Sarkozy: Obama Is A "Mad Lunatic"

From this article in the European Union Times (hat tip to Gateway Pundit):

A new report circulating in the Kremlin today authored by France’s Directorate-General for External Security (DGSE) and recently “obtained” by the FSB shockingly quotes French President Nicolas Sarkozy [photo top right with Obama] as stating that President Barack Obama is “a dangerous[ly] aliéné”, which translates into his, Obama, being a “mad lunatic”, or in the American vernacular, “insane”.

According to this report, Sarkozy was “appalled” at Obama’s “vision” of what the World should be under his “guidance” and “amazed” at the American Presidents unwillingness to listen to either “reason” or “logic”. Sarkozy’s meeting where these impressions of Obama were formed took place nearly a fortnight ago at the White House in Washington D.C., and upon his leaving he “scolded” Obama and the US for not listening closely enough to what the rest of the World has to say.

Apparently, as this report details, the animosity between Sarkozy and Obama arose out of how best the West can deal with the growing threat posed by rising Islamic fundamentalism....

Read the entire article HERE. It's comprehensive and a doozie!

RELIAPUNDIT ADDS: GREAT POST, AOW!

BTW: PUNDITARIAN POSTED A LINK-FILLED ESSAY ON THIS DIAGNOSIS BEFORE THE ELECTION IN AUGUST 2008.

OBAMA: TURKEY IN THE E.U.

Hat Tip: Bare Naked Islam

President Sarkozy "smackdown" of Pres. Barack Hussein Obama, Jr., and Islamo-Fascist rabble rousers protesting the Great Leader in Ankara???

What the f***? Didn't they get the memo???

America is now peace, love, joy and harmony and we are NOT racist or arrogant anymore, especially carrying out our "Overseas Contingency Operation".

FRANCE HALTS DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH SYRIA

BBC: France to halt links with Syria

President Sarkozy wants Syria to use its influence in Lebanon

France is to suspend diplomatic contacts with Syria, French President Nicolas Sarkozy has announced.

Links will be restored only when France has proof that Syria is not blocking progress towards installing a consensus president in Lebanon, Mr Sarkozy said.

Lebanon has been without a president since November, as rival pro- and anti- Syrian factions argue over who should fill the post.

• THIS IS PROGRESS, BIT LET'S FACE IT: ASSAD SHOULD HAVE BEEN WHACKED ALREADY.

• AT LEAST THE WEST LOOKS LIKE WE'RE UNITED AND WE'RE GONNA STOP PUSSY-FOOTING AROUND.

SARKOZY POPPED THE QUESTION!

UK TELEGRAPH:

The mother of Carla Bruni, the former model dating the president of France, has suggested the couple could soon marry.

Marisa Bruni Tedeschi, who lives in a castle near Turin, told La Stampa newspaper that Nicolas Sarkozy had already proposed to her daughter and that Miss Bruni, 39, was mulling it over.

Although Mr Sarkozy has reportedly proposed, Carla Bruni has previously said that monogamy bores her 'desperately' "I am very happy for my daughter.

It gives me enormous pleasure to see her so radiant and in love," she said.

"Oh, I'm very proud but don't ask me to say any more; I absolutely cannot. I promised. We mamas always end up gossiping too much."

The newspaper claimed that sources other than Miss Bruni Tedeschi, a former concert pianist, confirmed that Mr Sarkozy, 52, who only met Miss Bruni last month, had popped the question and told her to give him an answer by New Year's Day.

SARKO RULES!

NO SURPRISE HERE: LOOK AT HER: I'D POP THE QUESTION AFTER 30 DAYS, TOO - EVEN IF SHE WASN'T AN HEIRESS! BUT SHE WOULDN'T DAY YES. :(

VIVE LE PRESIDENT SARKOZY!

USA TODAY/AP: French president, supermodel-singer linked

Recently divorced French President Nicolas Sarkozy doesn't appear to be hiding his latest love interest. He visited Disneyland Paris with supermodel-turned-singer Carla Bruni this weekend, the respected weekly L'Express reported on its website Sunday.

Three magazines will run images of the two in this week's editions, L'Express said.

THE TWO PHOTOS ARE OF BRUNI.

