Mlle. Royal performs for the troops.

LEADING FRENCH PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFUL
SNEERS AT BUSH'S 'AXIS OF EVIL'

FRANGY EN BRESSE August 20, 2006 (AFP) - "Preventive wars aggravate the problems they presume to tackle. Only George Bush [Mlle. Royal spares Mr. Blair here] could think that the world is safer since the occupation of Iraq," [Ségolène Royal] told more than 2,000 members of her Socialist Party in this eastern town.

"In this world, neither simplism -- such as the theory of an 'axis of evil' -- nor fear are good advisors," she said.

"In this world, France doesn't have the right to play a minor role, foremost because it is a member of the Security Council, and because its geography and history put it into contact with Africa, Asia and the Middle East -- from where certain threats come -- but also because of solid friendships," she said.

"We are not resigned to a certain impotence of Europe, which, far from bolstering France, weakens it. Let's shoulder our share of the responsibility."

Royal added that "the main factor in destabilising the world is poverty -- it's the gaps opening up, the humiliation of those who are rejected and who are pushed to violence or who allow the downtrodden to be manipulated."

Where to begin? Infinite simplicities in a small speech.

(1) The world is less safe following the liberation of Iraq. The world was slated for precarity before 09.11. Mr. Bush can hardly be blamed that Mlle. Royal failed to notice after 09.11. It is terrorists who make the world unsafe. Flare to Mlle. Royal, precarity is the terrorists' declared mission.

(2) Fear is not a good advisor. On the contrary, real fear is the best of advisors. Is Mlle. Royal above the counsels of fear? Does Mlle. Royal think France has nothing to fear? We might be more impressed with Mlle. Royal's fearless Pollyannaism if she could point to a few resounding French deep-chat successes. Even one would be nice.

(3) France must play her important role in world affairs. Yes, well, we'll be posting much more on this later. Mlle. Royal, like most French, premises her vision of France's role in the world on talk being cheap. And France is a nation blessed with an abundance of cheap talk. Alas, to be a world player is not cheap. And the expense goes beyond the state's checkbook. Boldness and sacrifice are required, the ability to do, and perdurance -- all qualities inimical to French political instincts.

(4) The main factor in destabilising the world is poverty. Poverty is responsible for many things: ill health, no housing, shabby shoes. It is not responsible for instability, Mlle. Royal's code word here for terrorism. This fairy tale is essential leftist thinking as (1) it provides a soft excuse for terrorism scourging the rich West, preferrably America, and (2) the whole theory of redistributive wealth is premised on it. The main factor destabilizing the world is terrorists promoting, inciting, and committing acts of terror.

Cheap talk will not make France a world player. But Mlle. Royal's cheap talk is only designed to snag her party's nomination.

PFFT (What is this?): Cheap talk 3¾ | Rayonnement français 0