"On Your Doorstep"

This article appeared in the German publication Die Welt, and has been translated into French by Alain Jean-Mairet. I have no knowledge of Jean-Mairet and only recently discovered his website, where the article is posted. The original author is Zafer Senocak, a Turkish-born novelist and poet, who has lived in Berlin since 1990 and writes in German.

It is significant that a German paper would publish such an analysis. Therefore I took the trouble to make an English translation, and ask that you bear in mind that since I have no skills in German I cannot attest to the accuracy of Jean-Mairet's French version:

Even if most Muslims refuse to face this truth, terrorism comes from the very heart of Islam, arriving straight from the Koran. It targets all those who do not live, do not act in accordance with Koranic rules, whether they be against democracy, against thinkers and scientists inspired by the West, or against agnostics and atheists. And it targets above all women. It is the product of an exclusively masculine Islam, that aspires with all its might to prevent women from obtaining equal rights and from at last breaking the centuries-old bonds.

You do not encounter the true face of Islam at the Conference of German Islam. You find it in countries like Pakistan. That Islam launched a world war. But the world acts as if it never heard anything about it. For many of our contemporaries, the battle is being waged far beyond Turkey. But in the modern planetary village, there is no "far beyond". There is only a "right on your doorstep." The totalitarianism of the Taliban and the Islamic terrorist cells is in all probability worse than Fascism, because it is not the result of a process within civilization. Rather it develops in a context where there is no reminder at all of the progress of civilization.

Muslims who perceive something more in their religion than the outlines of barbarity have a duty towards this progress. They must confront the barbarians within their ranks with firmness and determination. But when they do - rarely - it is only in a whisper. Islam has nothing to do with terrorism, declares Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Other political leaders compete in the sending of condolences after each terrorist act. Things become ludicrous in Saudi Arabia, where the Kingdom trembles before the terrorists it has itself engendered.

The Muslims of the world today have painted themselves into a corner. They are paying the price of the negligence of past generations. The spiritual decline and the incapacity to communicate with the modern world have thus led to the appalling current situation. Now it is necessary to act in a concerted way by uniting all the forces of reason. But while terrorism has become a world-wide network, the opposing forces are indolent or block each other out. In the Islamic world, where good common sense ought to prevail against the blind hatred of fanatics, hatred is spreading even more throughout the populations. Worse still, a number of illegitimate leaders are collaborating with this hatred in order to preserve their thrones. Faced with this situation, most Muslims stick to their rhetoric. And they avoid the decisive question, which is to ascertain whether or not their religion is capable of giving birth to a civilization.

This behavior certainly has psychological origins. People feel dominated, humiliated and betrayed by the West. But the political consequences of this psychosis are devastating. They bring grist to the mill of those forces that generate terror and spread chaos in the Islamic world. The spiral of violence is to the advantage of those who believe in terrorism and prevents first and foremost the establishment of democratic systems based on rule of law. Poverty and corruption, on the other hand, find an ideal soil for growth. This vicious circle must be broken, by the commitment of the free world and by military involvement, for it is not possible otherwise. Those fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan cannot act as if Pakistan is of no concern to them. The assassination of Benazir Bhutto was clearly predicted. The seizure of power by Hamas terrorists in Gaza was equally predictable.

But the free world only watches, paralyzed. American policies in Iraq set off and continue to feed much disdain in Europe. When it comes to criticism, Europeans are really unsurpassable. But when it comes to new ideas and political concepts, there is a vacuum. European politics confronted with Muslim terrorism wears itself out trying to undermine all concrete actions. Some want to negotiate - with Hamas, with the Talibans. They offer nuclear reactors to Qadhafi, they roll out the red carpet for the Saudi sovereign. And finally, everything is counted in petrodollars. The West does not even notice how far it has disintegrated, while terrorists of Islam win one victory after another. Benazir Bhutto will not be the last victim of a policy of appeasement doomed to fail at the hands of radical Islam.

The photo from Flickr shows Muslims protesting the Danish cartoons.

Those who read German may want to check out the original text from Die Welt.

New Year's Wishes

The world outside my window looks nothing like this. We have had one of the soggiest Christmas weeks in memory. Lots of rain, and temperatures that are moderate enough to prevent the heat in the house from going on, but chilly enough to make the house feel like an ice-box. I'm currently fighting off a cold - for the moment, the cold is winning the battle, hopefully not the war!

The wonderful winter scene, sent by a reader, is of course, Pieter Brueghel's Winter Landscape, from the year 1565, currently in the Royal Museum of Fine Arts in Brussels.

I make no predictions about the coming year. The past twelve months have been so full of unexpected events in France, that the unexpected is the only thing we can, with any hope of being accurate, expect.

While it's fascinating to write about events, I have to remind myself that I am comfortably ensconced in my home. If I were out in the world, working, taking the subway every day, fearing for my job, embroiled with politically correct personalities who had power over me, life would be most unpleasant. I've been through that and could never go through it again. So my wishes go out to those in America, France and elsewhere who are obligated to face and deal with, on a daily basis, the ugly consequences of policies that have turned our world and its values upside down.

I only hope that The Unexpected works in our favor this coming year.

Anne-Lorraine - An Update

Before the year ends I want to thank those of you who sent me links to videos relevant to the story of the murder of Anne-Lorraine Schmitt. I received those links just as my Internet connection was turned off. In the following days I put aside these items in order to concentrate on the main news story, namely the Lisbon Treaty.

