M. Douste-Blazy, the dimmest bulb in the dark Chirac marquee™, visits Lebanon to garble some clichés.

FRENCH FM WARNS OF 'CATASTROPHE' IN LEBANON

BEIRUT July 21, 2006 (AFP) - French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy has warned that the escalating conflict in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah could lead to a "catastrophe."

"The situation has significantly deteriorated and there is an urgent need to help civilians," he said at a joint press conference Friday after meeting with his Lebanese counterpart Fawzi Sallukh.

"The spiral of violence can only lead to a catastrophe," he said.

"The spiral of violence can only lead to a catastrophe." Brilliant stuff. Flare to M. le Ministre, the catastrophe has been arrived for some time now in Lebanon. It styles itself Hizballah

He said France condemned the strikes, launched after Lebanese Shiite militia Hezbollah captured two Israeli soldiers on July 12, as disproportionate,* while calling on Hezbollah to free their captives and halt rocket attacks on Israel.

This is the fabled "balanced" French position, which holds everyone is equally to blame, but Israel more so, and all claims are equal, though Israel's less so.

France, in the person of M. Douste-Blazy, makes it sound as though the Israeli offensive is simply about retrieving a couple of kidnapped soldiers, rather than the long-running escalation of terrorist attacks on Israeli towns and citizens. France just expects Israel to suck up the occasional rocket attack, suicide bomber, guerilla assault, and kidnapping. Is that too much to ask of that shitty little country?

FRANCE ACCUSES US OF BLOCKING MIDEAST TRUCE

PARIS July 21, 2006 (AFP) - French Defence Minister Michele Alliot-Marie [a former dimmest bulb] has accused the United States of blocking a United Nations call for an immediate ceasefire in the Middle East.

"The United States doesn't want to arrive at this solution immediately," she told French radio RMC Info on Friday. "And that's what is now blocking the workings of the United Nations Security Council."

"At the moment the Israelis evidently want to neutralise Hezbollah. [You think so?] That's why there are strong reticences (about agreeing to a ceasefire)," the minister concluded. Asked whether Washington was deliberately allowing Israel to pursue its offensive against Hezbollah in Lebanon, Alliot-Marie replied: "There is no doubt an element of that in the analysis one can make of their position." [Uh, that would be a yes.]

The French minister said it was essential "to put pressure on those involved in this crisis ... (because) it is vital for combat to cease as soon as possible".

Ceasefire first, then let's have a look-see at what this is all about. Most of the ceasefire language can be cribbed from the famously failed UNSCR 1559** -- only recently rediscovered by France after a two-year memory loss. Terrorists are always ready to sign up for ceasefires, especially when they are being pounded. Nothing like a little breather for the regroup. But the terrorists are dependent on France and France has no leverage, she has no clout, she must wait on America.

US ambassador to the United Nations, John Bolton explains that part of the US position that has escaped Mdm. le Ministre.

"We seek a long-term cessation of hostilities that is part of a comprehensive change in the region and part of a real foundation for peace ... But no one has explained how you conduct a ceasefire with a group of terrorists."

[Emphases added.]

Of course there is always the big French option. That'll put things right.

* Disproportion being something that the French reserve for themselves alone.
** The UN does this sort of thing so well.

PFFT (What is this?): Cycle of dumbness 4¾ | Rayonnement français 0

Bonjour,

A propos du Liban , nos journaux français nous donnent une liste de citations impressionnantes tirées de journaux yankees ("WSJ" , "Washington Post" etc) montrant que les Yanks sont complètement disqualifiés dans la région (*) , en particulier suite à leur échec total en Irak.
On vous avait prévenu …
Allez , il est temps pour vous de vous retirer totalement de ce problème : votre diplomatie est totalement aveugle et stupide.
Laissez faire les professionnels , la diplomatie française :même Douste-Blazy (qui n'est vraiment pas ce que l ' on fait de mieux en France , il est vrai) , est mille fois supérieur à la lamentable Condy qui ne fait que voue enferrer…

(*) Si "Pave" le souhaite , je donnerai une liste complète d ' éditoriaux US constatant la faillite complète de la diplomatie de Bush et de son gang…

Good luck to your country in Irak !!!!!!!!!!!
=Contribuables US à vos poches !!!

