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Sarkozy cools toward Obama [has now shifted from a pro-Bush position to an anti-Obama position]
The Global Times of China ^ | December 29, 2009 | Staff

Posted on 01/03/2010 11:10:43 AM PST by 2ndDivisionVet

French President Nicolas Sarkozy has gone cold on his US counterpart Barack Obama, the Financial Times (FT) reported Monday.

Sarkozy, whose pro-Washington stance has seen him nicknamed "Sarko the American," stressed that France and the US were "the same family" during his first face-to-face meeting with Obama in April since the US elections last year.

But the French president has clashed since then with his US counterpart on a series of issues, raising the question of whether Sarkozy is reverting to the anti-US posture of his predecessor, Jacques Chirac.

"He has now shifted from a pro-Bush position to an anti-Obama position," the FT quoted Jean-Christophe Cambadélis, international affairs spokesman for the opposition Socialists, as saying.

Obama's irritation with his French counterpart began when Sarkozy tried to grab the limelight at the G20 summit in London in April and talked condescendingly of the US President in private.

Sarkozy told colleagues that he found Obama to be inexperienced and unbriefed, especially on climate change, according to The Times of London.

In September, the French president expressed his frustration over how to deal with Iran's nuclear ambitions and the priority that Obama attaches to the long-term goal of a world free of nuclear weapons. The French government also refused a US request to send more troops to Afghanistan, while several other European allies are planning to do so.

The French press often publishes Sarkozy's unflattering comments about Obama's lack of prior government experience, his alleged difficulty in reaching decisions or his domestic electoral setbacks.

"The paradox of the situation is that in terms of the relationship with the US, he can do a Chirac in that he can criticize the Americans but he can do it from a position that is 180 degrees different from Chirac," the FT quoted François Heisbourg, an adviser to the Foundation for Strategic Research, a Paris-based think tank, as saying.

"He can play to a habitual anti-American standpoint but not from a position that is fundamentally anti-American," he added.


TOPICS: Breaking News; Foreign Affairs; Politics/Elections; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: afghanistan; antiamericanism; bho44; bhoeurope; buyersremorse; climatechange; copenhagen; france; government; iran; military; nucleardisarmament; obama; obamaforeignpolicy; obamalegacy; politics; sarkozy; worldopinion
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To: nwrep

Actually, the only error in this report is that Sarkozy was put off Obama much earlier than this writer seems to realize. And he couldn’t have made it clearer than in his UN speech and in several other more recent comments.


21 posted on 01/03/2010 1:01:00 PM PST by Cicero (Marcus Tullius)
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To: nwrep; Admin Moderator
"What kind of a stupid, nonsensical news article is this? A communist paper referencing the FT quoting a socialist opponent of Sarkozy speculating and reading Sarkozy’s mind and divining his intentions! And this wishful thinking counts as breaking news?"

