Interesting, I will say the book on Iraq has not been closed ...yet...but the final edits are being drawn up. It would have been better if the Neocons had been jettisoned earlier and a practacable strategy been implemented, but it is what is, the dog barked but the caravan left anyway...
For myself, nations act in their own best interests, if France’s interests are not in fighting for a pie in the sky vision of Iraq, the Democracy, that is understandable.
Sarkozy Imo, would be far more helpful to the US than Royal would ever be, she is running against Sarkozy but mentions the US all the time, Sarkozy mentions the US but in a different light.
As I recall, France had “won” in Algeria, the insurgency was defeated, but when the methods that were used were made public in France, the public outcry forced a withdrawal from Algeria.
It is also my opinion that France perhaps needs and economic shot in the arm, just for the good of France as whole, I think Sarkozy is far more likely to do that, then Royal would ever be.
“As I recall, France had “won” in Algeria, the insurgency was defeated, but when the methods that were used were made public in France, the public outcry forced a withdrawal from Algeria.
It is also my opinion that France perhaps needs and economic shot in the arm, just for the good of France as whole, I think Sarkozy is far more likely to do that, then Royal would ever be.”
As to Algeria, it would be more truthful to say that the corner had been turned, and the French Army was defeating the insurgency, but the way that it had to be done resulted in mass death of civilians. It wasn’t so much immediate public outcry as DeGaulle’s decision, having just created the 5th Republic and now leading it, that Algeria was a millstone around France’s neck, sucking all of the life out of the country. And what’s more, what France was having to do in order to hold onto a wrecked country was essentially changing the nature of what France was. He decided the game wasn’t worth the candle and pulled the forces out. Suffered a coup attempt too, as a result (the Army was NOT pleased).
As to the economic thing, France’s economy has been steadily expanding since 2001, and joblessness has declined into the mid 8% range, and continues to go down. There is no “Big Boom” economic strategy for France, but to the extent that Sarkozy is able to rationalize Europe and prevent labor madness from getting WORSE (Royal is talking about 32 hours now. Hell, why not 12?), it will bring stability. Sarkozy needs to not provoke the damaging general strikes, but he also needs to put a firm hand on wildcat public sector strikes, which are illegal. Deregulation is more of a Bayrou thing. Sarkozy wants to cut taxes, but cutting taxes without cutting expenses is an American Republican gimmick, and ultimately a fool’s game.
Sarkozy’s economic plan runs the risk of being a fiasco, with ill-advised tax cuts and headstrong anti-labor tactics that end up costing milliards in lost time due to furious strikes. My hope is that he will restrain his natural elan and tendency to be a muscle-flexing jerk, and focus on law and order. Bring down the crime rate and you make everybody’s property a lot more secure, and THAT is good for the economy.