Subordination Cost: French Citizens Pay High Price for US Imperialism

The result of French subordination has a high price — symbolic, political and economic, Ardinat said.

The symbolic cost of being a US vassal state is France's loss of prestige on the international arena. The Mistral saga has destroyed France's reputation as a trusted arms exporter. After Hollande's decision to withhold the delivery of the Mistrals, India decided to back off from a €18-billion-euro Rafale deal. Under the lucrative contract France was supposed to sell 126 Rafale fighter jets to India; however, seeing how inconsistent the French government could be, India decided to exit out of the deal.

Politically, France has lost its sovereignty. Paris can no longer make its own decisions regarding its foreign policy without Washington's approval. Even if a political decision hurts French national interests, the current government in Paris is forced to take it, Boulevard Voltaire said. For example, France has lost its special partnership status with Russia that was very beneficial for Paris, as a result of the failed Mistral deal. But hey, France was a good servant and followed Washington's orders.

In economic terms, Hollande has taken plenty of bad steps to hurt the French economy. France had to refund Russia over a billion euros for the failed Mistral deal. According to French weekly Le Canard Enchaine the true cost may end up being over €2 billion.

In addition, Paris will have to shell out at least another billion euros to de-customize the two Mistrals that were designed specifically for the Russian Navy. And finally, while the de-customization process and a search for new potential customers for the Mistrals is taking place, France is losing at least between €1 million and €5 million per month for docking and maintenance services while the ships are stationed at the port in Saint Nazaire.

Finally, due to Hollande's decision to impose anti-Russian sanctions, France received a retaliatory food embargo from the Russian government. As a result, prices for farming produce fell because of overproduction, causing the farming crisis across France. French farmers should "thank" Hollande for his support of the agricultural industry.