Even though it's late this link will take you to the interview (in French) accorded by her father to a reporter from RMC (Radio Monte-Carlo).

I found the father to be very dignified, and the reporter somewhat obsequious.

There is also a website devoted to her that contains several videos.

I have heard nothing new about the family who understandably needs privacy, but this letter from them was posted at Le Salon Beige a few days after the funeral:

Dear Friends,

We are very moved by the many shows of friendship and support that you have sent us. We will answer each of you personally, but that will take some time! We therefore thank you from the depths of our heart and we would like to express our tremendous gratitude, for it has been your letters and messages that have sustained us and allowed us to go on.

Again, our thanks.

Life does not stop. François-Xavier returned to Saint-Maixent on Sunday December 2, early in the afternoon. In the evening Béatrice and Bénédicte went back to the Legion of Honor School in Les Loges. Philippe resumed his service on Monday December 12, and just today Paul-Henri went back to Coëtquidan.

Now we are willing to answer questions from the press, so that Anne-Lorraine's sacrifice may not have been in vain and before the media cease having any interest in her fate.

In early January 2008 a bill designed to prevent sex criminals from becoming repeat offenders will be submitted to Parliament.

We suggest that all those who agreed to help us contact their deputy by post, e-mail, or phone to make everyone aware of this problem and to let them know that people have had enough. Never again!

It is not about repression or vengeance, but prevention.

This step is totally non-political because in our judgment the question of treatment of repeat offenders ought to go beyond the Left-Right division and reach a unanimous vote from the different parliamentary parties.

Feel free to communicate this letter.

The Schmitt Family

Note: Both Saint-Maixent and Coëtquidan are military schools, the latter associated with Saint-Cyr. The names mentioned are of the other four children and the father, Philippe.

Catholics became aware of a connection between Anne-Lorraine's murder and a similar story from 1993:

When she was attacked, her parents were waiting to take her to Mass. It was the day of the Feast of Christ the King. She was stabbed in the heart, as was another girl, Lindalva Justo de Oliveira, murdered by one of the lodgers in the shelter that she took care of, for having defended her virginity. That was in 1993, on Good Friday. Lindalva was recently beatified in Salvador de Bahia (Brazil), on November 25, the day of Anne-Lorraine's tragic end.

The Catholic Church recognizes the martyrdom of purity, a tradition that goes back to the early days of Christianity.

Read about the Feast of Christ the King at Wikipedia.

Meeting In Cairo

An Egyptian deputy has protested the visit to Egypt of French president Nicolas Sarkozy and his companion Carla Bruni. Libération has one version of the story:

Deputy Gamal Zahran presented a formal request to Fathi Sorour, the leader of Parliament, demanding an official explanation of the government regarding the private visit of the French president and his friend, according to the independent daily al-Doustour.

"The Egyptian government sent a false message to the entire world by showing that the country that houses Al-Azhar accepts libertine behavior forbidden by Islam," said the deputy.

Note: Al-Azhar is the highest Sunni court.

I should also point out that I'm not entirely sure what the deputy said. Many reports (see Brussels Journal) say that the deputy used the word "prostitution", instead of the milder "libertine". It probably depends on who is translating and how they regarded the Arabic word, whatever it was. I have heard that Sarkozy's visit has been sharply criticized in France in many quarters.

"Is the president's friend sharing the same hotel room with him, or is she in a separate room?" he asked.

According to the deputy, the government and the foreign minister "ought to remain aloof from this visit" and not participate in its organization "out of respect for the mores of our society and the precepts" of Islam.

I have no further news about the outcome of the Egyptian deputy's request. I did hear that Sarkozy refused to answer questions about his private vacation with Carla Bruni, but said he would do so on January 8 at a press conference.

Today (Sunday December 30) Sarkozy met with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and announced a suspension in relations with Syria. This abridged report report is from Yahoo:

During a press conference with his Egyptian counterpart Hosni Mubarak, the French leader, who was instrumental in bringing about the recent thaw in relations between Paris and Damascus, announced that there would be no more contact with Syria until the election "by a large consensus, of a Lebanese president."

"The time has come for the Syrians to prove through their actions what they endlessly talk about in their speeches. (...) We are now awaiting actions from the Syrians and not speeches," he affirmed.

"There is only one act that interests me, the election of a president of Lebanon," stressed Mr. Sarkozy later during a discussion with Egyptian business leaders and intellectuals. "I will judge the respectability of each one according to that decision and no other," he continued.

(...) When he called the Syrian president Bashar el-Assad at the end of November, the French leader broke with the policies of his predecessor Jacques Chirac who had stopped all contact with Syria after the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafic Hariri in 2005.

Those in the Arab world concerned about his open affinities for the Jewish State and the United States were eager to hear Nicolas Sarkozy, who made a point of reassuring them on the continuity of French policies in the region. Mr. Sarkozy requested of his "Israeli friends" that they "take immediate initiatives" that would favor the birth of a "modern, democratic and independent Palestinian State."

"I have said many times that it is time for Israel to take actions which would prove that peace is possible, including the end of colonization, the implanting of colonies. Our position towards Israel is consistent - to be a faithful friend is not to be a lenient ("complaisant") friend.

Right. You don't want to be too lenient with those imperialist Israelis who are clearly on a jihad against the West, unlike the poor oppressed Palestinians who just want to be left in peace.

"I want these words to be heard in all the Arab capitals (...) this is my consistent position, and it doesn't trouble me in the least to say it here in Cairo," he insisted.