When I posted it, I placed this thread in extended, and the mods changed the headline and put it in breaking, so you need to speak with them. However, maybe this will convince you: Dr. Jack Wheeler is editor of ToThePointNews “an online geopolitical intelligence service”. He has had two parallel careers: one in the field of adventure and exploration as the owner of Jack Wheeler Expeditions; the other in the field of political and economic freedom as president of the Freedom Research Foundation. Wheeler’s articles are also published by WebNetDaily. Written by Dr. Jack Wheeler Thursday, 30 April 2009 Paris, France. It is very cool to be a French intel guy. A spectacular meal at a Parisian bistro with $90 entrées and a $200 bottle of Bordeaux? No problem. I’d known this fellow since he got me out of a jam in Sudan years ago. His James Bond days are over, but still, riding a desk for the DGSE – Direction générale de la sécurité extérieure (General Directorate for External Security), France’s military intel agency – in Paris has its decided benefits. One of them is not being infected with Obamamania. “My agency considers him a joke,” he confides. “Every day there is some fresh lunacy that we cannot believe. Mr. Bush would often make us angry. But at this man we just laugh.” “In truth, it also makes us sad,” he continued. “French resentment towards America is strong, so being able to laugh at your country feels good. But it is such a sad and strange thing to see America – America The Great! – do something so crazy as to elect this ridiculous man.” “There are many people in America who think he isn’t a legitimate president as he wasn’t born in the US and isn’t a natural citizen. What do you think?” I asked. He shrugged. “I wouldn’t know. I’ve never had reason to make an inquiry.” “There are a lot of people convinced he is a traitor who hates America and is actively determined to destroy it. Any opinion on that?” He didn’t shrug at this. After a long slow sip of wine, he mused, “I would not go that far. Many of his actions, however, are very puzzling because they are so counter-productive regarding America’s best interests. There seems to be a consistent pattern in that direction.” “What does Sarkozy think of him?” “Nothing but contempt.” After a pause he asked, “And Langley?” “Well, if you thought the war they waged against Bush was intense, it was nothing compared to how they’re going to screw Obama. He has tried to gut them with the ‘torture memo’ release and slashing their budgets. The morale is depressed, sullen, and enraged. You know what a left-wing outfit Langley is. They thought he was their boy and they feel betrayed. All kinds of damaging stuff on him will be appearing via their media friends.” He nodded. “And in Tel Aviv City?” He was referring to the huge underground city complex of Langley’s underneath the US Embassy in the Israeli capital. “That’s an interesting question. You know how vast and deep the relationship is there. Langley is making every effort to overcome the total and massive distrust their Israeli colleagues have for Obama, whom they know is selling them down the Jordan River. So far though this effort is in words. The Israelis are waiting to see what Langley does.” He said nothing. I smiled. “You guys wouldn’t be Langley’s cutout for thwarting BO regarding Israel, would you? I’d never suspect that…” He continued to say nothing, gave me only a slight smile in return, and poured me another glass of wine. “The Bordeaux is good, yes?” I nodded. “You know, the French media worships this man the same as yours in the US. All of this ‘100 days’ talk, it is impossibly stupid. Most anyone in the French elite, the business leaders, Sarko’s people, they all know this. They all think this is some crazy joke of the Americans. But it is a very, very dangerous joke. For 100 days your president has been a laughingstock among the tout le monde of Paris. No one may be laughing 100 days or 10 months from now.” He leaned forward. “The world can go – how do you say – sideways with this man very quickly. No one he has working for him knows what they are doing – possibly excepting Mrs. Clinton – and he certainly does not. All of us in our little community are worried – us, our friends in Berlin, London, Tel Aviv, and Langley too as you say. It is not like the barbarians at the gates. It is every barbarian horde in the world being told there are no gates. The Somalis, Chavez, Iran, Putin, Beijing, the ‘Norks” as you call them, the list is long and it is growing. We are not sure what to do.” It took me a moment to respond. “The best thing that has happened now is Obama making Langley his enemy. They will be cooperating with you more, be more a part of your worried community. Working together, you can undermine his efforts more effectively, block and maybe even repair the damage.” It was my turn to lean forward. “Then again, all together you could be more pro-active. The man is a mystery. Nobody can make public his actual birth certificate, or even the particular hospital he was born in, or his college grades, or how he got into Harvard, or how he made editor of the Harvard Law Review and never wrote a single article for it. It goes on and on. He really is a Zero. I think all of you guys should find all of this out and make it known.” I added, “The quicker the better, before the laughing stops and the real dangers begin.” “What is that phrase you use?” he asked. “Something to consider?” I laughed. “Yes, there is much to consider – and much that you can do. I mean, really, if the Soviet Union could be dismantled, so can this presidency.” It was a beautiful April afternoon in Paris. He walked me back to my hotel. It could be that the times we live in may get even more interesting.

22 posted on 01/03/2010 1:12:50 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet (I will raise $2 million for Sarah Palin: What will you do?)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

OK, I understand. But the story yoy reference above may be true, but still contains anonymous sources. It could be Dr. Wheeler telling our side what we want to hear. In any case, I would rather place my trust with the people of this country at the ballot box than with some anonymous French ex-intelligence agent who may or may not exist. Relying on France for anything is like relying on a third world country.


