Uh-oh, bad headlines! Oh, that's not good.

CHIRAC TO OPPOSE BUSH'S CALL
FOR SLAPPING SANCTIONS ON IRAN
UNITED NATIONS September 19, 2006 (ST/LAT/AP)

CHIRAC RISKS CLASH WITH US AND GERMANY OVER IRAN
September 19, 2006 (EUobserver)

CHIRAC'S REJECTION OF SANCTIONS AGAINST IRAN
THREATENS COALITION STANCE

UNITED NATIONS September 19, 2006 (canada.com) - A diplomatic showdown between the United States and France threatened to mark the opening of the United Nations world summit today after French President Jacques Chirac broke ranks with Washington over Iran's development of nuclear technology.

FRANCE NOW OPPOSES IRAN PUNISHMENTS

UNITED NATIONS September 19, 2006 (LAT) - As world leaders converged at the United Nations on Monday, French President Jacques Chirac dealt a significant blow to the Bush administration's effort to slow Iran's nuclear development, saying his government would join Russia and China in resisting the U.S. push for sanctions against Tehran.

"I am never in favor of sanctions," Chirac told Europe 1 radio on the eve of the General Assembly's annual debate. "I have never observed that sanctions were very effective."

Quick! Blow a little French pixie dust and -- Poof! -- all the bad headlines go away.

BUSH, CHIRAC SAY THEY ARE IN AGREEMENT OVER IRAN

WASHINGTON September 19, 2006 (VOA) - President Bush and French President Jacques Chirac say they are in absolute agreement on the need for Iran to suspend its nuclear enrichment activities before any negotiations over the country's nuclear program.

... Mr. Bush suggested the international community's patience with Iran is not limitless.

... President Chirac echoed much of what Mr. Bush said, dismissing any suggestion of divisions between Washington and Paris over Iran's nuclear program.

Mr. Chirac said the United States and France see eye-to-eye and are both determined to move ahead in a constructive manner. He said that the first thing that must be done is to bring Iran's enrichment activities to an end.

Mr. Chirac added that negotiations are the way to resolve the matter, but negotiations will go forward only after Iran suspends its enrichment activities.

Yes, well, the EU3 has already been down that cul de sac.

We might also remind those who buy this sort of photo-op love-mush that France was also in absolute agreement with the United States as to the consequences of UNSCR 1441. Except that she wasn't.

FRENCH BETRAYAL TURNS RELUCTANT WARRIOR POWELL INTO A HAWK

WASHINGTON February 5, 2003 (Telegraph) - Mr Powell's transformation from dove to hawk stems partly from the treatment he received from Dominique de Villepin, his French counterpart, at a UN session on terrorism last week.

Mr Powell was publicly embarrassed when the French foreign minister declared to the world that "nothing justifies envisaging military action against Iraq". Mr Powell was said by aides to be livid and felt that the French minister had betrayed him to curry favour at home.

Sometimes France is in absolute agreement with the United States. Sometimes not. Sometimes she is both in agreement and not in agreement.

America has adjusted its foreign policy accordingly: Whatever France's position today -- pro or con, plain spoken or high-toned ambivalence -- France doesn't really matter in the scheme of things.

PFFT (What is this?): Magic headlines 3 | Rayonnement français 0