(YOU KNOW WHAT SARKOZY LOOKS LIKE.)

ONLY IN FRANCE...

AND HERE DURING BLOGOSPHERE SWEEPS WEEK!

"RACAILLE" RIOTS IN PARIS, TOULOUSE, GAZA AND THE WEST BANK

WHAT DO THESE FOUR EVENTS HAVE IN COMMON?

NYTIMES:

A Palestinian man was killed in the West Bank city of Hebron on Tuesday as Palestinian Authority police officers loyal to President Mahmoud Abbas fired their weapons to disperse protests against the Middle East peace gathering taking place in Annapolis, Md.

Palestinians protested this week's Middle East peace conference on Tuesday in Gaza.

In Gaza, which is controlled by the Islamic group Hamas, huge crowds estimated at over 100,000 came out to protest the Annapolis meeting.

NYTIMES:

Police and Protesters Clash Near Paris

Dodging rocks and projectiles, the police lined the streets of this tense suburb Tuesday where angry youths have vowed to seek revenge for the deaths of two teenagers who died in a weekend collision with a police car.

The Louis Jouvet library was torched.

Municipality workers stood near a burnt police car two days after the death of two youths in a motorbike accident with a police car in a suburb of Paris.

Police union officials warned that the violence was escalating into urban guerrilla warfare, with shotguns aimed at officers — a rare sight in the last major outbreak of suburban unrest, in 2005.

More than 80 have been injured so far — four of them as a result of gunfire — and the rage was still simmering Tuesday afternoon. Inside the city hall of Villiers-le-Bel, a group of visiting mayors appealed for calm while police officers dodged rocks outside.

“We are sitting targets,” said Sophie Bar, a local police officer who stood guard outside. “They were throwing rocks at us and it was impossible to see where they came from. They just came raining over the roof.”

BBC:

Second French city hit by unrest

Riot police in Villiers-le-Bel, 27 November 2007 At least 10 cars have been burned and a fire broke out at a library in Toulouse, southern France, following consecutive nights of rioting in Paris.

There was also more violence in the capital as youths set cars on fire in the suburb of Villiers-le-Bel, the Associated Press news agency reports.

Violence broke out there on Sunday after two teenagers died when their motorbike collided with a police car.

Police reinforcements had been deployed in the suburb to counter further riots.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy has summoned senior ministers for an emergency security meeting on Wednesday, after he returns from a trip to China.

More than 80 police officers were injured, four of them seriously, in the second night of clashes in Villiers-le-Bel on Monday.

Police say some officers suffered bullet wounds, while others were hurt by stones, fireworks and petrol bombs.

THERE IS ONE THING THESE FOUR EVENTS HAVE IN COMMON:

THEY ARE PERPETRATED BY JIHADO-THUGS - OR RACAILLE - THAT'S THE TERM SARKOZY USED DURING THE LAST FRENCH INTIFADA.

IT MEANS "SCUM." AND IT'S AN ACCURATE TERM.

LET'S GO TO THE VIDEOTAPE:

• WE CAN PLAY WHACK-A-MOLE WITH THE THUGS WHO PULL THIS KIND OF CRAP, BUT THAT'LL GO ON A LONG LONG TIME.

• OR WE CAN GET MORE AGGRESSIVE AGAINST JIHADISM: THOSE WHO PREACH IT IN MOSQUES AND MADRASSAS IN THE WEST SHOULD BE TRIED AND CONVICTED FOR SEDITION AND EITHER JAILED, EXECUTED OR DEPORTED.

• THESE KIND OF THUGS IN GAZA AND THE WEST BANK DON'T WANT PEACE WITH ISRAEL. IT IS WRONG TO TWIST ISRAEL'S ARM TO MAKE THEM GIVE INTO THIS THUGGERY.

ISRAEL SHOULD NO MORE HANDOVER ANY MORE LAND TO THESE THUGS THAN SARKOZY HAND HIS RACAILLE A FEW PARIS BANLIEUE'S OR ARRONDISEMENTS.

• OR MUSHARRAF HANDOVER SWAT AND WAZIRISTAN. OR THE USA - ANBAR, OR ALL OF IRAQ.