23 posted on 01/03/2010 1:21:52 PM PST by nwrep
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Thanks for that comment. It really sheds some light on the current French mindset regarding the great Zero.


24 posted on 01/03/2010 1:22:01 PM PST by keats5 (Not all of us are hypnotized.)
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To: workerbee

holy crap

her face is one of anger, bitterness and total jealousy


25 posted on 01/03/2010 1:42:00 PM PST by manc (WILL OBAMA EVER GO TO CHURCH ON A SUNDAY OR WILL HE LET THE MEDIA/THE LEFT BE FOOLED FOR EVER)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

France isn’t the only country either which has got pissed off wit obama.

I have family over in the UKm Italy and Malta and all of them are now saying how more and mroe are pissed off with obama, how he shows no leadership, how he is to dumb to understand international events and how he is just way over his head

the problem here is that he is losing allies, allies who has lost their men and women helping us

Obama cares about Islam and muslims and that is it which is not a surprise when one sees this video, knows about not wanting a nativity scene, not gong ot church, does not presents at Christmas and how he has appeased muslims from the get go

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCAffMSWSzY&feature=player_embedded

the media here might ignore things like this video but more and mroe are seeing that this man is a phony who is being run from Soros and then Rahm , Axelrod


26 posted on 01/03/2010 1:46:52 PM PST by manc (WILL OBAMA EVER GO TO CHURCH ON A SUNDAY OR WILL HE LET THE MEDIA/THE LEFT BE FOOLED FOR EVER)
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To: nwrep
>> A communist paper <<

Hey, communist newspapers aren't always bad. See:

http://life.globaltimes.cn/photo1/2009-08/458801.html

Is anybody here qualified to analyze the pros and cons Bikini Communism?

27 posted on 01/03/2010 1:56:28 PM PST by Hawthorn
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To: 2ndDivisionVet; nwrep

Very interesting stuff. No way to prove it, obviously, but it certainly sounds possible to me.

As for Obama’s background, it’s very possible that a combination of the CIA and French and British intelligence could dig up some very interesting stuff. The French have a lot of connections in Africa. The British were the former colonizers of Kenya. And it’s possible that they have stuff like birth records from the period before Kenya was recognized.

Sarkozy and Brown have been repeatedly demeaned and insulted by Obama, and it’s not just personal—it amounts to an insult to their countries as well. Who knows, even Angela Merkel might be able to put her hands on some interessting stuff from the time that Raila Odinga was educated in East Germany.

Normally, they would be hesitant to do this sort of thing against an ally. But it’s increasingly obvious that Obama is not an ally. He has kicked the Special Relationship into the gutter, betrayed the Poles, and insulted virtually every political leader in Europe, although the way round to Queen Elizabeth and the Norwegian Royal Family.


28 posted on 01/03/2010 2:02:27 PM PST by Cicero (Marcus Tullius)
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To: manc

That is one hateful woman. Downright scary, that face is, and not just because it’s ugly.


29 posted on 01/03/2010 2:06:56 PM PST by GnuHere
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

France’s Sarkozy Now ‘Anti-Obama’

Soon after Barack Obama won the White House, French President Nicolas Sarkozy referred to him as “my friend” and strove to become the first European leader to meet with the newly elected American.

Now the honeymoon between the two leaders is over, according to The Financial Times.

Sarkozy has now shifted to “an anti-Obama position,” said Jean-Christophe Cambadelis, a spokesman for the opposition Socialists.

France turned down an American request to send more troops to Afghanistan, and Sarkozy has expressed frustration at what he perceives as Obama’s equivocation over Iran’s nuclear program and at the priority Obama has placed on the long-term goal of eliminating all nuclear weapons, the Times reports.

In a sharply worded speech to the United Nations General Assembly in September, Sarkozy alluded to Obama’s disarmament goals.

