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It is actually refreshing to have a French president who can travel abroad and is able to find
something to say, other than rave in prose and poetry about French culture and the proud French
nation. Jacques Chirac was really very good at that, but did little else. Sarkozy knows perfectly
well that France's anachronistic social model doesn't work and yes, he does admire the pro-free
market, individualistic anglo-saxon liberalism that characterizes Britain's approach to labour,
government and society. Sarkozy doesn't embrace all the ridiculous myths of a French "third way" and
he is less blinded by French nationalism than many of this country's other leaders, perhaps because
he is the son of a Hungarian immigrant.
Sarkozy also realizes that France has NATO obligations to fulfill when it comes to Afghanistan and
his apparent willingness to pledge more troops should be applauded, not criticized. The vast
majority of troops that have died in Afghanistan have been Americans, Brits and Canadians. In the
past few months, the majority of NATO casualties have been from the UK and Canada, and the latter
has threatened to pull its 2,500 soldiers, unless continental Europeans send in more troops.
Sarkozy's marital saga is really nothing more than a side-show, which should be ignored. His
decision to marry Bruni was probably a poor one, but that is his personal business and should have
no bearing on what we think of him as a politician. |
27 Mar 2008 15:22
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