Credit agency downgrades France. But are these agencies that important?

For many years.... I myself have questioned the true value of Credit Agencies and the role within world economy. as over many years of studying these Agencies I have become to see there forecasts quite unreliable. as it was only last year that they downgraded the US economy and this had very little effect in the long term of the US economy. I wounder if it is not high time that we downgraded these credit rating agency and there importance within world economic picture. as all these reports and ...