In the world classroom where political power and threats are used as symbolic spitballs, France is ever the angry victim and the United States is the devilish bully. Last week the United States, and even usually cool and collected Secretary of State Colin Powell, threatened to push France out of the political spotlight in multilateral organizations and punish them for their adamant position against the United States in the conflict in Iraq.

It’s another slap in the face to a nation who was standing up for what they believe in, which is exactly what the United States has done. It just so happens that France was in the way, and the U.S. foreign policy freight train ran France over.

At a White House meeting last week, administration officials discussed downgrading France’s status at international conferences or even avoiding France’s votes in NATO’s North Atlantic Council and shifting decisions to NATO’s Defense Planning Council, in which France is not a member, according to The New York Times.

Another low blow is that administration officials said President Bush will be spending his nights in Switzerland during the G8 convention, a meeting of the world’s top economic powers, in early June, although the meeting will take place across Lake Geneva in France. French officials said they’re not forcing anyone to spend the night in France, but were surprised at the decision because Switzerland was also against the war in Iraq.

The hostility between France and the United States is boiling over into other issues that are not related to the war. On Friday, the United States scaled down a French proposal of $25 million for a U.N. peacekeeping mission in the former French colony of Ivory Coast, according to The Washington Post. It was the first time the United States and France were asked to cooperate together since the war.

Now that the war is over and the focus has turned to implementing a new Iraqi government, both countries have differing views as to what steps should be taken. France believes U.N. weapons inspectors should be allowed into Iraq to look for weapons of mass destruction, before economic sanctions are lifted — much to the dismay of the United States.

But the United States does want the United Nations involved with peacekeeping efforts in Iraq, which would help the United States with the financial burden.

Strange how now the Bush administration wants the help of the countries and people they discredited only months ago. Why should France jump on the bandwagon after being left in the dust?

Only time will tell if the United States’ love-hate relationship with France will be repaired. If the French stand firm, as they have before, they’ll be the real winners.

Editorial Board: Cavan Reagan, Amber Billings, Ayrel Clark, Charlie Weaver, Katie List