Don't worry Sarko. The Arabs hear you. You've given them nuclear reactors, mosques by the millions, rights that no Frenchman ever dreamed of. You let them out of prison early, if indeed they go to prison for their crimes, and soon your Islam of France will be the ideal by which all countries are judged. Of course, you might remember one thing about the Arab mentality - the more you give them, the more likely they are to kill you. But let's not talk of such things on New Years' Eve.

On with the show:

During their meetings Sarkozy and Mubarak also brought up the French president's plan for a Mediterranean Union.

"We are hoping that France and Egypt can reach a preliminary agreement so that the summit set for July 13 in Paris is conclusive," indicated Mr. Sarkozy.

"What our fathers were capable of doing for Europe, I want our generation to do for the Mediterranean," he said later to Egyptian intellectuals and business leaders, as he defended his project. "I will do everything in my power for France to be a bridge between East and West."

The French president also assured his Egyptian counterpart of the "readiness of France" to cooperate on matters of nuclear energy with Cairo, which has just resumed its civilian nuclear program. No agreement or perspective of an agreement has yet been announced.

It seems that starting or resuming civilian nuclear energy programs is suddenly a very popular activity in Arab lands: Iran, Libya, Morocco, Algeria, Egypt...

Dassault and His Mosque

Some websites are talking about the generous contributions towards the construction of the Corbeil-Essonnes mosque, made by Serge Dassault, the UMP mayor of the town in the Parisian suburbs. This same mayor has also given large sums of money to a young black municipal councillor who was recently convicted of concealing a stolen car and domestic violence. This article from Islamisation is in sections, and discusses the manner in which Sarkozy's UMP party works to win Muslim votes:

The guest of honor at the monthly gathering of the Corbeil-Essonnes mosque on December 29 will be Hani Ramadan, grandson of the founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan Al-Banna, for whom "stoning constitutes a punishment but also a sort of purification." In 1947 Hassan Al-Banna affirmed that "it is in the nature of Islam to dominate, to impose its law on all nations and to spread its power throughout the entire world."

Here is the communiqué from the Corbeil-Essonnes mosque that Serge Bloch, known as Serge Dassault, had defined during its grandiose opening ceremonies on January 29, 2005, as an "Islamic cultural center."

At this point the author prints the invitation to the gathering.

French readers interested in seeing the whole invitation can click here.

Regarding Serge Dassault, mayor of Corbeil-Essonnes, he is the son of the great French industrialist and aviation pioneer Marcel Dassault. The family was Jewish, and during WWII they were sent to Buchenwald for refusing to collaborate with the Nazis who sought their expertise in aeronautics. They later changed their family name from Bloch to Dassault, and in 1950 they converted to Catholicism. Serge Dassault, now 82, was named senator from Corbeil-Essonnes in 2004. Thus he holds two titles as Senator-Mayor. The family has had much influence in the world of journalism: Serge Dassault is owner of the publishing group that includes Le Figaro. The Dassault Corporation manufactures the Mirage and Rafale jets, and the Falcon aircraft.

English-language readers can turn to Wikipedia for more on him, and follow the links to his father Marcel Dassault. You will note that Wikipedia refers to him as a "conservative" politician.

The article proceeds with a January 31, 2005 quote from Le Monde (no link) on the financing of the Corbeil mosque:

(...) For its construction the UMP senator-mayor contributed a good portion of the 2 million euros necessary, complementing the donations from a "Saudi Arabian benefactor", explains the Muslim cultural association of Corbeil-Essones which considers it a "point of honor to be dependent on nobody." "City Hall could not finance it, it is forbidden," said Mr. Dassault who took from his personal fortune, but refused to state the specific amount he contributed. In the city, everyone knows that without Dassault there would never have been a mosque.

The article continues with the story of another unfortunate contribution:

Serge Dassault, a believer in acquiring Islamic clients, "contributed 500,000 euros to the personal bank account of one of his municipal councillors, a young black "known and respected by all" in the suburb of Les Tarterêts. The courts see nothing wrong with this according to the Nouvel Observateur of December 05, 2007 (no link), explaining that "the money, given in 2006 in three payments to the account of this young black from Tarterêts, was withdrawn both by check and in cash, in amounts up to 100,000 euros per withdrawal."

Samba Diagouraga, the fortunate beneficiary, has just been convicted to 1000 euros fine for shoving and insulting police officers during an arrest in the Les Tarterêts in June 2006. The young foreigner, 33 years old, had previously been convicted of concealing a stolen vehicle and domestic violence. (...) He also distinguished himself for having denounced a doctor who refused to allow veiled women in his waiting room.

Here is a striking example of UMP's strategy for buying votes from the Muslim colonists. Favors to the ethnic communities, political cynicism, collaboration with Islamism and seduction (I don't want to say "corruption") of the local "big brothers" (I don't want to say "scum").

And they dare to teach moral lessons to the Front National...

The top photo is the Corbeil mosque, the second shows a grateful Dalil Boubakeur (left), rector of the Paris mosque and president of the French Council of the Muslim Religion (CFCM), with an effusive Serge Dassault, on the day of the opening of the Corbeil mosque. At that opening Dassault addressed the Muslim community with these words:

"I know that you are not like the others who manipulate intolerance, hatred and violence. I know that you want peace, fraternity, tolerance, consideration. That is why I respect you, appreciate you, and express to you all my friendship, all my consideration."

