The French President is sitting in his office when his telephone rings.
"Hello, Mr. President!" a heavily accented voice says, "This is Paddy down at the Harp Pub in County Clare, Ireland... I'm ringing to inform you that we are officially declaring war on you.
"Well, Paddy," the President replied, "This is indeed important news. How big is your army?"
"Right now," says Paddy, after a moment's calculation, "there's meself, me Cousin Sean, me next door neighbour Seamus, and the entire darts team from the pub. That makes eleven."
The President paused. "I must tell you, Paddy, that I have 100,000 men in my army waiting to move on my command."
"Begorra!" says Paddy. "I'll have to ring you back."
Sure enough, the next day, Paddy calls again: "Mr. President, the war is still on. We've managed to get us some infantry equipment!"
"And what equipment would that be, Paddy?" the President asks.
"Well, we have two combines, a bulldozer, and Murphy's farm tractor..."
President sighs, amused, "I must tell you, Paddy, that I have 6,000 tanks and 5,000 armoured personnel carriers. Also, I have increased my army to 150,000 since we last spoke."
"Saints preserve us!" says Paddy, "I'll have to get back to you."
Sure enough, Paddy rings again the next day. "Mr. President, the war is still on! We've managed to get ourselves airborne! We've modified Jackie McLaughlin's ultra-light with a couple of shotguns in the cockpit, and four boys from the Shamrock Bar have joined us as well!"
The President was silent for a minute and then cleared his throat: "I must tell you, Paddy, that I have 100 bombers and 200 fighter planes. My military bases are surrounded by laser-guided, surface-to-air missile sites. And since we last spoke, I have increased my army to 200,000."
"Jesus, Mary, and Joseph!" says paddy, "I'll have to ring you back."
Sure enough, Paddy calls again the next day. "Top o' the mornin', Mr. President. I am sorry to inform you that we have had to call off the war."
"Really? I am sorry to hear that," says the President. "Why the sudden change of heart?"
"Well," says Paddy, "we had a long chat over a few pints of Guinness and packets of crisps, and we decided there's just no way we can feed 200,000 prisoners."