• IN FACT, MUSHARRAF'S MISSTEPS - LIKE ISRAEL'S EVACUATION OF GAZA - PROVE THAT WHEN YOU GIVE INTO THESE THUGS, IT ONLY ENCOURAGES MORE THUGGERY.
  

AND FINALLY LET'S ALL AGREE THAT "LAND FOR PEACE" IS A TOTAL FREAKIN' MISNOMER.

IT SHOULD BE CALLED EITHER "LAND FOR RIOTERS", "LAND FOR RACAILLE," OR "LAND FOR JIAHDO-THUGS."

THESE ACCURATE TERMS EXPOSE THIS BASIC POLICY FOR WHAT IT REALLY IS: SURRENDER. TO SCUM.

SHOWDOWN IN FRANCE: DEMOCRACY AND LIBERTY VERSUS A RELATIVELY SMALL GROUP OF LEFTIST THUGS TRYING TO HOLD THE ENTIRE NATION HOSTAGE

NYTIMES:

President Nicolas Sarkozy urged transport workers to end their weeklong strike over pension benefits today as civil service employees, including primary school teachers, firefighters. newspaper printers and weather service employees walked out in a separate dispute over job cuts.

After a week of avoiding comment on the train strike, Mr. Sarkozy said in a speech to a group of French mayors that reform was long overdue for privileges that allow public sector employees, including the transit workers, to retire early.

“We will not surrender and we will not retreat,” Mr. Sarkozy said...

• GOOD FOR HIM!

• WHY SHOULD HE RETREAT? SARKOZY WAS ELECTED BY A MAJORITY OF THE FRENCH AND BASED ON A PLATFORM HE IS TRYING TO FULFILL.
  
• THE SOCIALISTS LOST.
  
• REPEAT: THE PARTY OF THE UNIONS LOST AT THE POLLS.
  
• IT IS WRONG FOR THE UNIONS TO TRY TO INTIMIDATE THE GOVERNMENT INTO DOING WHAT THEY COULD NOT CONVINCE THE ELECTORATE WAS NEEDED.
• PURE THUGGERY.
  

• THE UNIONS REPRESENT A TINY MINORITY TRYING TO PROTECT THEMSELVES AT THE EXPENSE OF THE ENTIRE NATION.

THESE VESTIGIAL AND DEEPLY LEFTIST UNIONS SHOULD BE SQUASHED.

SARKOZY HANGS TOUGH: TELLS UNIONS HE WON'T BE BLACKMAILED BY THE STREET

REUTERS:

French President Nicolas Sarkozy told railway workers yesterday he would not be blackmailed into withdrawing a reform of their generous pensions by strikes and street protests.

Sarkozy made his comments during an unscheduled visit to a depot of state train operator SNCF, just over a week after transport strikes caused widespread disruption in France.

The unions have threatened further strikes unless the government backs down over the reform and will meet again on Wednesday to decide what to do. If they do decide on further action it may coincide with a nationwide strike by civil servants on November 20, compounding the disruption.

"The street will not make us give in because we're in a democracy. Street blackmail will not work," Sarkozy told a group of workers, who warned him of new stoppages in the weeks ahead.

• CHIRAC CAVED INTO THESE LEFTIST THUGS.

• I THINK SARKOZY WON'T CAVE IN; HE WILL WIN. AND SO WILL FRANCE.

WHY DID CECILIA SARKOZY SUDDENLY DUMP NICOLAS?

They are now divorced.

They'd had a rough couple of years, but seemed to be really happy together right after the election. The Sarkozy Elysee was compared to Camelot; she was praised for her style and brains.

Then...

She took up a very serious mission to save several foreigners on death row in Libya - AND SEEMINGLY SUCCEEDED WHERE EVERYONE HAD FAILED.

Then...

It was reported that - behind the scenes - France had made a big arms deal with Kadaffy, a deal which almost certainly had to be approved by President Sarkozy. Now, there's an investigation of the arms deal, the death row deal and her trip.

AND THAT'S WHEN SHE SUDDENLY SPLITS.

HERE'S WHAT I THINK HAPPENED:

I think Nicholas begged her to go on the Libyan mission by telling her only she could make the difference.