“We are right to talk about the future, but before the future there is the present, and the present is two major nuclear crises,” he said, referring to Iran and North Korea. “We are living in a real world, not a virtual world.”

http://news.newsmax.com/?ZK4RaZGjCP8P5uXL41PRKusHDQlkNfUAZ


30 posted on 01/03/2010 2:07:42 PM PST by mojitojoe (“Medicine is the keystone of the arch of socialism.” - Vladimir Lenin)
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To: Hawthorn

I’ve been looking up what bikini means & cannot find a relevant reference to explain your usage..


31 posted on 01/03/2010 2:10:03 PM PST by chuck_the_tv_out ( <<< click my name: now featuring Freeper classifieds)
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To: Red_Devil 232

so am I,,since Barry was running for office,,,,and every day,my anti-barry position increases!


32 posted on 01/03/2010 2:10:03 PM PST by proudusvet
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To: Dr. Bogus Pachysandra; Cicero
Sarkozy told colleagues that he found Obama to be inexperienced and unbriefed, especially on climate change, according to The Times of London.

From what I can determine, this means Sarkozy wanted Obama to promise more drastic "climate chane goals," i. e. we should destroy our economy at least as much as Europe. Sarkozy ain't my hero. However, the Sarkozy news is interesting because Obama thinks everybody loves him.

33 posted on 01/03/2010 2:12:47 PM PST by ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas (Joe Wilson said "You lie!" in a room full of 500 politicians. Was he talking to only one person?)
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To: Chgogal

That is hilarious!! I love the look on Sarkozy’s face, pure disgust. He looks like he wants to slap that little dweeb in the face.


34 posted on 01/03/2010 2:13:02 PM PST by mojitojoe (“Medicine is the keystone of the arch of socialism.” - Vladimir Lenin)
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To: workerbee
She gives her the evil eye and gets in her face here. I can't tell if she is trying to hit on Carla or get into a cat fight and don't even get me started on the wookies little pony tail. I can't believe her hair looked like that and her summer picnic dress was totally inappropriate.
35 posted on 01/03/2010 2:20:44 PM PST by mojitojoe (“Medicine is the keystone of the arch of socialism.” - Vladimir Lenin)
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To: mojitojoe
dress was totally inappropriate.

It usually is!

36 posted on 01/03/2010 2:22:00 PM PST by workerbee (My cat would be a better president than the Resident!)
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To: ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas

I agree! But Sarko is a big improvement over Chirac. And,,, I think the “Est-il faible?” remark was very telling!
BTW, have you been here for a nice concise reading about AGW?
http://www.geocraft.com/WVFossils/greenhouse_data.html


37 posted on 01/03/2010 2:23:01 PM PST by Dr. Bogus Pachysandra ( Ya can't pick up a turd by the clean end!)
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To: chuck_the_tv_out

Click on the URL in my post.


38 posted on 01/03/2010 2:27:14 PM PST by Hawthorn
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To: 2ndDivisionVet; Las Vegas Ron; LucyT; BP2; MHGinTN; manc; 444Flyer; XenaLee; Fred Nerks

When I posted it, I placed this thread in extended, and the mods changed the headline and put it in breaking, so you need to speak with them. However, maybe this will convince you: Dr. Jack Wheeler is editor of ToThePointNews “an online geopolitical intelligence service”. He has had two parallel careers: one in the field of adventure and exploration as the owner of Jack Wheeler Expeditions; the other in the field of political and economic freedom as president of the Freedom Research Foundation. Wheeler’s articles are also published by WebNetDaily. Written by Dr. Jack Wheeler Thursday, 30 April 2009 Paris, France. It is very cool to be a French intel guy.

A spectacular meal at a Parisian bistro with $90 entrées and a $200 bottle of Bordeaux? No problem. I’d known this fellow since he got me out of a jam in Sudan years ago. His James Bond days are over, but still, riding a desk for the DGSE – Direction générale de la sécurité extérieure (General Directorate for External Security), France’s military intel agency – in Paris has its decided benefits. One of them is not being infected with Obamamania. “My agency considers him a joke,” he confides. “Every day there is some fresh lunacy that we cannot believe.