Photos and quote from Gaudin, where you can find more photos.

What to think of Dassault? A con artist? A cynical traitor to his country? A money man and nothing more? Or a rich self-deluded liberal who makes a fatally inaccurate comparison between his Nazi persecutors and those who condemn Islam, and who, by "doing good" to the "oppressed", betrays precisely those who were tortured by the Nazis.

Dassault is also said to have remarked that he was impressed by Moammar Qadhafi's "warmth" during the latter's infamous visit to Paris.

Maybe he's just a dirty old sycophant.

Sarkozy's "Inevitable" Kosovo

Two weeks ago in Brussels, Nicolas Sarkozy took a vigorous stand in favor of an independent Kosovo, using as part of his argument the fact that all of Yugoslavia was an artificial construct anyway, and therefore an independent Kosovo was inevitable, forgetting (intentionally no doubt) that it will mean the presence on European soil of a Muslim State. This article is from 7 sur 7:

(...) The French head of State spoke at the close of a meeting of the European Council where the question of Kosovo was the dominant issue. The Serbian province with an Albanian majority has been administered since 1999 by the international community and is today demanding its independence despite opposition from Serbia and Russia.

"The independence of Kosovo is inevitable and Serbia must not be condemned to isolation and despair or else we will create the conditions favorable to a confrontation between the two groups," he affirmed. "The Kosovars and the Serbs no longer want to live together, Yugoslavia no longer exists, neither does the Soviet Union. And Yalta - that's over. What are we going to do? Are we going to let these people kill each other"? exclaimed Mr. Sarkozy. "We have tried everything. I proposed a confederation. That failed," he added.

According to him, the issue of Kosovo "is not Putin's business, it is not George Bush's business, it is the business of the Europeans because we are in Europe," he insisted.

"Kosovo is the last stage of a disintegration process of a country that was 'artificial' anyway - Yugoslavia, which held together because of certain precise historical conditions, namely the consequences of the war between the two blocs," he also affirmed.

When questioned about the Serbian fugitive Ratko Mladic, as being a reason for postponing any rapprochement with Serbia, Sarkozy replied:

"Europe supports completely the pursuit of war criminals"

"But at the same time, all of Europe is saying to Serbia: 'If you are a candidate for EU membership, if you satisfy the requirements, if you respect human rights, if you respect the independence of Kosovo, you have a future in the family.' They (the Serbs) are after all part of the family," he exclaimed.

"France was the first country to ratify the TPI (international criminal court for ex-Yugoslavia), I myself supported it, but let us not confuse the pursuit of war criminals or suspects with the chances of a country to join the EU. In Europe and in France we have the right to have convictions without being put in the pillory on the question of human rights," he concluded.

Le Salon Beige noted his "Marxist" reference to inevitability and counsels him to re-examine his history:

The presence of Serbs in this region is historically noted beginning in the 6th century. Mohammed wasn't even born. Today, 90% of the population of Kosovo is Albanian, Muslim and fiercely anti-Christian.

The photo of Bill Clinton Boulevard in Pristina is from Webshots. Do we laugh or cry at the sight of this ludicrous image? Mostly I feel a sense of horror that America can no longer distinguish her friends from her enemies, and in fact prefers her enemies.

Benazir Bhutto

The assassination of Benazir Bhutto, and the dangerous situation in Pakistan, have been headline news as everyone knows. Though it's off-topic for me, I thought I'd at least make some reference to the event. Yesterday the International Herald Tribune had a three-page article on the murder, as did the Washington Post (registration).

However a more personal and insightful analysis was given by Lawrence Auster and his readers, with links to New York Times' reports on her life. They discuss her merits and her flaws in the context of a country that is largely ungovernable. In an earlier article Lawrence had talked about the liberals' pretense of being "shocked", as a way of avoiding reality.

The Mosque In Créteil

It seems that the Washington Post interviewed Laurent Cathala, the socialist mayor of the city of Créteil, southeast of Paris, about the new mosque soon to be built. According to Le Salon Beige, reporting on the Post article, the mayor has big plans for his mosque:

"We wanted the mosque to be built where everyone could see it. We did not want it hidden. Placing it just under the window of the mayor's office and the police station is the best way to eliminate secret hiding places and extremism. This new mosque is part of the demographic evolution of our city. If you are for social justice you cannot recognize one part of the population and not another part, especially in matters of religion."

But we learn also that "the construction, scheduled for completion in 2008, will include a minaret 25 meters high and a dome, and will house more than 2500 faithful. With a cost upwards of 7.4 million euros..." And that "the city contributed around 1.5 million euros, and the mosque soon to be completed will be part of a large complex including a cultural center, a café, an exhibition center, a hammam (a type of sauna), a book store, a library and a study room."

Finally, the Washington Post article speaks of the MNR (National Republican Movement headed by Bruno Mégret) whose "members are opposed to the construction of mosques in several French cities." Lysiane Choukroun, in particular, the municipal councilor of Créteil declared:

"Jews pay for their synagogues, Catholics for their churches. Why should the Muslims be assisted by the taxpayers of Créteil?"