She went, and did well - SEEMINGLY SUCCEEDING WHERE EVERYONE ELSE HAD FAILED.

Then the news of the arms deal comes out, and she confronts Nicolas - asking him if he knew about the arms deal before he asked her to go to Libya, and if he had just sent her as "cover."

He admits the truth, telling her that he knew about the arms deal, and that the arms deal is what really "did the trick" (NOT her), and that this is how affairs of state are really managed.

She splits, furious at having been used. Angry at herself for having given such a ruthless man a second chance.

FINIS.

The again, maybe they were just tired of each other and tired of the charade.

FRANCE: THE LEFT STRIKES BACK

• THE LEFT IN FRANCE IS MAKING ITS FIRST MOVES AGAINST REFORM.

• IF SARKOZY IS TO SUCCEED HE MUST SURMOUNT THESE EFFORTS.

MORE PROOF THAT ELECTIONS MATTER: SARKOZY AND MERKEL

AP:

Nicolas Sarkozy to stay at Bush's residence in Washington in November :

President George W. Bush will host French President Nicolas Sarkozy in Washington in November. The specific date of the visit has not been announced.

Also in November, Bush and his wife, Laura, are planning to host German Chancellor Angela Merkel for two days at the president's ranch in Crawford, Texas. That visit will happen on Nov. 9-10, with an agenda covering NATO, the war in Afghanistan and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Merkel is one of Bush's closest European colleagues; Sarkozy and Bush are still forming a bond, and the new French leader is seen as Bush's last chance to renew relations with France. Sarkozy was treated to an all-American lunch, a ride on a speed boat and an introduction to the whole Bush family in August.

Bush's parents own an Atlantic oceanfront estate in Maine, and the president used all the trappings to make Sarkozy feel welcome.

• CAN ANY SANE PERSON IMAGINE THAT SEGOLENE ROYAL AND GERHARD SCHROEDER WOULD BE GETTING ALONG WITH BUSH AS WELL AS HAVE MERKEL AND SARKOZY!?

• NOPE.

• WHO WE ELECT MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE.

• CHIRAC AND SCHROEDER WERE CROOKED WEASELS WHO UNDERCUT US AT EVERY OPPORTUNITY.

• MERKEL AND SARKOZY ARE ALLIES.

• GORE AND HLLARY AND OBAMA AND EDWARDS HAVE MORE IN COMMON WITH CHIRAC AND SCHROEDER THAN THEY DO WITH MERKEL AND SARKOZY.

• IT WOULD HAVE MADE A HUGE DIFFERENCE IF HAD WE ELECTED GORE IN 2000, OR KERRY IN 2004.

• IF WE ELECT A DEM, IN 2006 THE DIFFERENCE WILL BE JUST AS STARK.

• FRANCE NEEDED TO AVOID SEGOLENE AS MUCH AS WE NEED TO AVOID ANY FREAKIN' DEM.

[ASIDE: THIS POST IS, IN PART, A RESPONSE TO A POST BY ROGER L. SIMON AT PJM IN WHICH SUGGESTED THAT GORE WOULD'VE DONE IN IRAQ WHAT GWB HAS DONE.

AT BEST, THIS IS WISHFUL THINKING, IMHO.

THE FACT THAT JOE LIEBERMAN COULD NOT RETAIN HIS SEAT AS A DEMOCRAT SAYS EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT TODAY'S DEMOCRATS. AND GORE WOULD'VE PANDERED TO THEM JUST AS HE HAS FOR THE LAST 6 YEARS.]

SARKO CONTINUES HIS FIGHT TO REFORM FRANCE - SHOWDOWN LOOMS IN OCTOBER

BBC:

French President Nicolas Sarkozy has announced more than 22,000 job cuts in the civil service in order to reform the country's bulging public sector.

He said thousands of employees retiring next year would not be replaced.

The move comes a day after Mr Sarkozy outlined plans to overhaul the pension benefits of 500,000 mainly public sector workers.

France's transport unions have described the plans as unacceptable, calling for a strike next month.

Attempts to reform pension privileges have brought down previous French governments.

