursed from France and support their own ship building industry by having ships built in Russia.  I say ships because others have made good arguements that those ships were not that usefull to Russia and the money could be better spent on a different type fo ship. 

Not getting the ships but getting Russia's money back is the best outcome for Russia.

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 13:11 | 6671636 ConfederateH
ConfederateH's picture

The deal was done a year ago after the $9B SocGen fine.  Hollande will not be compensated with cash though, only more credit.

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 13:03 | 6671607 Neochrome
Neochrome's picture

Maybe drop them in the middle of a Syrian desert, first come - first served?

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 13:35 | 6671737 Grumbleduke
Grumbleduke's picture

with a discount.

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 13:03 | 6671608 BarnacleBill
BarnacleBill's picture

Not bloody likely, eh?!

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 13:04 | 6671609 Savyindallas
Savyindallas's picture

They don't need contracts from Russia. Our Fed will bail them out. Janet probably has a check for a couple of billion for France sitting on her desk right now. 

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 13:04 | 6671610 NoWayJose
NoWayJose's picture

Why would Russia want a French helicopter carrier that only runs in 'reverse'?

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 13:18 | 6671671 SDShack
SDShack's picture

I was wonderring about that too. Seems like this whole situation has been stuck in "Reverse" for some time. Typical of the French and 0zer0.

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 13:56 | 6671842 cooky puss
cooky puss's picture

Sail it backwards ! Problem solved.

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 14:21 | 6671952 SDShack
SDShack's picture

Good thing it's not a fixed wing aircraft carrier. Be kind of difficult to fly jets backwards to land on a carrier going backwards. But then, I bet the military designed the F-35 to do just that as some sort of emergency contingency... of course if that means the F-35 suffers flying forward.... well... I am sure they will get it fixed... sarc/ 

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 15:37 | 6672350 SmittyinLA
SmittyinLA's picture

Osprey's are sarc/exempt 

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 19:04 | 6673199 Arnold
Thu, 10/15/2015 - 14:35 | 6672014 o r c k
o r c k's picture

Full steam aback !

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 13:04 | 6671611 Kaiser Sousa
Kaiser Sousa's picture

fucking pussyfied US vassal...

SHUT THE FUCK UP FRENCHIES.......

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 13:04 | 6671614 bigkahuna
bigkahuna's picture

France, throw the cheap libs out of your gov't and bring in the national front - though they may be a tad more royalist than you would prefer, I have confidence that they would do a better job looking out for France.

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 13:08 | 6671617 semperfi
semperfi's picture

France is just another vassal of the CIA.  No such sale will ever be permitted.

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 13:08 | 6671624 VWAndy
VWAndy's picture

One thing that bugs me about this thing from the start. Why did Russia ever even think of buying shit they could build themselves from France? One would think doing stuff like this is best done in house?

 Trust only oneself and you cannot be betrayed by another. William Penn.

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 13:29 | 6671708 Lucky Leprachaun
Lucky Leprachaun's picture

Wondered the same thing myself.

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 13:34 | 6671730 VWAndy
VWAndy's picture

Basic logic. It makes a good BS filter.

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 14:14 | 6671918 HowdyDoody
HowdyDoody's picture

Presumably it was an attempt to test whether it was possible for Russia to establish sound business relationships with France for mutual benefit. France has given its answer.

 

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 19:13 | 6673217 Arnold
Arnold's picture

The former soviet Navy is floundering in the 21st century.

A smartie in a previous thread figures that the frogs tech was good enough to buy and dump.

Happened to us, not surprising,

The former soviets don't have alot of jack to spread around, they got a good dealio.

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 13:37 | 6671751 Grumbleduke
Grumbleduke's picture

They build the new silk road. And buying military equipment is one way to bribe those in need of re-election.

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 13:51 | 6671816 VWAndy
VWAndy's picture

Why not just bribe him dirrectly? It is cheaper and SOP.

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 19:49 | 6673347 opport.knocks
opport.knocks's picture

The reason given at the time was they did not have the shipyard capacity available, plus they were building other ships.

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 13:16 | 6671648 Hubbs
Hubbs's picture

Sounds like yet another attempt to prevent Russia from building its own  and instead,  relying on France to make them, stringing Russia along, and then at the last minute torpedoing the sale. Now Lucy is trying the same pull away the football at the last second again trick again with Russia.