However one Salon Beige reader sent this interesting comment:

It would surely be relevant to include in this article the opinions expressed by the bishop of Créteil and the president of the Créteil Jewish community, on the topic of this mosque:

- Monsignor Daniel Labille, bishop of Créteil: "I completely understand the desire of this community to have a place of worship. The French Constitution guarantees freedom of religion, and yet the Muslims have no house of worship worthy of this name, where they can practice their faith. Therefore I regard as completely normal the building of a mosque. The best service we can render to a community is to prevent it from closing ranks within itself and to try to maintain good relations with it. From that standpoint the mosque is a aid to integration. Of course one can have fantasies about Islam and think only of the fanatical element. I feel we must go beyond this fear. To refuse to allow this community from practicing its faith openly, as the other religions do, would be the best way to encourage extremism."

- André Benayoun, president of the Créteil Jewish Community: "The Jewish community of Créteil is favorable to the construction of a mosque in Créteil, comparable to all the religious communities of the city that have at their disposal dignified places of assembly and worship. This house of worship will allow the Muslim community to feel more a part of Créteil the motto of which is 'Live together'".

The Washington Post article mentioned above is worth the detour, but you will probably have to register. There is additional information about the mosque and a discussion of the growing Muslim population in Europe, as well as the chart posted above showing the number of mosques in Europe.

Commiting A Greater Idiocy

An article from Islamisation reveals Nicolas Sarkozy's cynicism on the question of the referendums which so many were counting on to prevent a European Constitution and to stop the entry of Turkey into the EU:

Rare have been the presidents of the French Republic who displayed this much contempt for universal suffrage. After ignoring the "no" vote (against the European Constitution) on May 29, 2005, and creating a "mini-treaty" that was much wordier than the original, but just as fatal to the sovereignty of the French people, swallowed up in the sea of 400 million Europeans, the president once again wants to get around the popular will on an equally crucial issue: article 88-5, introduced by Chirac into the Constitution to make mandatory a referendum before any expansion of the European Union. This was done to prevent the two debates - on the Constitution and on Turkey's membership - from interfering with each other. And now Nicolas Sarkozy is quite simply going to abolish this requirement on the advice of Jean-Pierre Jouyet, the socialist secretary of State for European Affairs, a pure product of Sarkozy's "openness". Nicolas Sarkozy used this constitutional provision as an argument during his election campaign, which makes abolishing it as part of his program of institutional reform all the more scandalous.

Reminder: "Openness" refers to Sarkozy's stated desire to hear all points of view. As it turned out, he had a strong preference for the socialists, and no interest whatsoever in the nationalists.

Le Figaro, in an article dated December 21, reports the remarks made "off the cuff" by the president during a confused and disorderly attempt to justify his deed:

"When you commit a medium-sized idiocy, you are obligated to commit a greater one later to undo the first one." According to witnesses that is how Nicolas Sarkozy justified, on Wednesday evening, before the leadership of his UMP party, the abandoning of the constitutional safeguard against the entry of Turkey into the European Union."

(Nicolas Sarkozy) remains hostile to Ankara's candidacy but wants to take advantage of constitutional reform to remove the shackle of a referendum, going so far as to commit an "even greater idiocy", i.e., to alienate the opponents to Turkish membership in Europe, most of whom are ultra-rightists. The president of the Republic feels that the end justifies the means. As his lackey Jean-David Levitte explains in private, Sarkozy-style diplomacy revolves around two projects: "To reach out towards the East", and to create the "Mediterranean Union." And the Eastern countries would appreciate a Europe that is more welcoming to its new members, as the Slovenian Minister of Foreign Affairs Dimirij Rupel demonstrated when he "congratulated the French government on removing the condition of a referendum on expansion."

As for the "Arab street", to use Nicolas Sarkozy's expression, it cannot help but appreciate this gesture to Muslim Turkey. It remains to be seen if this planned reform will survive. Jean-Pierre Raffarin, vice-president of the national UMP council, confirmed yesterday that the party leadership "would defend unanimously the safeguard of the referendum."

Returning to the original post from Islamisation, the author cites several examples of discontent on the part of those who adhere to the ideas of Charles de Gaulle.

All the Gaullists are sickened by the attitude of Nicolas Sarkozy on these two betrayals:

Pierre Lefranc, former head of office of General de Gaulle, participated in a seminar dealing with the need to respect the "no" vote.

General Gallois, de Gaulle's former diplomatic counselor, an internationally recognized geo-strategist, former pilot of the RAF, who distinguished himself during WWII, coldly condemned Nicolas Sarkozy's attitude. He is program director at Radio Courtoisie.

Before his death, Pierre Messmer (former minister under de Gaulle and former prime minister under Pompidou), had expressed his rejection of the Constitution, which he considered a grave attack on sovereignty, the first of all freedoms.

Alain Griotteray, another historic Gaullist, also condemns Sarkozy's betrayal.

Anne-Marie Le Pourhiet, professor of public law, esteemed constitutional lawyer, could find no better description for the president's attitude than "high treason." (...)

The photo of Sarkozy projected onto a giant screen goes back to December 12 in Lisbon when the Treaty was approved.

I guess for once I agree with Sarko when he speaks of his greater idiocy.

Tricks Of the Trade

In an article dated December 18, Yves Daoudal discusses the new negotiations with Turkey:

The European Union and Turkey are going to open two new topics in the negotiations on EU membership: "trans-European networks" and "health and protection of consumers."

The decision to open these new chapters was made, we are told, thanks to the creation on Friday at the Lisbon summit meeting, of a "special committee" on the future of Europe which Nicolas Sarkozy had insisted upon before giving his approval to the resumption of talks.

