The Entente Cordial Redux has generated a lot of commentary, most of it ill-informed,
some of it ridiculous. Tory MP Bernard Jenkin, in particular, has singled himself out to be a perpetuator of stereotypes with his reference to the duplicitous nature of the French. But many
historians, like the otherwise brilliant Orlando Figes, have not fared much better, talking about the Crimea War as if it had any relevance at all for modern warfare.
It’s good fun to tease the French. That is what boozy lunches ought to be about. But it should not pass for serious commentary by MPs.
Since the 1990s the French have worked very closely with UK forces, even when disagreements at the political level have been profound. UK soldiers have commanded French service personnel and vice versa. General Sir David Richards, the new Chief of the Defence Staff, had French forces under his command when he ran NATO’s mission in Afghanistan.
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