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At its height, the French Empire rivaled the British Empire, with colonies in every corner of the world. It continues to be a strong presence in academia and has been the birthplace of countless renowned scholars. It remains a powerhouse in the [[European Union]], often at odds with the [[United Kingdom]] on issues of EU policy.  The capital city is Paris, often called the "City of Lights" due to its renown for a center of learning and philosophy.

At its height, the French Empire rivaled the British Empire, with colonies in every corner of the world. It continues to be a strong presence in academia and has been the birthplace of countless renowned scholars. It remains a powerhouse in the [[European Union]], often at odds with the [[United Kingdom]] on issues of EU policy.  The capital city is Paris, often called the "City of Lights" due to its renown for a center of learning and philosophy.

It was a founding member of the European Coal and Steel treaty which led to the EEC and EU. It greatly assisted then-Great Britain's North American colonies both militarily and financially in their effort to gain independence, and established universal legal codes in much of the non-Anglo-Saxon west. It has made a number of philosophical contributions to the world, including Descartes and Sartre, existentialism and post modernism. Its own colonial behavior and the treatment of non-French soldiers has been criticized.  Racial distinctions were made between “French soldiers” and “Soldiers of France”.  It maintains the vestiges of [[Imperialism]]  with the CFA (African France) in much of west and central Africa.It gifted the Statue of Liberty to the USA in celebration of its independence, echoing the French aid given to the colonies during the American Revolutionary War.

It was a founding member of the European Coal and Steel treaty which led to the EEC and EU. It greatly assisted then-Great Britain's North American colonies both militarily and financially in their effort to gain independence, and established universal legal codes in much of the non-Anglo-Saxon west. It has made a number of philosophical contributions to the world, including Descartes and Sartre, existentialism and post modernism.  It gifted the Statue of Liberty to the USA in celebration of its independence, echoing the French aid given to the colonies during the American Revolutionary War.

In March of 2003 A.D., France did not participate in the alliance that attacked [[Iraq]], with its ostensible aim to remove the [[Baathist]] regime, suspected of hiding weapons of mass destruction. This prompted backlash and a criticism from some Americans, causing them to question whether France's status as a U.S. ally had been undermined.

In March of 2003 A.D., France did not participate in the alliance that attacked [[Iraq]], with its ostensible aim to remove the [[Baathist]] regime, suspected of hiding weapons of mass destruction. This prompted backlash and a criticism from some Americans, causing them to question whether France's status as a U.S. ally had been undermined.