It is known that Nicolas Sarkozy had insisted on the creation of a "group of wise men" who would reflect on the expansion of the European Union and the issue of EU borders. In this way, talks with Turkey could proceed while the wise men were reaching the conclusion that Turkey was outside of Europe's borders...

The group of wise men was nothing but a lure to make people believe that Turkey was not eligible, when in fact the negotiations were moving ineluctably toward membership.

But the lure is even more artificial than first thought. The pro-Turkey partners of France wanted nothing to do with a group of wise men whose mission was what Sarkozy wanted it to be. And so this committee will talk about everything EXCEPT the expansion of borders. The Czech minister of European Affairs explained in no uncertain terms: "We had many reservations about the original plan, we were afraid it would be a way to stop the expansion process. That is why we concentrated on issues not related to expansion."

At the final press conference of the summit, the Portuguese president hardly mentioned the creation of this group. The Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt explained that in fact this was all a trick to fool the French and to try to reduce opposition to Turkey's membership: "This special committee is being used to grease the French political decision-making process," he said.

The little dog barks, the caravan passes.

Useful Romance

Since the French do not like to be critical of a politician's private life, I would rather not be the one to incur their wrath. Instead I've translated this brief analysis of the Sarkozy-Bruni relationship by Bernard Antony:

I, who know nothing about the world of show-biz or the Fellini-like menagerie surrounding Bernard-Henri Lévy, became aware, while at the barber shop, of the weekly news journal devoted to the replacement of Cecilia by Carla.

Note: He refers to the flashy jet-setting writer and mixed-up "philosopher" Bernard-Henri Lévy, who campaigned for Ségolène Royal. The menagerie must refer to the circus, including women, that follows BHL everywhere. Lévy has appeared many times on American television.

Cecilia of course was Sarkozy's second wife, whom he divorced a few months ago.

Psycho-morphologically, Carla is very close to Cecilia. I think I understand why, with their lustful and yet mysterious side, they exert a fascination on Nicolas Sarkozy who likes risks, challenges and instability. Both women are perfect devourers of Sarkozy ("sarkophages"). By that I mean that there is in their relations with Nicolas a sort of very understandable reciprocal swallowing up, passionate, but with a big element of Freudian psychological disturbances.

Note: He's saying that they hurl themselves into an all-consuming but unhealthy relationship - or that the psychological disturbances precede the relationship and predetermine its failure.

But this type of incandescent love cannot last without a true intellectual and moral connection and I doubt this is the case. When Carla and Nicolas break up, they will certainly have the savvy to use their highly publicized separation to make people forget some unfortunate riot or some unpleasant visitor. Having said that, as long as the French people are told all about the life of the beautiful, rich, and therefore very left-wing Carla Bruni, they will allow Sarkozy to betray them on Turkey.

Here Bernard Antony is referring to the latest rumors and comments at various websites that Sarkozy is going to help to bring Turkey into the EU. But this is no great surprise.

Arrival In Egypt

Nicolas Sarkozy and his companion Carla Bruni arrived in Luxor, Egypt for a 6-day stay. The news reports all sound very much alike. This condensation is from Le Figaro:

They arrived on Tuesday at the Old Winter Palace, a luxury hotel, for a two-day private visit. They had arrived earlier on board a Falcon 900 owned by Vincent Bolloré, the businessman who had lent the president his plane and yacht for a trip to Malta, shortly after the election last May.

The Egyptian Minister of Culture, Faruk Hosni, a contender for the post of head of UNESCO, organized the tour which would include the temple at Karnak and other sites on the west bank of the Nile.

After Luxor, Nicolas Sarkozy and his friends will head for Sharm el-Sheikh, the great resort city on the banks of the Red Sea. The French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, who arrived on Monday evening with his companion Christine Ockrent, will join them at a villa on the bay of Naama. The luxury villa, situated on a vast coastal strip, is the property of the sheik of Abu Dhabi. Security will be intense, as this is the city where 65 persons were killed, and 110 injured, in a terrorist attack in the summer of 2005.

Once the vacation is over, President Sarkozy will go on to Cairo for an official 24-hour visit. He will be met by Hosni Mubarak and a delegation of 200 people. He will then return to Paris on December 31, to present his New Year's wishes to the French people.

Note: Christine Ockrent is variously described as the "spouse" and the "companion" of Bernard Kouchner. I had assumed at one time that they were married, but it isn't clear. I've noticed that many couples who live together are considered "spouses" - the Minister of Ecology Jean-Louis Borloo and anchorwoman Beatrice Schönberg, for example. Apparently very few high-profile politicians or journalists actually marry officially. Or to put it differently, marriage is considered obsolete by the ruling elite.

Other reports, especially those from Yahoo, stressed the openness of the Sarko-Bruni relationship. I read that in a poll an overwhelming majority of Frenchmen said that their private life is no one's business but their own. Yes. But, the way one conducts one's private life may be an indication of one's character. Furthermore, Sarkozy has staged his private life, complete with photographers when and where he wants them, and journalists who follow his instructions. So where is the private life?

Georges Thill

I hope I am not breaking a rule about overkill or excess, but just for the sake of comparison, some readers might be interested in hearing one of the all-time great French voices - that of Georges Thill - singing O Holy Night in French. The difference between him and Alagna seems to be one of training and culture. Alagna is wonderful, charming, with a warm style and a voice powerful enough to thrill the listener by its innate expressiveness. Thill has all of that plus something else: a solidness of technique and sureness of execution that takes an aria "by the seat of its pants", so to speak, and hurls it, flawless, and with impeccable diction, at the awestruck listener. When Thill is singing no one wonders if he'll make his high notes - the confidence we have in him results from his own self-confidence. And his self-confidence is a consequence of training which itself is a product of the culture he lived in. A specific culture generates certain styles and standards proper to that culture and difficult to duplicate in another era. Alagna does very well, but this is something else.

