Vive l' Irak!: France emerges as "Honest Broker"

Over four years ago, when the US was preparing to invade Iraq, it did so without the help of its oldest ally, France. Throughout the invasion and attempted stabilization process, France stayed very much on the sidelines, intent to watch the US struggle with an "I told you so attitude."

But all that was under President Jacques Chirac. There's a new shérif in town, Nicolas Sarkozy, who has promised to "thaw" the relationship between the two nations. To that end, the International Herald Tribune reports French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner recently took a three- day trip to Iraq. As Kouchner said: "I believe this is the moment. Everyone knows the Americans will not be able to get this country out of difficulty alone. I really believe that depending on what happens here it will change the world...This is about having an opinion and knowing what positive things one can do and what role France can play in this region," he said, adding that Iraq was "expecting something" from France.

Kouchner thinks he can be a big help in making a change for the better. Because they haven't been involved, France is in a unique position to be an independent broker in the region. Negotiations between Iraq's Sunni, Shiite, and Kurdish factions could be led by France in the coming weeks, arrangements are reportedly being made. Kouchner was one of the few French politicians who actually supported the removal of Saddam Hussein and he has real experience and credibility in the region.

Meanwhile, the US and UK are welcoming France's presence in a big way. "This is a real bonus. Anything is better than nothing," said one senior UK diplomat. "Kouchner has the credibility and he knows all the players - with his record and his style, you can easily see him doing more negotiation between the parties."

Even French oil companies are getting into the act, as Total (France's largest oil company) and Chevron (its American rival) have prepared a bid to control Iraq's 4th largest oil field. But Kouchner has maintained that no oil executives traveled with him.

Now the foreign minister has the difficult task of selling his people on increased involvement in Iraq... and you thought bringing Sunnis and Shiites together was tough.

Jogging: Brainwashing tool of the right?

I need to preface this post with two facts: First, I am 1/4 French. I have a grandmother who is full-blooded française whom I love very much. Second, I'm not small-minded or right wing or a fanatic who will attack anything French because it's different. Quite the opposite. I appreciate a lot of French things, partly because they are so different from the way we do things in the States. Still, this was just too funny to ignore.

It seems that liberals in the French media and intelligentsia have jumped on new French President Nicholas Sarkozy for his decidedly distasteful habit-- jogging.

The London newspaper, The Times, has an interesting article, which reports that many on the left see jogging as encompassing many of the "worst" traits of the right.

From The Times:

"'Is jogging right wing?' wondered Libération, the left-wing newspaper. Alain Finkelkraut, a celebrated philosopher, begged Mr Sarkozy on France 2, the main state television channel, to abandon his 'undignified' pursuit. He should take up walking, like Socrates, Arthur Rimbaud, the poet, and other great men, said Mr Finkelkraut."

The article goes on to note that President Sarkozy is often seen jogging in his favorite workout gear: an NYPD t- shirt. No surprise from a conservative who has vowed to repair his country's relationship with the US.

In our country, presidential workouts are a noted past time, from the nostalgic Kennedy touch football games to President Bush's impressive 6- minute miles; however, the opposite is apparently true in France. President Mitterand kept his fondness for golf away from public view, and President Chirac tempered down his energy in public.

Jogging is also suspicious to the French because it is about "performance and individualism," and a hallmark of a "self-centered society." Like the one we have in America, no doubt. The intellectuals go the next step and question whether President Sarkozy's habit is actually part of an elaborate propaganda plan.

"The 'hypnotic' daily images of presidential running are not innocent, said Daniel Schneidermann, a media critic. Mr Sarkozy uses the video images of his jogging as 'a major weapon of media manipulation', said Mr Schneidermann."

Here's the site for the full article (the name of which is "More Rimbaud and Less Rambo"), pretty interesting stuff.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article2022804.ece