French Denounce "Crude Rumors" When They Are Not Self-Serving

French peacekeepers in Ivory Coast denounced Monday as a "crude rumour without any base in truth" information in the pro-government media that their troops had attempted to kill President Laurent Gbagbo

writes the AFP. Of course, when crude rumors concern Uncle Sam and (crude) oil, the French are much less likely to be as vocal in their denouncements.

The Notre Voie (Our Path) daily linked to Gbagbo's ruling Ivorian Popular Front party charged that French troops tried to assassinate Gbagbo on Saturday at Abidjan's airport by shooting down his plane when he was leaving for the African Union summit in Nigeria.

The French peacekeeping contingent said the paper had turned a small misunderstanding into a "fantasy".

But how the French love to turn misunderstandings involving America into fantasy, and castigations, and …crude rumors.

The Reporters Without Borders media rights group has repeatedly criticised the Ivorian government-controlled media for encouraging a climate of hate and encouraging the riots against foreigners last year.

How often has RWB criticized the French government-controlled media (yearly tax rebates of 30%, among other carrots) for encouraging a climate of hate against America (sorry, against Bush)?

Gbagbo, has repeatedly accused the French, who helped broker a peace deal to end a rebellion two years ago, of working against his regime.

Dubya, seems like ya got a soul-mate here…