Mr. Bush would often make us angry. But at this man we just laugh.” “In truth, it also makes us sad,” he continued. “French resentment towards America is strong, so being able to laugh at your country feels good. But it is such a sad and strange thing to see America – America The Great! – do something so crazy as to elect this ridiculous man.” “There are many people in America who think he isn’t a legitimate president as he wasn’t born in the US and isn’t a natural citizen. What do you think?” I asked.

He shrugged. “I wouldn’t know. I’ve never had reason to make an inquiry.” “There are a lot of people convinced he is a traitor who hates America and is actively determined to destroy it. Any opinion on that?” He didn’t shrug at this. After a long slow sip of wine, he mused, “I would not go that far. Many of his actions, however, are very puzzling because they are so counter-productive regarding America’s best interests. There seems to be a consistent pattern in that direction.”

“What does Sarkozy think of him?” “Nothing but contempt.” After a pause he asked, “And Langley?” “Well, if you thought the war they waged against Bush was intense, it was nothing compared to how they’re going to screw Obama. He has tried to gut them with the ‘torture memo’ release and slashing their budgets. The morale is depressed, sullen, and enraged. You know what a left-wing outfit Langley is.

They thought he was their boy and they feel betrayed. All kinds of damaging stuff on him will be appearing via their media friends.” He nodded. “And in Tel Aviv City?” He was referring to the huge underground city complex of Langley’s underneath the US Embassy in the Israeli capital. “That’s an interesting question. You know how vast and deep the relationship is there.

Langley is making every effort to overcome the total and massive distrust their Israeli colleagues have for Obama, whom they know is selling them down the Jordan River. So far though this effort is in words. The Israelis are waiting to see what Langley does.” He said nothing. I smiled. “You guys wouldn’t be Langley’s cutout for thwarting BO regarding Israel, would you? I’d never suspect that…” He continued to say nothing, gave me only a slight smile in return, and poured me another glass of wine.

“The Bordeaux is good, yes?” I nodded. “You know, the French media worships this man the same as yours in the US. All of this ‘100 days’ talk, it is impossibly stupid. Most anyone in the French elite, the business leaders, Sarko’s people, they all know this.

They all think this is some crazy joke of the Americans. But it is a very, very dangerous joke. For 100 days your president has been a laughingstock among the tout le monde of Paris. No one may be laughing 100 days or 10 months from now.”

He leaned forward. “The world can go – how do you say – sideways with this man very quickly. No one he has working for him knows what they are doing – possibly excepting Mrs. Clinton – and he certainly does not. All of us in our little community are worried – us, our friends in Berlin, London, Tel Aviv, and Langley too as you say. It is not like the barbarians at the gates. It is every barbarian horde in the world being told there are no gates. The Somalis, Chavez, Iran, Putin, Beijing, the ‘Norks” as you call them, the list is long and it is growing.

We are not sure what to do.” It took me a moment to respond. “The best thing that has happened now is Obama making Langley his enemy. They will be cooperating with you more, be more a part of your worried community. Working together, you can undermine his efforts more effectively, block and maybe even repair the damage.”

It was my turn to lean forward. “Then again, all together you could be more pro-active. The man is a mystery. Nobody can make public his actual birth certificate, or even the particular hospital he was born in, or his college grades, or how he got into Harvard, or how he made editor of the Harvard Law Review and never wrote a single article for it. It goes on and on. He really is a Zero. I think all of you guys should find all of this out and make it known.” I added, “The quicker the better, before the laughing stops and the real dangers begin.”

“What is that phrase you use?” he asked. “Something to consider?” I laughed. “Yes, there is much to consider – and much that you can do. I mean, really, if the Soviet Union could be dismantled, so can this presidency.” It was a beautiful April afternoon in Paris. He walked me back to my hotel. It could be that the times we live in may get even more interesting.

39 posted on 01/03/2010 2:31:15 PM PST by mojitojoe (“Medicine is the keystone of the arch of socialism.” - Vladimir Lenin)
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To: skimbell
>> makes him pro-USA in my book <<

You got that one right for sure!

Stated otherwise, if I remember my symbolic logic correctly,

-Ø ≡ +US

40 posted on 01/03/2010 2:36:42 PM PST by Hawthorn
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