• THERE WILL BE A SHOWDOWN.
• I PREDICT THAT SARKOZY WON'T FOLD AS OTHERS HAVE BEFORE HIM.
• HE'S GOT BALLS AS BIG AS THATCHER!
• SHE LED A REBIRTH OF THE UK; I PREDICT THAT SARKO WILL WEATHER THE STORM AND SAVE FRANCE.

SARKOZY'S NATIONAL ASSEMBLY DEBATES NEW STRICT IMMIGRATION RULES

BBC:

Proposals to tighten entry conditions for the relatives of immigrants who want to join their family in France are to be debated in the French parliament.

Under the new bill, immigrant families would have to prove they are solvent financially and can speak French.

In some cases the legislation would demand the relatives take a DNA test to prove their applications were genuine.

Civil liberties groups say the bill is inhuman but the government has vowed to clamp down on illegal immigration.

President Nicolas Sarkozy has set up deportation quotas, promising to send home 25,000 illegal immigrants this year alone.

The bill would require immigrant family members aged over 16 to take a test in their country of origin demonstrating a good knowledge of French language and values.

Applicants would also have to prove their family in France can support them and earn at least the minimum wage.

If immigration officials doubt an applicant is truly a genuine relative of the person he or she seeks to join in France, that person could be asked to take - and pay for - a DNA test to prove a biological link with other family members.

CSM:

Last year, France's famously open doors began closing on individual immigrants. This week, France starts making it harder to bring families and spouses to a country where joblessness and welfare are seen as draining the treasury and creating reservoirs of ill feeling, particularly among the middle class.

In a new measure expected to pass the French Assembly in 15 days or less, new family arrivals must speak French. Immigrant parents must guarantee their kids will behave. And breadwinners must show earnings of up to 1,600 euros a month.

When then-Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy pushed tough limits on immigrants last year, the left called it an attack on France's African and Arab populations. In a country roiled by changing complexion and identity, and on the eve of national elections, Mr. Sarkozy's new "contract" set a high bar: Know the French language, embrace civic values, and show means of support.

Some 600 pro-immigrant groups hit Paris streets, protesting how quickly Europe and France were closing to the foreign-born and how aggressive the measures seemed to be. But the law passed.

Now, President Sarkozy has again upped the stakes. Not only will incoming families face a higher hurdle, but an amendment quietly introduced DNA testing as a way to prove biological ties among them. In addition, French embassies abroad will be newly empowered to conduct extensive background checks of prospective residents.

OTHER LONG-OVERDUE SARKOZY REFORMS DISCUSSED HERE.

I HOPE SARKOZY WINS. IF HE WINS, FRANCE, EUROPE AND THE WEST WIN.

FRANCE MAY REJOIN NATO'S MILITARY WING

UK INDEPENDENT:

President Nicolas Sarkozy, a self-proclaimed Gaullist, may be ready to reverse one of the most celebrated actions sanctioned by Charles de Gaulle – France's abrupt exit from the military wing of Nato in 1966.

After a hint dropped by M. Sarkozy last month, the country's Defence Minister, Hervé Morin, has raised the possibility of France rejoining the integrated, military structure of the alliance [France participates in non-military NATO afairs.].

In return, he suggested, France would want the US to lift its objections to the development of a European Union defence policy linked to Nato. Paris would also want Nato to rethink its overall strategy and structures.

The idea, put forward by M. Morin during a defence summer school at the University of Toulouse, is part of a drive by the President to repair relations between France and the US.

It is also a recognition that the European Union defence policy, launched by President Jacques Chirac and Tony Blair at St Malo in December 1998, cannot go far without Washington's blessing.

THIS IS NOT JUST THE NEW PRO-AMERICANISM OF SARKOZY.

IT IS A NEW REALISM.

SARKOZY POLICIES MAY LEAD TO INFLUX OF EXPATS

IHT:

There are an estimated 400,000 French people in Britain, most of them in the capital — leading some commentators to quip that London is now France's sixth biggest city.

Arnaud Vaissié, president of the French Chamber of Commerce in Britain, said some French expats, particularly young executives in finance, were interested in going back to France following Sarkozy's election.

He said many French people here would love to return to Paris — if only the system was opened up to reward talent and energy.

"I do think there is a high level of interest among executives in London about what's happening in France," he said.

