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Europe
Chirac continues onslaught on US methods
2004-11-20
JACQUES Chirac, the French president, yesterday undermined a show of Anglo-French unity by criticising the US-led drive to spread democracy.
"The natives aren't advanced enough to be able to understand democracy!"
Mr Chirac's warning about the dangers of advancing western values came days after Tony Blair, the Prime Minister, went to Washington and declared himself a whole-hearted devotee of democratising the world.
That kinda lays out two opposing sides, then. The Frenchies never have done really well with the concept of democracy and individual rights, though. "Liberty, equality, fraternity" somehow led to the guillotine and then to His Imperial Highness...
At a press conference yesterday, Mr Blair and Mr Chirac attempted to gloss over their differences over Iraq at the start of the French leader's two-day visit to Britain. But in a lecture afterwards, Mr Chirac openly questioned Mr Blair's belief that the spread of western values will reinforce western security. "We must avoid any confusion between democratisation and westernisation," Mr Chirac said. "The peoples submitted to the West's domination in the past have not forgotten and are quick to see a resurgence of imperialism and colonialism in our actions."
I wonder if the people of the Ivory Coast are aware of this? Phoney two-faced frog of the year award!
Recent actions suggest the Ivorians are fully aware ...
Posted by:Mark Espinola

#26  Verlaine, what odds do you give that Jacques le Vol took a sizeable cut from OFF (and from the Nov '02 sweetheart deal btn Total and Saddam)?

What does Le Canard Enchaine have to say about Jacky and OFF?
Posted by: lex   2004-11-20 10:03:05 PM  

#25  i meant the weak dollar that's strangling France's exports. EU Central Bank Chairman Trichet, hand-picked by France, describes the weak dollar as "brutal." ...also as in et tu, brute
Posted by: lex   2004-11-20 10:00:28 PM  

#24  #16, Mrs. Davis, I know it's an understandable slip, but I like it! "Skorzeny" for Sarkozy. Well, I think Hitler's favorite commando might appeal to Le Grande Jacques, but he'll have to make do without him.

Lex and others, I've been thinking/hoping the same thing myself: the notable absence of groveling and contrition by France after the humiliation of the global press and clueless elites, er, I mean Dubya's re-election, may well be due to desperation. Chiraq knows the US won't fail spectacularly or pull back on Iraq (he is one who has never misunderestimated Dubya), also that the US won't cede the initiative anywhere in the global war, and that the OFF scandal may contain bombshells so huge even a complicit "press" won't be able to muffle them.

Come to think of it, the MSM hasn't shown the slightest acknowledgement of their obliteration in the elections either. Perhaps it's the MSM, Chiraq, and the former Iraqi info minister, all going down without blinking an eye or ceasing their confident delusional flapdoodle .... inshallah.
Posted by: Verlaine   2004-11-20 9:35:48 PM  

#23  Desperation. ChIrak's freaking because he knows we and Bush are resurgent, the Iraqi elections will go forward as planned, and most of our troops will be out of Iraq in two years when Sarkozy gears up to challenge him from the right.

And then there are two financial disasters in the making: the strong dollar that is strangling France's export sector, and the OFF investigation that will expose Jacky's most lucrative scam ever.

aux barricades, mes amis
Posted by: lex   2004-11-20 3:44:16 PM  

#22  Even Pakistan knows Chiraq's slipping.
Posted by: Mrs. Davis   2004-11-20 3:04:33 PM  

#21  I said in France. We would be considered to the Right of Franco ion France.
Posted by: Sock Puppet of Doom   2004-11-20 2:46:40 PM  

#20  SPo'D - If Trotsky is "center", that is.
Posted by: .com   2004-11-20 2:41:33 PM  

#19  Ever notice the strking similarities between Chirac, Kerry, Bubba Bill Clinton, and the other delusional losers?
Posted by: Capt America   2004-11-20 2:40:12 PM  

#18  It's not too good, but since he is in a state with multiple parties you have to take that into account. Rooters has a October poll giving him a 41% approval rating. That has declined as fuel and heating prices have trended upwards. He is hardly loved by the left in France. Remember Chriac is in center right in France. France is mostly left of center.
Posted by: Sock Puppet of Doom   2004-11-20 2:35:59 PM  

#17  Hey Sock or Mrs. D.,
Do you happen to know what Chiracs approval rating is in La Franc
Posted by: leo88   2004-11-20 2:25:20 PM  

#16  Skorzeny from his own party would be happy to put jack in the slammer.