Russia got wise.

 

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 14:15 | 6671925 HowdyDoody
HowdyDoody's picture

Russia probably has the plans, or at least a significant part of them as it built the sterns of the two Mistrals in specially created Russian shipyards.

 

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 13:13 | 6671654 john milton
john milton's picture

Putin actually made an order already.. two kon-tiki class rowing boats...

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 14:37 | 6672026 o r c k
o r c k's picture

They were on sail.

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 13:16 | 6671667 Sleepless Knight
Sleepless Knight's picture

Who wants a french war ship that sails faster in reverse anyway.

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 13:16 | 6671668 SharkBit
SharkBit's picture

Down with the Ships: Obozo, Hollande, Cameron and Merkel.  Freaking loosers.

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 13:57 | 6671851 Berspankme
Berspankme's picture

Great guillotine lineup there

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 13:16 | 6671669 Omega_Man
Omega_Man's picture

It is impossible to even consider how Holland can come out with this now... Are they total fucking idiots??? I guess so!!! 

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 13:25 | 6671690 HardlyZero
HardlyZero's picture

France's Double-Down ?

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 13:40 | 6671735 Bastiat
Bastiat's picture

It's just stunning, isn't it?  Pathetic, desperate and transparent attempt to jawbone the economic outlook:  shameless, disgraceful.  The cartoon nails it.

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 19:18 | 6673241 Arnold
Arnold's picture

 

 

Known known

Known unknowns

Unknown unknowns.

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 13:21 | 6671680 TAALR Swift
TAALR Swift's picture

Are you sure that it's SAFE to buy them at this point?

That ship could be have a D-Day device implanted deep in its structure, designed to activate and sink the ship at just the right time.

And will they accept Rubles or oil, or do they want Euros?

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 13:27 | 6671694 Lucky Leprachaun
Lucky Leprachaun's picture

Good.  The Russians should tell them to stick their ships where the sun don't shine.  Despicable how the French caved in to the ZATO threats.

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 13:27 | 6671695 Dragon HAwk
Dragon HAwk's picture

How much to convert them into Saudi Yachts ?

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 13:28 | 6671701 pine_marten
pine_marten's picture

Spineless little frog wants it both ways...save that for your mistress punk.

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 13:38 | 6671755 SmittyinLA
SmittyinLA's picture

Funny thing is Egypt raised cash for their desperately needed heli-carriers by liquidating their nile valley agribusiness to Bill Gates.

"Best Farmland and water on the planet for the last 10,000 years sold to the guy with 2 French carriers in his pocket".

 

Egyptians probably thought Obama was their buddy, he wa$.  

 

 

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 13:47 | 6671798 45North1
45North1's picture

Lucy, Linus and a football.

Russia not prone to be a  French cuckold.

Suspect Russia has enough design info to build their own versions....

Good Luck with that Hollande.

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 13:49 | 6671802 pupdog1
pupdog1's picture

"The French" and "building mechanical things" should not be used in the same sentence.

Rich buttery sauces, wine, fine art...  OK.

But not mechanical things.

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 13:54 | 6671831 alphahammer
alphahammer's picture

 

 

Really?

How about this Dassault Rafale?

Better respect that son...

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 14:05 | 6671874 Baby Bladeface
Baby Bladeface's picture

You have a wonderful tantrum, deliver.

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 19:21 | 6673251 Arnold
Arnold's picture

Interesting that you are so knowledgeable.

How's the position pay?

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 19:40 | 6673318 Arnold
Arnold's picture

After 5 weeks it is traditional to give your back story.

Be prepared.

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 19:20 | 6673207 X_Weatherman
X_Weatherman's picture

.

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 14:41 | 6672050 o r c k
o r c k's picture

But "save the liva' "

Fri, 10/16/2015 - 08:30 | 6674563 soniii
soniii's picture

french makes high quality military product since a long time everything from planes, boats and helicopters are 5 stars products.

just look for it :) ( dassault, safran etc ..) 

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 13:49 | 6671811 Wild E Coyote
Wild E Coyote's picture

If I were Hollande, I would not dare go to St Nazaire shipyard to talk in front of French shipyard workers. 

I would be too ashamed. I would rather commit suicide. Harakiri maybe. 