Here is what kspm01 - the author of the video - has to say (note that he calls the song by its correct French title Cantique de Noël):

As my contribution for these Christmas days, here is an impressive rendition of Adam's Cantique de Noël (the English version can be found elsewhere on YT), which, 75 years after it was recorded, still is considered a reference for all singers who interpreted it after Thill, who definitely set the standard. Georges Thill (1897--1984) was often considered France's greatest tenor of his day. His career lasted from 1924 to 1953. Thill made his opera debut at the Paris Opéra in 1924, and continued to perform there and at the Opéra-Comique for decades. He also sang throughout Europe and in South America, and was highly successful at La Scala, the Rome Opera, the Verona Arena, the Vienna State Opera, the Teatro Colón and Covent Garden. He made many recordings and appeared in several films. This unforgettable version of the well-known carol was made for Columbia. This technically most remarkable recording, apparently not made in a studio but in a large cathedral, dates from September 26th, 1932. Mr. Thill was accompanied by a chorus, organ and orchestra directed by Armand Bernard.

You see that his career lasted from 1924 - 1953 a period of great accomplishments in the world of operatic singing, interrupted unhappily by the Second World War that destroyed many careers (not his).

Georges Thill served in the First World War, then began to study voice at the Conservatoire in Paris. Unhappy with this training he went to Naples and studied under the legendary Italian tenor Fernando de Lucia.

It's interesting that he perceived the inadequacy of his Paris teachers. A great voice is the combination of two essentials: superior raw material and superior teachers. I can't think of anything more frustrating than for a gifted individual to struggle with poor teachers.

Georges Thill is very well represented on recordings - 150 in all according to this biography. He also made a movie, Louise, directed by Abel Gance.

Afterthought: Besides the cultural differences resulting from a generation gap, the two singers have different ethnic backgrounds. Roberto Alagna is a Parisian-born Sicilian. The main characteristic of his voice is its warmth and Italianate quality. Yes, he's French, and certainly feels French and identifies wholly with France, but he has obviously inherited a certain Italian style of singing - a sob in the voice here and there, a passion he has to contain, a sunny quality. Thill is by nature rigorously disciplined, unerringly elegant and intelligent, characteristics of French singing at its best. They are both wonderful, but Thill is the voice of authority, for me. (Bear in mind that Thill's recording was made 75 years ago!)

"Minuit Chrétiens" Sung By Roberto Alagna

France's leading tenor sings an immortal Christmas Song by French composer Adolphe Adam. We all know the English words to O Holy Night. The first stanza of the original French version reads:

It is midnight, Christians!
It is the solemn hour when the Man-God descended unto us
To wipe away the original sin
And to stop the anger of His Father
The entire world is trembling with hope
On this night that brings a Savior
Hosts! Kneel! Await your deliverance!
Noël! Noël! Behold the Redeemer!

The Redeemer has broken all shackles
The Earth is free and the Heavens are opened
He sees a brother where before there was a slave
Love unites those who were in chains
Who will tell Him of our gratitude?
It is for all of us that He is born, suffers and dies
Hosts! Arise! Sing your Redeemer!
Noël! Noël! Let us sing the Redeemer!

The words to the song were composed by a wine merchant and poet named Placide Cappeau. He had been asked by the priest of the port town of Roquemaure, abbot Eugene Nicolas, to compose lyrics for the cultural and religious events being organized in order to make a little money to finance the stained-glass windows of Saint-Jean-Baptiste church.

In the town of Roquemaure was a woman named Emily Laurey, a singer who knew the composer Adolphe Adam. She is the one who took the words to him to be set to music. The music was written in a few days and on December 24,1847, Mrs. Laurey sang the song for the first time at midnight Mass.

The author of the lyrics, Placide Cappeau, was very unhappy about the success of the song, since he did not even have time to change the lyrics to suit his non-religious tastes. He was a free-thinker and believed Jesus was the redeemer of injustices, inequalities and oppressions of all kinds, not the Redeemer of man's original sin, which he did not believe in.

Besides this song, Adolphe Adam is best known for the ballet Giselle, although he wrote 78 operettas (opéra-comiques), 29 ballets and 5 operas. He never realized how popular the song was; he seems to have forgotten all about it once it was completed.

Source

The Nativity By Charles Le Brun

Everyone MUST go to the website of Le Conservateur and view the glorious painting of the Nativity by Charles Le Brun.

Click here.

Antoine Pesne - The Birth Of Christ

I came upon this painting while browsing through the ABC Gallery. I had never heard of the artist, Antoine Pesne:

Antoine Pesne was born in Paris in 1683 into the family of the painter T. Pesne. Antoine received his first lessons in art from his father, later he studied in the Academy and with his gifted and resourceful uncle, Charles de la Fosse (1636-1716). In 1710-1711 Antoine made an extensive tour of Italy. He came to Berlin in 1711 to teach art to Prince Frederick and his more artistically talented younger brother. Soon Pesne became a court painter of the Prussian king and remained a highly esteemed and highly paid figure at Berlin’s court for over 46 years. Pesne painted portraits, historical and religious subjects, executed monumental decorative works. In 1720, he became a member of the Paris Academy of Arts. In 1722-24, Pesne traveled to England. He was also the director of the Berlin Academy.