Personally, I'd rather see him indicted for war crimes in the Ivory Coast at the ICC
Posted by: Mrs. Davis   2004-11-20 2:22:58 PM  

#15  Any one from any opposition party in France. Much of Chirac's bluster is for home consumption. His party is not popular and he isn't that much either. The only reason he was elected was le Pen.
Posted by: Sock Puppet of Doom   2004-11-20 2:19:06 PM  

#14  " #9 remember that once out of poltical office he faces criminal corruption and bribery charges - sez all it needs to, non? "

Hey Frank, who is going to charge him ??
Posted by: leo88   2004-11-20 1:53:08 PM  

#13  When does Chirac's plane leave Britain? Can we stage a little "accident"? I think a nice "terrorist training mission" gone wrong, and shoot down his aircraft. After France recovers from the shock, and hears all about their "vaunted" premier, they may even try to thank someone. Of course, no WESTERN nation had anything to do with it... Right? I think the Chinese, or even some of the new republics in Central Asia, could "arrange" this, with a little bit of quiet financial aid...

Chirac is a menace to Europe, and to world peace. The sooner he goes into the ground, the better for everyone. He thinks he's the new DeGaulle, with the bitterness and envy, but without the political experience or intelligence.
Posted by: Old Patriot   2004-11-20 1:25:35 PM  

#12  Ã‚ If democracy's good enough for the French, ...

Sorry, Bulldog, but you went wrong starting from the first part of your paragraph. :-)
Posted by: Steve White   2004-11-20 12:42:43 PM  

#11  So, is he basically saying that the stooopid little brown people of the world can't understand democracy?
Guess that explains why he's backing rebels in the Ivory Coast against the democratically elected government.
Posted by: Desert Blondie   2004-11-20 10:24:35 AM  

#10  Mrs D, if the grandchild is a mossie it looks like the grand father will officially follow but he wants maximum gain first.
2b, that nut is pompous and egoistic besides being dangerous. He typifies much of what's wrong with European leadership. Vain, envious and depleted by the socialist torpor from within their leftist rut. The Frogs weren't as good colonialist as the Brits. They were far too mean by comparision.
Posted by: Wo   2004-11-20 9:50:26 AM  

#9  remember that once out of poltical office he faces criminal corruption and bribery charges - sez all it needs to, non?
Posted by: Frank G   2004-11-20 9:45:50 AM  

#8  Mrs. D - you mean when did Chiraq convert?
Posted by: Spot   2004-11-20 9:23:32 AM  

#7  When will Chiraq convert?
Posted by: Mrs. Davis   2004-11-20 8:34:59 AM  

#6  The French must be experiencing those brief, cold, momements of realization that their leader is a dangerous, dangerous, threat. Survival is, afterall the greatest instinct - even greater than herding. Must be kinda like the Germans in the 1930's...that slow muddled picture that suddenly bursts into focus.
Posted by: 2b   2004-11-20 8:24:00 AM  

#5   chirac is truly one of the worlds most dangerous men

EG - I completely agree.
Posted by: 2b   2004-11-20 8:17:09 AM  

#4  Agree with you 2b, chirac is on the one hand becoming more strident to deflect attention from his personal roles in subterfuge, and on the other, he's politicing his way to the titular head of the regressive movement. Saddam was funding the pro/regressives for the last 15 years, chirac is trying to take the lead, he's now got access to arafats money.....making him feel invincible. chirac is truly one of the worlds most dangerous men.
Posted by: Ebbeath Gleart2775   2004-11-20 8:03:40 AM  

#3  heh, heh, if you ask me, the heat from the UN scandal has cooked his brain.

This sudden dire warning of western values makes me thinks he's fully aware that he will be exposed for bribery, graft and sell out to the Islamists. In the past he's kept his grip on power with the money and support of bloody handed, murderous, thugs. Take note of this speech - it's his announcement that he has no intention of going quietly into the western night. Wow! These are interesting times.
Posted by: 2b   2004-11-20 7:44:31 AM  

#2  Chirac should be glad to openly lead the way for Eurabia if he and Froglang gain enough from it. Well, I'm not a westerner and that nut thinks that only westerner are capable of imperialism and colonialism? He is indeed the enemy of the US, for example.
Posted by: Wo   2004-11-20 7:06:54 AM  

#1  If democracy's good enough for the French, why isn't it good enough for anyone else? Methinks France should lead its anti-Democratic crusade by example. Just trying to hold the reins of the EU is a good start, but I'd prefer to see Emperor Chirac declaring himself ruler for life.

In Chirac's own favourite turn of phrase (used to berate barely-tolerated inferiors): he's just missed another good opportunity to keep quiet.

And is an impotent man really capable of an "onslaught"?
Posted by: Bulldog   2004-11-20 6:21:37 AM  

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