Posted on 01/10/2006 6:18:39 AM PST by Flavius
he release of French hostage Bernard Planche yesterday earned the Americans warm thanks from Paris. This reflects the rapprochement between the partners on Iraq as well as on other matters in the Middle East. Expressing his thanks to "all those who mobilized" to help the French hostage regain his freedom, Jacques Chirac "thanked the coalition forces that permitted this release". Dominque de Villepin was more explicit. Thanking "the diplomatic services and intelligence services", the prime minister also thanked "the US authorities that lent their assistance to this release". Such expressions of gratitude, which have been rather rare in the Iraqi context over recent years, are a logical consequence of the circumstances surrounded the ending of Bernard Planche's period of captivity.
Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy confirmed yesterday that the French hostage had been "found at the time of a control operation by the coalition forces". As US soldiers were the first to find him, it would have been difficult not to acknowledge their role. In any event, the affair shows that, although it is not participating in the coalition, France can have need of its support or at least say it needs it.
Because other reasons than simple diplomatic courtesy may have caused the French authorities to be sweet to the Americans. "In this kind of affair, they are able, thanks to their system of wiretapping and intelligence, to obtain a lot of information that can sometimes be embarrassing. It is better not to incite them to make it public," said one source who has followed closely the kidnapping of Westerners in Iraq. Freed on Saturday [7 January], Bernard Planche remained about 24 hours in the hands of the Americans before being handed over to the French embassy in Baghdad.
"Avoiding the chaos"
The French expression of thanks should be seen against the background of the new convergence between Paris and Washington, in Iraq and elsewhere in the region. Hostile to the military intervention against Saddam Husayn in 2003, France today does not want to be an "obstacle" to the Americans and their role as stabilizer. The new tone was sounded by Dominique de Villepin in November 2005. When interviewed by CNN on the prospects for a withdrawal of US troops, the prime minister argued against any hasty moves and stressed that the "real timetable concerns the Iraqi situation". "We must avoid chaos in Iraq at any price," he added.
French prudence was encouraged by the elections on 15 December and the laborious negotiations since in order to form a government in Baghdad. Paris can only approve the efforts finally made by the Americans to try and include the Sunnis in government. This option was supported by France from the start, seeing it as essential to breaking the cycle of violence. Paris believes that the political process is a laborious one that needs sustained support. Last week was again one of the bloodiest in Iraq since the fall of Saddam. Anxious to see regional security, Paris also plans to cultivate dialogue with Washington on two key issues: Syria and Iran's nuclear programme. In the case of both these crises the French, and more widely the Europeans as a whole, know that it is difficult to act without US support.
Just cause we do the decent thing and save a woman from barbarians hardly means that we have much in common with France.
Next week France is as likely to try and knife the USA in the back as anything. You simply can't trust them.
You absolutely can trust the French. You can trust them to try to weasel their way into any situation they can gain financial or political benefit from. The writing is on the wall regarding Iraq's future. In three years Iraq has already accomplished things the European Union will never accomplish...like voting for and approving a constitution. Like a rat, the French smell future gain in Iraq, and are going to do their best to work their way into the goods.
I wonder if they are trying to realign with an eye to Iran?
It sounds like there is going to be tropical storms somewhere tomorrow for such synchronization.
Nothing new here. I mean, when it comes to liberating Frenchies, we're experts with almost 90 years of experience!
Point taken. THey are consistant in a negative way. You know that the French will find the most dishonorable course of action in any situation, jump into it with both feet, then blame America for something or other.
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