Ask yourself, "Why do they hate you?"

Back in December, with little media coverage, France sent 2,500 troops to quell rebellions in west African economic powerhouse Ivory Coast, a former colony in which French businesses are heavily invested:

Paris has abandoned its policy of leaving African nations to resolve African crises and launched its biggest military operation on the continent in more than 20 years, with 2,500 men to be deployed in Ivory Coast .... "This marks a shift in French policy in Africa," says Roland Marchal, an expert on Africa at the Center for International Studies and Research in Paris. "It's new, and it's very much a result of Chirac feeling secure enough to take a quite risky initiative now he has a parliamentary majority"

France's agreement with the Ivory Coast, since 1962, only authorizes French intervention when the country is attacked by other nations. However, France has a vested interest in West African economic powerhouse, with many French business investments on the line and citizens residing there:

Twenty thousand French citizens live in Ivory Coast, and French companies have interests there in public works and utilities projects, including water and electricity supply.

In response to the rebellion, France brokered a peace deal with northern Muslim rebel leader Ouattara which granted Outtara a power-sharing agreement in the democracy. Under the agreement, unelected Muslim rebels would assume control of both the national defense and internal security organs of democratic Ivory Coast! Of course, the populace didn't get to vote on this agreement.

Understandably, many in the predominantly Christian south felt betrayed by the terms of the deal. Stone-throwing protestors besieged France's embassy and army base and French businesses were decimated. (See photo link.) A sign caught by the BBC reads:

U.S.A. we need your help. Chirac is another Ben Laden. He is killing democracy in the Ivory Coast. He supports rebels.

According to the BBC, France is unlikely to implement the deal. Instead, France stands poised to evacuate its citizens:

French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin said on Wednesday France was ready to evacuate its 16,000 citizens "at any time". France has previously spoken of protecting foreigners with its troops rather than pulling them out....Planes chartered by French firms flew hundreds of people, many of them women and children, out of Ivory Coast on Wednesday as the return of calm to Abidjan unblocked the road to the airport.

Note again the reference to French business interests.

Via InstaPundit.

Meanwhile, France is cozying up to Zimbabwean dictator Robert Mugabe. More on this later...