John,
Of course it is your country, and you have every reason to be proud to be part of it, and of the state it is in when you hand it over to those who follow.
I can't agree with your points about France etc... remember "Freedom Fries" and "retreat monkeys"? When they refused to participate in the Iraq invasion, posters gave them hell right here in UT- a lone Frenchman tried to explain his perspective and was roundly abused. re "socialist state": they have elections and if the French people choose to elect socialist representatives, there must be a reason that makes sense to them.
re over-the-top criticism: I'm sorry, I didn't see it and respect you sufficiently that I have no intention of seeking it out. I think you guys have a lot ot be proud of- not least, your concern that you behave honorably in the eyes of other peoples, which I believe is enshrined in your constitution? Few of your detractors would worry about being noble like that.
"... They ne'er cared for us
yet: suffer us to famish, and their store-houses
crammed with grain; make edicts for usury, to
support usurers; repeal daily any wholesome act
established against the rich, and provide more
piercing statutes daily, to chain up and restrain
the poor. If the wars eat us not up, they will; and
there's all the love they bear us."
-- Shakespeare: Coriolanus, Act 1, scene 1