I wonder what Sarkozy’s take on this?
Appears as though France like the left in this country has forgotten how a Democracy functions.
I'm not necessarily the hugest fan of Maliki, but this is puzzling. What business is it of France's, of all nations, who the Prime Minister of Iraq is? And why should anyone care what France thinks either way? France is an uninvolved third-party country to this entire issue. Iraq is a different country from France. It is not a part of France. It is not even all that near to France. Neither is France a U.S. ally in this endeavor (they chose not to be). France has nothing whatsoever to do with any of this.
So, here I am told a French guy says he thinks the Iraqi Prime Minister ought to be replaced.
And I - or anyone else - should care, why?
Why is a French guy on the phone to Rice telling her what he thinks should happen in Iraq? Why is Rice listening to him sound forth on the subject? What has any of it got to do with him, or any other French person, in the first damn place?
Sometimes these France stories just drive me crazy. It's as if the whold world is mad, suffering from some delusion that the opinions and pronouncements of France are relevant and interesting to every single world event. Where did this idea come from? And when will it be jettisoned?
He told a cabinet meeting on Friday: "France must be present in Iraq, France must be present in countries throughout the Arab world. She must have a foreign policy that shows international influence."
Good luck Mr. Sarkozy. Your nation chose not to be "present in Iraq". Maybe if it had been otherwise, I'd care what your foreign minister thought about Iraq. Maybe if you do establish a presence in Iraq, then I'll feel compelled to listen. But in that order.
France seems to think she can have a say in and influence in all world events without lifting a finger or taking any sort of responsibility in the matter. Where did they get this inflated idea of themselves? Because their language is so elegant? Is that it? Is it because of the language? The pretty, pretty language?
Mr Kouchner took French foreign policy in a new direction last week when he visited Baghdad, offering to help stabilise the country four years after France led opposition to the US invasion.
Well, I for one can't wait to see Mr. Kouchner roll up his sleeves and get to work on helping to stabilize Iraq. That oughta be a sight to behold.
Just shut up Sarkman. Your country had a chance to help, and didn’t. Now the best thing you and your fellow frogs can do is get the hell out of the way.
This is *not* bad news.
Kouchner is the leftist to listen to, *not* Tauscher.
And, thanks again, cincinna et al.
Kouchner (French Foreign Minister under Sarkozy) pays unexpected visit to Iraq
Daily Star (Lebanon) | Monday, August 20, 2007 | staff
Posted on 08/19/2007 7:00:19 PM EDT by Cincinna
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1883542/posts
France shifts its stance on the conflict in Iraq
The International Herald Tribune | August 21, 2007 | Katrin Bennhold
Posted on 08/21/2007 8:12:04 PM EDT by Lucius Cornelius Sulla
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1884546/posts
FRANCE’S PRO-U.S. TURN ON IRAQ FOREIGN MINISTER’S SURPRISE VISIT
New York Post | August 21, 2007 | AMIR TAHERI
Posted on 08/22/2007 3:46:31 AM EDT by Cincinna
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1884682/posts
France opens door to helping Iraqi troops
Swiss Info.Org | August 24, 2007 | staff
Posted on 08/25/2007 4:35:07 AM EDT by Cincinna
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1886346/posts