But that is too much to ask of Hollande. After all he is not President of the Great France. 

He is a bitch.  

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 13:56 | 6671845 Berspankme
Berspankme's picture

If I were Hollande I would have already offed myself just for being a cunt

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 13:50 | 6671815 Jack Burton
Jack Burton's picture

Those two helicopter carrier ships were not bought during Putin's term as president, but by former Russian president Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev.

He was very much a pro western president, seeking close economic ties to Europe. He signed the Mistral deal to try and win favor with France, which was deluded from the start. France answers to Washington, it is a puppet, as it's political class and media are long since subverted by Washington's money and influence.

The Russian Navy and shipbuilders were in favor of the Mistral deal for a reason a bit different than most people think. While the ships would be useful in power projection in peace time, in war they are useless targets. What the Russian Navy and Shipbuilders sought was a state of the art NATO warship or two. To use the enginnering and systems as models to allow Russian shipbuilding to make a leap ahead and make up for the stagnation of Russian ship yards after the USSR collapsed. This chance to study and work with NATO ships would be very welcome, as Russia fell 2 decades behind in ship building due to USSR collapse.

Medvedev was too pro western and was taken advantage of. The ships were of too little value, too expensive, and of little real combat use. It showed that Medvedev was both a fool and very much a Yeltsin type sellout.

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 13:53 | 6671827 alphahammer
alphahammer's picture

 

"The ships were of too little value, too expensive, and of little real combat use."

Then why was Putin trying so damned hard to get them delivered?

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 14:06 | 6671880 Baby Bladeface
Baby Bladeface's picture

What a riot of imagination.

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 20:09 | 6673414 Jack Burton
Jack Burton's picture

"Riot of Imagination"  That is great, I hope you don't mind if I steal that and use it in conversation. So rarely does someone come up with a good quality nugget like that. Bravo.

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 14:55 | 6672130 dustyfin
dustyfin's picture

Because he is a stickler for the law. He uses the law as a tool.

Consider this: had France finalised the deal then it would have been a poke in the eye for the U.S and Russia knows the mettle of France.

If the deal did not go through then throughout the world (apart from the U.S) France are known for being welshers willing to break a deal on outside instructions.

France and Russia are competitors for arms.

Now the world knows that France can not be trusted.

So, for free, Russia got access to the technology they wanted, they got their money back plus inconvenience fees. In addition they got to kick a competing supplier right in the goolies and they now know that France is truly a puppet, willing to sacrifice strategic industry in order to curry favour with the U.S.

And all because Russia insisted on sticking to an agreed deal!

Bargain!

P.S Word to the wise - if Putin ever offers you a deal with a contract look very carefully at it because there is probably a hidden hand grenade if you don't fully comply - look at the wording of the Minsk 2 Agreement for concrete evidence of that.

 

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 21:45 | 6673350 Arnold
Arnold's picture

You , on the other hand have missed your mandatory back story.

Well past your smell by date.

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 14:05 | 6671872 VWAndy
VWAndy's picture

Plausible. Though not likely in my opinion. Maybe I am getting too cynical these days?

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 14:07 | 6671883 Bastiat
Bastiat's picture

I think Medvedev was on a much shorter leash than you imagine.

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 14:49 | 6672098 dustyfin
dustyfin's picture

Putin and Medvedev are bessy mates, go back donkey's years to Saint Petersburg. 

One doesn't fart but the other knows what he had for lunch.

Different personal styles but very loyal to each other and the rest of the posse.

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 15:08 | 6672197 Bankster Kibble
Bankster Kibble's picture

I read many analyses that said Medvedev was the velvet glove to Putin's iron hand.  Still is, as far as I can tell.

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 15:06 | 6672184 Bankster Kibble
Bankster Kibble's picture

Agree that Medvedev got taken advantage of, but it was not just him.  I agree with Bastiat - Medvedev didn't do much without coordinating with Putin.  At the time the contract was made, Putin was just as anxious to expand economic ties to Europe.  This was well before the Ukraine coup and Cold War 2.0.  Medvedev got blamed by some Russians because he went along with sanctions against Libya, and look how well that turned out.

