The President of the Republic went late Tuesday August 2, 2005 to Riyadh to present to the new king of Saudi Arabia, Abdallah Ben Abdel Aziz, France's condolences.
As the French weep into their oil rags, we note that Jack saw no advantage in attending the funeral of President Ronald Reagan last June. Mr. Reagan's death didn't rate so much as a sniffle from the Palais de l'Elysée.
Of course, it is rather much to expect the King of France to travel 524 and one-third miles (Jack was in Atlanta at the time) to represent his country that owes much to a mere American president. But traveling 2,912 and one-third miles to smooze Saudi royalty for an hour, well, mon ami, it is called priorities.
There is something irresistible to Jack about the plush petroleum-scented Arab fanny. Though sometimes the perfume lessens or sours.
We have no complaint in principle with Jack's obvious and shameless jockeying to best position his country's interests. France after all is a country sorely dependent on the kindness and largesse of other nations.
And as for Jack's clumsy slightings of America and Americans, pfft. It is France who thinks it big news when a French servling is given an invite to the White House.
BUSH GIVES BARNIER RARE TREAT OF A CHAT
WASHINGTON May 2, 2005 (AFP) - The US leader usually does not receive foreign ministers in his office.
PFFT (What is this?): Crocodile tears 5 | Rayonnement français 0
Jack saw no advantage in attending the funeral of President Ronald Reagan last June
Giscard d'Estaing, a Reagan contemporary was there, as well as Michel Barnier. Notably missing were the current Japanese and Israeli Prime ministers. Again, much to do about nothing.
Yawns
Speaking of dependency on the largess of other nations...
Besides the WW2 and post-WW2 fair argument, would you care to elaborate on that?
M. Zmx,
Neither M. d'Estaing nor M. Barnier were the French head of state at the time. Even the monstrously megalomaniacal and arch-franchouille, Charles DeGaulle, managed an Atlantic crossing to represent France at an American president's funeral.
And as for the Japanese and Israeli heads of state, they needed to travel a little more than the 524 and one-third miles required of Jack. But of course our project here is the critique of France and French projects.
Perhaps Jack dropping everything for a 2,912 and one-third mile junket to Saudi Arabia was because of all those Republican values France shares with a patriarchial shiekdom. Really, what does France have in common with America?
DGB
M. Zmx,
The post itself is an instance of French dependency on being thrown a bone.
Other examples that come to mind:
1. The Marshall Plan
2. NATO, whether France is in or out, she like all of western Europa benefited directly from having America foot her defense bill
3. Common Agricultural Policy ("CAP") subsidies, of which, expansion or no, France remains the biggest beneficiary
4. 200+ years of French colonialist expropriations
Just to name a few.
BTW, thanks for the link.
DGB
Pave making fun of France's pandering to Saudi Arabia. Ha! Very funny. If you don't see any irony in that, Damian, you're in trouble.
M. Zmx,
So after two comments in this thread you only now realize the subject of the post.
If you are suggesting that America panders to the House of Saud, perhaps you have missed the new American policy bringing American actions in conformance with the claims of America's critics.
"I don't know why we didn't think of this before," said an unnamed White House spokesman.
DGB
