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France shifts its stance on the conflict in Iraq
The International Herald Tribune ^ | August 21, 2007 | Katrin Bennhold

Posted on 08/21/2007 5:12:04 PM PDT by Lucius Cornelius Sulla

PARIS: After years of shunning involvement in a war it said was wrong, France now believes it may hold the key to peace in Iraq, proposing itself as an "honest broker" between the Sunni, Shiite and Kurdish factions.

The shift was one of the most concrete consequences yet of the thaw in French-American relations following the election in May of President Nicolas Sarkozy, whose administration no longer feels bound by the adamant refusal to take a role in Iraq that characterized the reign of his predecessor, Jacques Chirac.

(Excerpt) Read more at iht.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: allies; allyfrance; france; iraq; kouchner; sarkozy
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To: Tarantulas

I guess with the switches last year in Germany and this year in France it is OK to work with ‘Old Europe’ as well as continuing to work with the ‘New Europe’ to the East, and the improved northern Europe. In fact only Italy and Spain have temporarily gone the wrong way. In addition we have our old Canadian friends under Harper, with even the leader of the Quebecois giving the WOT more support than the traitorcrats.

It is a shame how Bush has gotten the whole world to line up against us — right?


21 posted on 08/21/2007 5:28:53 PM PDT by Lucius Cornelius Sulla (A person who does not want the best for America)
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To: MichaelP

“It’s gonna take a little more than posturing...”

Selling of oil drilling privileges coming soon. France positioning itself for some favorable deals.


22 posted on 08/21/2007 5:29:06 PM PDT by Shermy
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To: Lucius Cornelius Sulla

This better not be the end of belly girl. Where is she anyways? Anyone?


23 posted on 08/21/2007 5:30:04 PM PDT by jjw
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To: Lucius Cornelius Sulla
BEWARE!!!! FRENCH OFFERING HELP!!!


24 posted on 08/21/2007 5:30:15 PM PDT by SandRat (Duty, Honor, Country. What else needs to be said?)
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To: Lucius Cornelius Sulla
here are some more results of the election of Sarkozy in France.

the French move carries the personal mark of Kouchner, who was one of the few French politicians who backed the forcible removal of Saddam Hussein before the U.S.-led invasion in 2003 and whose longstanding and close relations with Kurdish and Shiite leaders have earned him credibility in the region.

Yep. It brought this guy to power.

25 posted on 08/21/2007 5:30:15 PM PDT by liberallarry
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To: Triggerhippie
the party that had the food for oil scandal (and military contracts w/ Saddam) got voted out

Actually, Sarkozy is in the same party as Chirac and that weasel Villepin. One of the lessons of this is the importance of working to nominate the best possible candidate for your party. When you do that, the general election more or less takes care of itself.

26 posted on 08/21/2007 5:34:51 PM PDT by Lucius Cornelius Sulla (A person who does not want the best for America)
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To: Radix

Do you think the term “nips” is an acceptable term to use on this Forum?


27 posted on 08/21/2007 5:37:11 PM PDT by Bob J (Rightalk.com...a conservative alternative to NPR! Check out nat synd "Rightalk with Terri and Lynn")
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To: Lucius Cornelius Sulla
Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket
28 posted on 08/21/2007 5:37:38 PM PDT by rfp1234 (Nothing is better than eternal happiness. A ham sandwich is better than nothing. Therefore...)
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To: Shermy

Money is always involved, make it work for you.


29 posted on 08/21/2007 5:38:02 PM PDT by Bob J (Rightalk.com...a conservative alternative to NPR! Check out nat synd "Rightalk with Terri and Lynn")
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To: SandRat

Things can change. Let is not be so entrenched that we miss good opportunities.


30 posted on 08/21/2007 5:38:45 PM PDT by Bob J (Rightalk.com...a conservative alternative to NPR! Check out nat synd "Rightalk with Terri and Lynn")
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To: Lucius Cornelius Sulla
Actually, Sarkozy is in the same party

Wow! How did they end up being so politically different? Or should we (the U.S.) be waiting for the other shoe to drop?

