Vichy France 2000

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France is playing with fire which may ultimately end up burning both Europe and America. I've been saying in the last couple of posts that the US needs to understand that world is slouching toward multi-polarity whether we like it or not and it would be advantageous to start strategizing with that in mind. I think we have begun to pass the "Unipolar moment" and now the US needs to reconfigure its new role in the world. However, that goes doubly so for France, which has a different problem. Their collective approach to world affairs is to do what strictly benefits the French surpassing the US as a global leader. Chirac and company are no more multi-polarist than the neo-cons in Washington. Unfortunately, as I've stated above, their Napoleonic quest to return to greatness at the cost of the US will most likely result in tragedy for both our countries.

First there's this from an April 13th Reuters story: "French President Jacques Chirac has been pushing the EU to drop its refusal to consider letting Iran enrich uranium, despite U.S. and European fears Iran could use enrichment technology for weapons, EU diplomats say...the talks took a new turn last month when negotiators from the EU's "big three" (EU3) and the office of EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana agreed in Paris to consider an Iranian proposal that it keep a small-scale enrichment programme that would be closely monitored by the U.N. nuclear watchdog.

Several diplomats said this shift -- which came just after Washington bolstered the EU position by offering its own incentives if Tehran scrapped enrichment -- was mainly the result of pressure by Chirac, who pushed the French Foreign Ministry to drop its refusal to consider Iran's plan.

"Jacques Chirac ... is the one who's taking the Iranian proposal under consideration," said an EU3 diplomat, adding the French president had the final say on foreign policy matters."

So while Chirac is apparently attempting to play the Iranians against us as a check, the French as a whole are showing their true racist yet globally inept colors by voting "no" on the EU constitution citing Turkey as the problem.

This from Zaman.com: "While the French have been intensively discussing the constitution, which they want to be in line with their traditions, one of the most important matters of debate is Turkey's possible future EU membership. Several French politicians from right to left on the political spectrum link Turkey's membership with the constitution and are calling on the French public to vote "no" on May 29th. It is an exaggeration to say that French people will vote "no" on the constitution only because of Turkey. As a matter of fact, French people also complain about the EU's moving away from the concept of enlargement and the understanding of a social state. One of the most controversial issues, however, is Turkey. Some French citizens, despite the fact that they would probably vote "yes" to Turkey's membership in a referendum that will be held after 10 or 15 years if Turkey completes EU negotiations with success, are asking "Why do we wait for 15 years? Let's say "no" to Turkey as of now." Turning the so-called Armenian "genocide" allegations into a principle in the world for the first time, France has a public, which has the deepest objection to Turkey's EU membership. Thıs attitude in France is hypocritical. As a matter of fact, Turkey's "tough" secularism, administrative system and linguistic borrowings when it encountered with the modern West are all from France. İn short, France has parallels with Turkey. Despite this fact, Turks are anxious this time that their march towards Europe will be blocked in Paris. It is rumored that French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier said: "Forget about negotiations on October 3rd." if the French would vote "no" on the Constitution in the referendum on May 29th."

Just so we all understand, then French are stroking the Iranians while attempting to alienate Turkey. While I continue to believe the French are not our enemy per se, I do believe their rather acute way of dealing with international politics is an accident waiting to happen.