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This article discusses Vietnam War-era and Iraqi War-era relations between the U.S. and France. French President Jacques Chirac does not equate Iraqi President Saddam Hussein with Vietnam's nationalist-minded President Ho Chi Minh. He shares the U.S. goal of finding and removing any Iraqi weapons of mass destruction. And, whereas the Vietnam war lasted for years, no French analyst seriously believes that Hussein can hold out for more than a few weeks at the most. Chirac's decision, along with Germany and Belgium, to block North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) help to Turkey recalls former French President Charles de Gaulle's famous withdrawal of France from NATO's military structure in 1966.

Considers how France is changing its view toward foreign policy. Gradual abandonment of Gaullism and anti-Americanism; Change of attitude by President Jacques Chirac; France's decision to resume its seat on the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO) military committee; Reasons for the change of attitude.