He said many French financial institution that have bases in London may now see the economic merits of moving jobs back to France.

RTWT.

Here's more on why the French expats are eager to return:

President Nicolas Sarkozy is Thursday to unveil Phase II of his economic reform program for France, outlining a road map to jolt the economy into higher gear before a congress of business leaders.

Three months after taking over the presidency, Sarkozy is riding high in opinion polls but has faced disappointing figures on the economic front with second quarter growth falling below expectations, at 0.3%.

The data cast doubt on whether Sarkozy's right-wing government — banking on stronger growth to finance a 13.6 billion euro ($19 billion) package of tax breaks adopted last month — can meet its target of 2.25% growth for 2007.

In a speech to the summer congress of the MEDEF employers' federation, Sarkozy is expected to announce a raft of measures to make French companies more competitive and boost consumer spending.

Presidential spokesman David Martinon said his address would "mark the second phase of economic reforms."

"This new stage will enable us to move ahead with the process of reform and help strengthen the competitiveness of the French economy," he said.

The resurgence of France - economically is crucial. He probably will succeed if he stays he course despite the social unrest the Left will most assuredly use to try to intimidate him - as they did Chirac. (Sarko is tougher, and I doubt he will fold as Chirac did.)

But Sarkozy still has yet to take up the cultural issues, and the issue of assimilation. For Europe to remain France to remain French and Europe to remain European she must be both economically and culturally stable. And that means dealing forcefully with creeping sharia.

STAY TUNED...

SARKOZY "CORRECTS" CHIRAC'S ERRORS

More good press for French President Nicolas Sarkozy as he surprises everyone by sending his Foreign Minister, Bernard Kouchner, to Iraq. Amir Taheri, an Iranian author has a nice column on his recent visit.

No better man than Kouchner could have been chosen to signal France's change of policy. For Kouchner is one of a handful of people in the West who recognised the murderous nature of Saddam's regime and called for its overthrow as early as the 1980s.

In fact, Kouchner, a medical doctor by training, made his public career by helping the hundreds of thousands of Kurdish refugees who fled from Saddam's tyranny.

For years, Medecins Sans Frontiers, known in English as "The French Doctors", the organisation that Kouchner and his friends founded, was one of the few Western charities that publicised the sufferings of the Iraqi people.

[...]

Kouchner's visit, full of symbolism, shatters one of the key points in Al Qaida's analysis: that the Western powers will never find enough unity to develop a common strategy against terror.

I can't say I'm as optimistic as Taheri, but I'm definitely liking what I see.

MORE PROOF SARKOZY IS A FRAUD???

ANOTHER SOCIALIST GETS A KEY ROLE.

Sadly, I think he's quite probably a ruthless egomaniac who thinks he's being magnanimous.

He should get on with the program of saving France with Reagan/Thatcher/Hayek- which is what he was elected to do - and stop making nice to the folks who drove France into the ditch.

EU APPOINTS CORRUPT SOCIALIST STRAUSS-KAHN TO HEAD IMF

WASH POST/AP:

The European Union chose Dominique Strauss-Kahn on Tuesday to head the International Monetary Fund, putting the former French finance minister in line to succeed Rodrigo de Rato in October. ...

Strauss-Kahn, 58, had previously been tipped to challenge unsuccessful French presidential candidate Segolene Royal for the leadership of the Socialist party and turn around the troubled French left. ...

French President Nicolas Sarkozy had canvassed the U.S. and other European countries for their support for Strauss-Kahn _ even though the Socialist earlier said it would be a "betrayal" for him to join Sarkozy's new government. Sarkozy was more generous.

"He is France's candidate, but I hope he will be Europe's candidate," he said.

STRAUSS-KAHN IS A CORRUPT PIECE OF CRAP: HE WAS FORCED TO RESIGN AS FINANCE MINISTER OF FRANCE WHEN IT BECAME CLEAR HE WAS GUILTY OF THE SAME ILLEGAL POLITICAL PARTY FUND-RAISING SCHEMES AS CHIRAC, BUT... HE GOT AWAY WITH IT BECAUSE BOTH PARTIES WERE DOING IT.

