Why do so many people bash the French?

I'm always hearing Americans say, "Well, we saved their hides a lot. If it wasn't for us, they wouldn't have a country." Guess what! If it wasn't for France, we wouldn't have a nation, either. We were not match for the British during the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. Who do you think set up the blockade at the Battle of Yorktown when General Cornwallis surrendered. I believe it was the French Navy. Last I checked, the same happened at the Battle of New Orleans during the War of 1812. Yes, they refused to join us in the Iraq War. Surprise, Surprise! Most of the entire European Union didn't because they knew it was about oil let alone France. The French have done many great things for humanity. They invented tidal power, and they're one of the few First World Nations not dependent on OPEC. They also invented the world's first air-compressed car and started selling it to the Japanese and the Mexicans. In fact, that's how Mexico has been able to handle their smog problem. The French also handle nuclear power safely with strict guidelines. They're one of the cleanest countries in the world, moreover. I've heard stereotypes about them being unkind, but most French people I met were quite nice. I never had any problems with them in St. Martin. My older brother and his wife traveled to Paris one summer, and they said the people there were amazing. French cuisine is phenomenal, too. I love escargots, baguettes, croissants, eclairs, quiche, souffle, filet mignon, and coq du vin. The only things French I dislike are blue cheese and Thousand Island sauce, which is actually Canadian. Alas, my favorite Star Trek Captain Jean-Luc Picard is from France. He's far more cly than James Kirk. So what is it about the French that people gripe about so much?