PS:
1)On aimerait que "Pave" ait un mot pour la France , évacuant les ressortissants US devant la faillite de l' armée US.
2)Vraiment nuls les anti-missiles "Patriots" pour la défense d ' Israel. Israel ferait mieux de revenir à ses amours français qui lui avaient permis de se doter d' une arme nucléaire efficace ELLE.

(*) Oh, please, yes. Do give a complete list of USA press articles describing M. Douste-Blazy, a twit even by your generous yardstick -- or do you use a meter tape? -- as one thousand times superior to Ms. Rice -- and do tell how you arrived at the amazing one thousand magnitude.

Is it France's deft diplomacy with Iran? No, America had to be recruited to the effort to provide the gravitas and muscle to get Iran's attention. Is it France's deft diplomacy with Libya? No, France settled for chump change. Russia? No, France is ready to freeze rather than challenge Russian kleptocrats. Côte d'Ivoire? No. Rwanda? No. How about the easy stuff, France's neighbors, UK, Poland, Germany, Netherlands, Denmark? Oh, yes, every one a love fest. Just where is 1,000x superior French diplomacy winning its 1,000/1 victories?

Wait. What's this? M. AB/AY is here claiming that France transferred forbidden nuclear weapons technology to Israel in contravention of the NPT? Isn't that illegal and illegitimate? Especially since France has no defense obligations to Israel as a context. She's just profiteering. Well, that's not good.

DGB

Bonjour,

J 'écoutais ce matin un ex-ministre du Shah d' Iran.Il expliquait que la catastrophe pour le Proche-Orient était "la main mise des USA sur la région".
Il montrait que partout les USA installent au pouvoir des hommes déshonorés pour ensuite les lâcher (Vietnam , Cambodge , Iran etc) .
Le Monde entier (sauf peut-être les caniches brits) sait maintenant que 50 années de politique yanks ont amené cette région à la ruine , à l'islamisme…
Il est temps de renvoyer Condy à grands coups de pompes dans le c… dans ses terres d'origine.
Je prépare pour Pave un petit florilège des éditoriaux US que j'ai mentionné sur l 'échec TOTAL des Yanks dans la région …
Laissez tomber le Liban , occupez-vous déjà de l ' Irak et souvenez-vous du principe de Peter…

Good luck to your country in Irak !!

M. AY/AB,

Where is your promised complete list of USA press articles describing M. Douste-Blazy as one thousand times superior to Ms. Rice? We do not believe you have such a list.

Where is your explanation of the amazing one thousand magnitude? We believe you made up this choice piece of hyperbole.

Why don't you ever do anything you say you will? Why can't you manage to answer a question directly?

We know you are French, but really, is that an excuse for every failing and slack-off in the world?

DGB

Bonjour,

Comme promis:

L ' échec TOTAL de la diplomatie yank par les Yanks eux-mêmes:

1)"Les USA ont très peu de possibilités d 'intervenir.Cela souligne l 'affaiblissement de l 'administration américaine.Elle a perdu son influence. (…) Nous payons en partie notre échec en Irak.(…) Les évènements d' Irak ont montré que notre supériorité militaire n'est pas aussi grande que nous l ' imaginions. Nous ne sommes pas en position d' imposer notre volonté".
(Arthur Hughes expert du Middle East Institute à Washington)

2)Patrick Clawson (Institut for Near East Policy) lui est "stupéfié" de voir Israel se tourner vers la …. Russie pour prendre contact avec la Syrie.

3)Alon Ben Meir , Fred Kaplan (magazine Slate) se désolent de l ' impuissance américaine.

4)Je passe sur les critiques de bombing Albright , qui n'est pas des amis de "Pave" , la bouchère du Kosovo pour laisser la parole au sinistre Wall Street Journal pour qui :
"[la crise] a assombri les succès diplomatiques de Bush" (on se demande lesquels ??)
"Cela accroît les doutes sur le principal moteur de la politique de Bush au Proche-Orient , la croyance que la propager la démocratie dans le monde arabe va réduire les tensions et permettre des négociations pour mettre fin à des décennies de violence entre Israel et ses voisins arabes".