IT ALSO CAME OUT DURING THE INVESTIGATION THAT STRAUSS-KAHN WAS GIVEN VIDEO-TAPED PROOF OF CHIRAC'S CORRUPTION, BUT NEVER GAVE IT TO LEGAL AUTHORITIES BECAUSE THE SOCIALISTS WERE DOING IT, AND BECAUSE OF THE OLD-BOY "ENA" NETWORK, (ECOLE NATIONAL D'ADMINISTRATION - THE UNIVERSITY THAT HAS PRODUCED ALL OF FRANCE'S LEADERS... UNTIL SARKOZY).

HIS APPOINTMENT OS MORE PROOF THAT THE EU IS A SOCIALIST QUAGMIRE AND THAT SARKOZY IS BECOMING A MAJOR DISAPPOINTMENT. SARKO SHOULD HAVE PUSHED FOR A HAYEKIAN CANDIDATE, NOT A MARXIST/REDISTRIBUTIONIST.

SARKOZY: APPEASING THE LEFT, OR AMERICA?

OR MAYBE SARKOZY IS SO SO SO SOOOOO SHREWD HE CAN ACTUALLY FIND WAYS TO HAVE HIS CAKE AND EAT IT TOO.

EXAMPLE:

THE VERY FIRST PERSON HE GAVE A FRENCH LEGION OF HONOR TO WAS AN AMERICAN AND A JEW.

HE GETS POINTS FROM THE NEO-CON ZIONIST CONSPIRACY.

THIS PERSON WAS ALSO A WOMAN AND A BUSH-BASHING LEFT-WING DOVE.

HE GETS POINTS FROM THE LEFT.

NEED A CLUE?

HE GAVE THE LEGION OF HONOR TO BARBRA STREISAND.

I THINK IT'S AN EXAMPLE OF PANDERING.

HE COULD HAVE GIVEN IT TO MAGGIE THATCHER AND BAT Y'EOR AND NATAN SHARANSKY.

THAT WOULD HAVE SENT AN CLEARER MESSAGE.

AND CLARITY IS IMPORTANT.

SARKOZY IS TRYING TO DISARM HIS OPPOSITION IN ADVANCE OF THE COMING BATTLE OVER ECONOMIC REFORM.

I THINK HE WOULD BE MORE EFFECTIVE BY BEING LESS ACCOMMODATIONIST AND MORE TRUE TO THE VALUES WHICH ARE THE FOUNDATION OF HIS POLITICAL QUEST.

IN THE COMING MONTHS, WE SHALL SEE IF HIS WAY WORKS...

RECENT HISTORY - WITH BUSH HERE IN THE USA AND BLAIR IN THE UK - THOUGH SHOWS US THAT THE LEFT IS NEVER SATISFIED. THAT'S WHY ONE SHOULDN'T APPEASE THEM. IT GOT BUSH AND BLAIR BUPKUS. I THINK IT WILL GET SARKO BUPKUS TOO.

WE SHALL SOON SEE...

SARKOZY IS OFF TO A VERY BAD START

FIRST OFF... HE APPOINTED WAY TO MANY SOCIALISTS TO HIS CABINET. IT COST HIM AT THE POLLS: THE LEFTIES TURNED OUT AND VOTED, BUT SARKO'S BASE DID NOT; AS A RESULT, HE LOST SEATS IN THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY.

SECOND, HE HAS SENT SIGNALS THAT HE WILL NOT INCREASE DEFENSE SPENDING AS HE PROMISED ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL; INSTEAD IT WILL BE CUT.

THIRD, HE IS ALREADY BACKING DOWN IN THE FACE IS REACTIONARY OPPOSITION TO HIS EDUCATION REFORMS.

AT THIS RATE HE WILL MATCH BUSH'S 6 YEAR COLLAPSE IN THE POLLS IN HIS FIRST YEAR!

PITY. I GUESS NOTRE DAME WILL BECOME A MOSQUE AFTER ALL.

(I THINK SOME OF THE PROBLEM IS THAT BUSH AND SARKOZY WANT THEIR OPPONENTS TO LIKE THEM. INSTEAD, THEY SHOULD FOLLOW THE PRINCE'S ADVICE: IT IS BETTER TO BE FEARED.)