France holds Europe in contempt

[Frimost]

Chirac's delusions of grandeur?

France's President Jacques Chirac has been throwing his weight around in the world.

His performance is dazzling the French, but has brought a serious backlash.

Mr Chirac has thrust himself to the centre of the Iraq crisis. His behaviour is being compared to that of the late President Charles de Gaulle, who once boycotted European meetings to prove that nothing could be done without France.

Chirac: supposedly called Blair "badly brought up"

Mr Chirac has gone further, accusing those who disagree with him of "rudeness".

Could Mr Chirac himself be in part responsible for the breakdown of good manners, which he has accused some of his adversaries of lacking? Clearly, not in Mr Chirac's book.

At last week's EU summit in Brussels, he savaged 13 eastern European governments for supporting the United States over Iraq.

He called their behaviour "childish, reckless and dangerous", and warned Romania and Bulgaria they had damaged their chances of joining the EU in 2007.

His ministers have even hinted that France might block the Accession Treaty for 10 new EU members that is due to be signed in April.

Last week, Mr Chirac welcomed Zimbabwe's autocratic leader, Robert Mugabe, to a conference in Paris, after winning an exemption from the EU's sanctions policy.

But he has broken a lot of political furniture, and the bills may come his way soon.

He has earned the hostility of many leaders in eastern Europe who will soon have a much bigger voice. Some will never forget his insults.

He has offended some current EU leaders, who resent his claim to speak for Europe and his worsening of the rift with the US.

He has sorely angered the US, which is liable to mistrust the French Government for many years to come.

His energy is remarkable, but some advisers are warning him of irreparable damage to French long-term interests if he pushes the patience of the US beyond breaking point.

Making more waves, Mr Chirac has revived the joint claim of France and Germany to speak for the whole EU. Last October they stampeded the EU into accepting their deal on farm subsidies - despite protests from UK Prime Minister Tony Blair.

In December they persuaded the EU to postpone a decision on when Turkey could apply to join.

Above all, Mr Chirac's power play for the leadership of the EU has so far failed.

Most European leaders still look to the US in matters of war and peace. Yet Mr Chirac, backed by Mr Schroeder, wants to push on to turn the EU into a "defence union". They have also tried to co-opt Russia into a new European order that would challenge US leadership.

Others in Europe think President Chirac is playing with fire.

 

[Guest]

Several Arab countries are quietly pressing President Bush to “get this over with” according to senior officials.
The official described one Arab leader as saying, “Please do not let word get out about our support if you are not serious”. “We can not afford to be exposed to Saddam’s wrath if you don’t do anything”. “But if you do, were with you to get rid of Saddam reign of terror.”
“The fault of this falls up on France for allowing Iraq to buy the lab., equipment for making weapons of mass destruction”,

Reported by the AP



so what do you think of this artical I found in the paper

 

[Frimost]

And France calls us "Imperialistic? HA!

Strict pecking order in Paris