Archived material Access restricted Article
Rantburg

Today's Front Page   View All of Wed 09/24/2003 View Tue 09/23/2003 View Mon 09/22/2003 View Sun 09/21/2003 View Sat 09/20/2003 View Fri 09/19/2003 View Thu 09/18/2003
1
2003-09-24 Down Under
France ’utterly opportunistic’ on Iraq, says Howard
Archived material is restricted to Rantburg regulars and members. If you need access email fred.pruitt=at=gmail.com with your nick to be added to the members list. There is no charge to join Rantburg as a member.
Posted by g wiz 2003-09-24 9:43:51 AM|| || Front Page|| [11134 views since 2007-05-07]  Top

#1 Peaktalk has some interesting stuff on Chiraq:

"Mr. Chirac defended his outburst last February when he berated Central and Eastern European countries poised to join the European Union for missing an opportunity to "keep quiet" when they signed letters supporting American policy in Iraq before the war. "I don't regret it; I should regret it, but I don't," he said, adding, "You can take your own position if you want to, that's not the problem but at least warn us first so we don't look ridiculous." Such an approach, he said, is "not the way that Europe is made."

And the way Europe is being made is the way France wants it, and beware of taking an independent stance; it could make Chirac look ridiculous. This is episode is textbook lesson in what a unified Europe will unleash onto the free world.

and

A reader asks to what extent Chirac is vulnerable and if he is not facing any election that would force him to tread a bit more carefully. Chirac served his first term from 1995 to 2002 after which an amendment was enacted that reduced presidential terms in France to five years. I am not sure if there’s a constitutional two-term limit in France, but if there is then Chirac has got another four years to go after which he will probably retire. The one thing on Chirac’s mind is carving out a legacy for himself and he has two unique opportunities in front of him that would ensure that, one being defining France’s role in Europe and the other one positioning France vis-à-vis the United States, formalizing France's role in the world at large. Chirac in other words has entered an important stage of his presidency and it is unlikely that he will be very flexible in dealing with the outside world if that would jeopardize his legacy. It should be noted that Chirac represents the right in France, just imagine what the world would have to put up with if it were a French socialist occupying the Elysee.



Posted by Anonymous 2003-9-24 9:53:50 AM||   2003-9-24 9:53:50 AM|| Front Page Top

#2 not clear it would be any worse under a Socialist. At times past the Socialists have been less obstructionist than the Gaullists - it was Mitterand who took France back into Nato. (though IIUC the most "pro-US" elements in France tend to be the centrist pro-business types, rather than either socialists or Gaullists) I must however acknowledge that Chirac seems to have done a better job wrt to internal antisemitic incidents then the socialists did. You can at least count on the right to maintain order.
Posted by liberalhawk 2003-9-24 10:01:32 AM||   2003-9-24 10:01:32 AM|| Front Page Top

#3 The one thing on Chirac’s mind is carving out a legacy for himself and..

Crikes, not that legacy crap again. We here in the U.S. already have to endure stupidity as a result of concern over someone's "legacy", and now it has to go international?
Posted by Bomb-a-rama 2003-9-24 10:11:09 AM||   2003-9-24 10:11:09 AM|| Front Page Top

#4 Sounds like Howard might be lobbying for a seat
on the Security Council (not a bad thing).
Posted by J.H. 2003-9-24 10:27:32 AM||   2003-9-24 10:27:32 AM|| Front Page Top

#5 Now that is a good idea. Take the permanent security council seat (and veto power) from France and give it to Australia.

How many European nations have permanent security council seats? Too damn many! Its entirely too euro-centric.
Posted by CrazyFool 2003-9-24 10:44:52 AM||   2003-9-24 10:44:52 AM|| Front Page Top

#6 It's that damned Eiffle tower. Once a beacon of hope but now, sadly, terribly out of style. It must come down, violently, Hindenbergesquely.
Posted by Lucky 2003-9-24 11:26:42 AM||   2003-9-24 11:26:42 AM|| Front Page Top

#7 Chirac is also concerned about his indictment for crimes prior to his presidency. He becomes vulnerable to prosecution afterward. Watch him try to pick his successor then beg for the French equivalent to a pardon
Posted by Frank G  2003-9-24 1:00:10 PM||   2003-9-24 1:00:10 PM|| Front Page Top

#8 Other anonymous : the general feeling is that Chirac may very well run again in 2007 (that's what is implied to wannabes from the right anyway); no constitutional limit, even with the constitution tampered enough lastly to completely alter the 5th republic founders 's goals (presidential immunity, vague & unworkable impeachment, ecological chart, decentralization,...), making it a shamble.
Chirac is a terrible head of state, but an excellent candidate, that's what get his kicks on, so it is quite possible.
Posted by Anonymous 2003-9-24 1:06:36 PM||   2003-9-24 1:06:36 PM|| Front Page Top

#9  Gotta love that Howard! Just like he said, "We have to call a frog a frog" (or some such) I paraphrase. About time someone had the balls to stand up and pull the cover off of France's self-righteous facade.
Posted by Paul 2003-9-24 1:41:44 PM||   2003-9-24 1:41:44 PM|| Front Page Top

#10 Paul - not to worry. The cover is totally ineffectual. The smell of perfidity leaks out all around the edges, no matter what the Phewrench try to do. You can catch the stench at 40 miles.
Posted by Old Patriot  2003-9-24 4:49:56 PM|| [http://users.codenet.net/mweather/default.htm]  2003-9-24 4:49:56 PM|| Front Page Top

#11 I see no evidence that he would gracely leave the stage when his Karioki song is over and reliquish the mike to another. Sheetrock will belt out another round of "Ain't Nuthen But A Hound Dog" until he is bodily dragged from the spotlight.
Posted by Super Hose  2003-9-24 7:35:44 PM||   2003-9-24 7:35:44 PM|| Front Page Top

#12 "Utterly opportunistic" see ref Halliburton et. al./USgov.vp/office
Posted by Not Mike Moore 2003-9-25 12:01:53 AM||   2003-9-25 12:01:53 AM|| Front Page Top

18:24 Sock Puppet of Doom
18:02 V is for Victory
21:06 LVK (C-1-18 1ID RVN)
02:28 Igs
00:20 Not Mike Moore
00:16 Not Mike Moore
00:13 Not Mike Moore
00:09 Not Mike Moore
00:01 Not Mike Moore
23:56 Not Mike Moore
23:55 Chris Smith
23:47 Ned
23:28 Old Patriot
22:47 tu3031
22:44 tu3031
22:35 tu3031
22:19 Super Hose
22:16 Super Hose
22:12 True German Ally
21:57 Shipman
21:52 Shipman
21:48 Shipman
21:43 Shipman
21:39 Shipman









Paypal:
Google
Search WWW Search rantburg.com