31 posted on 08/21/2007 5:41:51 PM PDT by Triggerhippie (Always use a silencer in a crowd. Loud noises offend people.)
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I thought George W. Bush was “alienating” all our traditional allies.

Oddly enough, those same allies have been replaced with politicians more friendly to the US.


32 posted on 08/21/2007 5:48:20 PM PDT by A Balrog of Morgoth (QMC(SW) USN........ CG21 DD988 FFG34 PC6 ARS53)
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To: Triggerhippie
Wow! How did they end up being so politically different?

In the last couple of decades the right and center in France have consolidated into the coalition party these folks all are members of. Similarly the left has almost completely joined under the Socialist banner, with the Communist party nearly going out of existence, and voting with the Socialists in runoffs.

So France has been slowly evolving into a two-party political structure, with broad coalitions making up the parties. The Sarkozy faction defeated the Chirac - Villepin faction. It's the same process as Rockefeller vs. Goldwater in the GOP (not using a modern day contest, which would lead to topic-hijacking by partisans here at FR).

33 posted on 08/21/2007 5:51:37 PM PDT by Lucius Cornelius Sulla (A person who does not want the best for America)
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To: Bob J
"Do you think the term “nips” is an acceptable term to use on this Forum?
 
The Actual formal Japanese name of Japan is Nippon, and the term "Nip' is perfectly acceptable. Only Americans have considered the term to be derogatory.
 
I would think that the term "frogs" designating French persons should be considered to be much more degrading!

34 posted on 08/21/2007 5:53:01 PM PDT by Radix (Mr. Natural says..."Be like two fried eggs. Keep your sunny side up.")
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To: LdSentinal
Yes, I remember reading those posters on those threads writing, “Who gives a f*ck about France”?

Ha ha ha ha I didn't before the war and still don't.

To Little to Late

35 posted on 08/21/2007 5:56:53 PM PDT by ATOMIC_PUNK (In everyday life there is more than meets the eye to reach the depths of truth we must DRAGTHEWATERS)
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To: Radix

“Nips” has historically been a deragatory term for Japanese and your use of it only gives FR’s enemies ammunition to use against us. You can use it if you wish and mods can delete your posts if they find it offensive, but you could save everyone a whole lot of trouble by thinking first before you post.


36 posted on 08/21/2007 5:59:12 PM PDT by Bob J (Rightalk.com...a conservative alternative to NPR! Check out nat synd "Rightalk with Terri and Lynn")
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To: Lucius Cornelius Sulla
ZUT-ALORS!

Or, as left-leaning Le Monde put it: "It's time to stop lecturing the Americans about their errors and start contributing to a solution."

37 posted on 08/21/2007 6:01:08 PM PDT by ricks_place
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To: Radix

As far as “frogs” I thought it had something to do with eating frog legs...something I do on occasion with relish. Maybe some astute FReepers could enlighten us on the history of this term.


38 posted on 08/21/2007 6:01:55 PM PDT by Bob J (Rightalk.com...a conservative alternative to NPR! Check out nat synd "Rightalk with Terri and Lynn")
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To: Lucius Cornelius Sulla
PARIS: After years of shunning involvement in a war it said was wrong, France now believes it may hold the key to peace in Iraq, proposing itself as an "honest broker" between the Sunni, Shiite and Kurdish factions.

Welcome the new boss, same as the old boss. This is a slight shift in public appearances for what is in essence a continued strategy of the Chirac regime. Divide and conquer, and find deals and influence for French business interests in the churn.

39 posted on 08/21/2007 6:03:06 PM PDT by JerseyHighlander
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To: Cincinna

Ping


40 posted on 08/21/2007 6:04:03 PM PDT by kanawa (Don't go where you're looking, look where you're going.)
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