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 14:26 | 6671820 bluez
bluez's picture

Why did Russia ever even think of buying shit they could build themselves from France? -- VWAndy

This is some story! I read it at some rather reputable site, but don't remember where. The story:

Russia really didn't care all that much about owning the French ships. What it was really after was the blueprints; the French technology that went into them. Also they wanted a front-row seat to observe Western production methodology. And they received all of that; the plans and all. They probably don't even want the ships themselves, which they now plan to build based partly on the Western technology they obtained.

And thanks to the "sanctions" they saved a billion dollars in obtaining that technology to boot!

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 14:47 | 6672079 dustyfin
dustyfin's picture

They call it 'technology transfer'. China does it a lot. Buy on condition that the underlying technological 'secrets' are shared with the buyer.

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 14:50 | 6672101 VWAndy
VWAndy's picture

Thats what hackers are for. Its 2015.

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 18:43 | 6673142 zstard
zstard's picture

China did it with Boeing. Probably got the wing tech

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 14:49 | 6672093 Herd Redirectio...
Herd Redirection Committee's picture

It actually reminds me of the story of Peter the Great, who visited Netherlands incognito so that he could watch in person as the ships they had ordered were built from scratch.

Yep, the idea was to not only get the finished product, but the know-how of actually building the ships, that Peter was after.

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 14:56 | 6672132 Free_Spirit
Free_Spirit's picture

Spot on, exactly. 

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 14:56 | 6672135 Bankster Kibble
Bankster Kibble's picture

That contract was made when Russia and Europe had much better relations, and Russia was just about to join the WTO.  Russia didn't "need" the ships but made the contract partly out of geo-political considerations.  And as you said, they got the blueprints.  Now that Europe is snubbing Russia at the behest of USA, well, Russia still doesn't "need" those ships, so, screw France.

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 14:03 | 6671863 fishwharf
fishwharf's picture

Do all French women have hairy legs and armpits, or just the ones with pictures posted online?

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 16:04 | 6672496 northern vigor
northern vigor's picture

Frenchmen love hairy women...it reminds them of their mothers.

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 14:08 | 6671888 Omega_Man
Omega_Man's picture

Proof the French are total idiots... trying to catch up to US Gov... 

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 14:08 | 6671891 assistedliving
assistedliving's picture

bohica M. Hollande.  they're in Saudi now doing the same act but who wants sloppy 2nds?  the only place more bankrupt than Amerika?

 Marseillaise Marceau

Allons enfants de la patrie,

Le jour de gloire est arrivé!

Contre nous de la tyrannie

L'etendard sanglant est levé! (bis)

Entendez-vous dans les campagnes,

Mugir ces féroces soldats?

Ils viennent jusque dans nos bras

Égorger nos fils, nos compagnes!

 

Refrain

 

Aux armes, citoyens!

Formez vos bataillons!

Marchons! Marchons!

Qu'un sang impur

Abreuve nos sillons!

 

Amour sacré de la patrie,

Conduis, soutiens nos bras vengeurs!

Liberté, Liberté cherie,

Combats avec tes défenseurs! (bis)

Sous nos drapeaux, que la victoire

Accoure à tes mâles accents!

Que tes ennemis expirants

Voient ton triomphe et notre gloire!

 

Refrain

 

Nous entrerons dans la carrière

Quand nos aînés n'y seront plus;

Nous y trouverons leur poussière

Et la trace de leurs vertus.

Bien moins jaloux de leur survivre

Que de partager leur cercueil,

Nous aurons le sublime orgueil

De les venger ou de les suivre!

 

Refrain

 

Read more: The National Anthem Of The French Republic - La Marseillaise Lyrics | MetroLyrics

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 14:10 | 6671894 elephant
elephant's picture

têtes d'avoine

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 14:11 | 6671904 Lost in translation
Lost in translation's picture

Hollande = moron.

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 23:02 | 6673909 talisman
talisman's picture

Hollande = Obama = moron

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 14:24 | 6671959 1033eruth
1033eruth's picture

How the HELL could Egypt afford to buy two helicopter carriers.  Oh yes, I expect France loaned them the money to buy them.  What is that calling?  Stuffing the channel?

Thu, 10/15/2015 - 16:02 | 6672489 northern vigor
northern vigor's picture

It may have been sarcasm but Tyler said the CIA loaned them the money...it probably wasn't sarcasm.

 

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