On le voit l 'échec total des yankees et de leur politique a éclipsé leur arrogance.Ce qu' un enfant de quatre ans aurait compris , c'est-à-dire que jamais les Irakiens n 'accepteraient leur présence , les "grands cerveaux" US n 'ont pas voulu le comprendre.
La France les avait prévenus.
Ils n' ont pas écoutés et ont redoublés d' arrogance.
Maintenant ils commencent , bien trop tard, à faire repentance....
Avec ses """brillants""" succès , Condy , ne peut plus parader même face à l ' innocent Douste.

Et toujours:

Good luck to your country in Irak !!!!!!
Le sinistre fasciste Milon Friedman ironisait ainsi sur la France au temps de la splendeur US , mais ce temps a passé et je lui renvoie sa politesse :
Then one more time : Good luck , Milton , to your country in Iraq !!!!!!!!!

Bonjour Professor,

What you say is really a moot point. It does not matter if the US is a poor negotiator or not. One can simply not negotiate with terrorists like Hamas or Hezbollah. What can you offer them? Nothing. Land? Nope, didn’t work. Peace? Nope, because they do not want peace. The only solution is to get rid of them, as Israel is attempting to do now.

Now, you say the French are such superb talkers…well, Hezbollah is nothing but an arm of Iran. The French have done nothing to stop Iran. Not one thing. The only reason Hezbollah has power is because of Iran, and negotiations with Iran, by the French, have produced nothing.

So, what is it you think the French would offer Hezbollah(Iran) that would do any good?

M. AB/AY,

What an underwhelming complete list of USA press articles. And of course no links. And what little you give is not damning analysis, it's decontextualized froth.

Really, grown-up debate is not your métier. You seem to instinctively know this. Instead of reasoned argument supported by well-researched evidence, you stick with poorly typed over-the-top rants that are impertinent, unstructured, internally inconsistent, and written at the pitch of a hysterical schoolgirl. There is only one discernible governing principle in your rants, chauvinisme français. And yet here you are expecting to be taken seriously.

Of course, your claims for France -- her inviolability, her righteousnes, her every superior quality compared to any (scil., America) and all -- are laughable to anyone who can read a newspaper.

The French are super negotiators? Yes, well, as Andy points out there is Iran, France's moment to shine -- outplayed and out scored by self-admitted liars. Nice job. There is the French "poor" tax on airline tickets, that has been a big diplomatic success. And there are all the other French "talking cure" successes detailed in my above post. This does include the reach-backs, The Munich Agreement, the Suez Crisis, Algeria, the Rainbow Warrior...

les professionnels, la diplomatie française...est mille fois supérieur... Prove it.

DeGaulle said there can be no France without greatness. Well, there you go. You need to adjust your rants accordingly.

DGB

Bonjour,

1)Ecoutez-moi je dois être un Français obtus mais expliquez-moi pourquoi vous voulez que nous fassions la guerre aux Chiites du Hezbollah alors que les mêmes sont vos amis en Irak ?

-Terroristes au Liban les islamistes chiites ?
-"Freedom's fighters " (comme les Talibans) en Irak les islamistes chiites ?

Arrêtez de nous balader au gré de VOS intérêts , nous nous suivons les NOTRES point.

2)Mes citations sont signées du nom de leurs auteurs.Maintenant vous êtes libres de ne pas croire un Français et de continuer à vous aveugler.Mais si vous n ' êtes pas capables de comprendre que depuis votre stupide agression de l' Irak , votre influence est en chute libre dans le Monde…. Jusqu' à Chavez qui va vous narguer en Biélorussie :-) et le Mercosur alors là je vous dis pas !!!

3)Vous me demandez de "prouver" l ' efficacité supérieure de notre diplomatie.Comme le ministre du Shah Rezza Phalavi que je citais , je vous dirai que cette région était sur la voix du progrès quand la France s' en occupait.Depuis 50 ans que les imbéciles US ont mis la grappin dessus , PAR INTERET ECONOMIQUE elle est à feu et à sang ….

Good luck , Milton , to your country in Irak !!!!