The artist died in 1757 and was buried in Berlin.

Two From Brussels Journal

There are two excellent articles at Brussels Journal worth reading and reflecting on. The first, by John Laughland, discusses how and why European nations turn against their own electorates:

I have often compared the European Union to a cartel – a cartel of governments, engaged in a permanent conspiracy against their own electorates and parliaments. This analysis seems to have been dramatically confirmed by the Lisbon Treaty, signed last week, which replaces the defunct “constitution” rejected in referenda in France and the Netherlands in 2005.

Although a lot of anti-EU rhetoric rightly concentrates on the overweening power of the unelected European Commission – which indeed generates far too many laws and has an institutional self-interest in augmenting its own power – what many Eurosceptics overlook is that European integration also, and crucially, favours the power of national governments over that of their respective national parliaments. Because laws in the EU are made by the Council of Ministers, i.e. the committee of 27 ministers for whichever subject is being voted on, EU integration means that governments receive wide-ranging law-making powers.

This is, of course, incompatible with the principle of the separation of powers. According to that principle, the executive power (the government) should be separate from, and accountable to, the legislature (the national parliament) and of course the judiciary. Dictatorship is precisely the form of government in which the executive is not so constrained, and this is also the case in the EU. Because the EU represents a dramatic and constant transfer of legislative power from national legislatures to national executives (sitting in the Council of Ministers), it can also be dubbed “a permanent coup d’état” (to use the phrase François Mitterrand used in 1965 to attack the powers of the Fifth Republic, long before he was happy to wield them himself). The fact that the Council of Ministers, the EU’s legislature, meets and votes in secret only makes the fundamentally anti-democratic character of the European construction even clearer.

Read the whole article here.

The second article, by Soeren Kern, traces the roots of anti-Americanism in Europe:

How can America improve its image abroad? Answers to this question are being bandied by all of the presidential hopefuls. Hillary Clinton says she would “send a message heard across the world: The era of cowboy diplomacy is over.” John McCain promises to “immediately close Guantanamo Bay.” Ron Paul and Barack Obama both say they would withdraw American troops from Iraq.

Implicit is the notion that George W Bush has tarnished America’s reputation in the world, and that reversing some of his more contentious policies will make the United States popular again. If only it were that simple.

Although polls do indeed show that President Bush has brought anti-Americanism to the surface in many parts of the world, the roots of enmity toward America reach far deeper than one man and his policies. The problem of anti-Americanism will not go away just because Americans elect a new president.

Contrary to much of today’s conventional wisdom, anti-Americanism is not a recent phenomenon. In Europe, for example, anti-Americanism is as old as the United States itself. In fact, anti-Americanism is so established on the Old Continent that there are now as many different brands of anti-Americanism as there are European countries.

Read more here.

Finkielkraut On Qadhafi

French Jewish writer/philosopher Alain Finkielkraut does a better job of defending French Catholics than many French Catholics do of defending their faith against Islam. In this video he discusses the insult to Christians that was the visit to France of Moammar Qadhafi. He brings up the possibility of civil war, but unfortunately, does not advocate a stop to immigration.

Here, in substance, is what he says. If any French readers find errors, please let me know:

This visit from the Libyan totalitarian buffoon is an endless humiliation, but also humiliating and even insulting were Qadhafi's remarks on human rights in France: "France does not respect the rights of immigrants." But worse still, on the connection between the religions - I'm surprised no one picked this up - here is what he declared, at the Ritz, to an audience of journalists and intellectuals reduced to silence:

"The error committed today is to think that Islam is the religion of Mohammed. NO! It is that of Jesus, Moses and Mohammed, the last of the prophets. To believe in God, in his angels the prophets, THAT is Islam. Jesus was not sent to Europe, but to Israel to correct the errors of Moses. They tried to kill Jesus, but as the Koran says it wasn't Jesus, it was someone else they crucified. The cross you're wearing has no meaning just as your prayers have no meaning."

In other words, Islam abolished all the other religions. He said this in a secular ("laïc) country, whose Christian roots are nonetheless obvious. He insulted France, he insulted French Catholics, and above all he threw oil on the fire at a time when integration is difficult. Today we have to distance ourselves from civil war, but Qadhafi brought us closer.

Prayer Gathering

Everywhere people are going out of their way to wish the Muslims "Happy Eïd". This time it's Eïd el-Adha (Sacrifice Day) described by Wikipedia (there are variations in spelling, some write "Aïd", and "el" instead of "Eïd" and "ul"):

Eid ul-Adha annually falls on the 10th day of the month of Dhul Hijja of the lunar Islamic calendar. The festivities last for two to three days or more depending on the country. Eid ul-Adha occurs the day after the pilgrims conducting Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia by Muslims worldwide, descend from Mount Arafat. It happens to be approximately 70 days after the end of the month of Ramadan.

This article from Journal Chrétien describes the gathering at the Great Mosque of Paris last Wednesday (December 19):

On Wednesday, on the occasion of Eïd el-Adha, the Great Mosque of Paris welcomed notable personalities who came to share this moment of prayer ritual with the faithful who had flooded in since the early morning hours.

Greeted by Dalil Boubakeur, rector of the Great Mosque of Paris and president of the French Council of the Muslim Religion (CFCM), the French Minister of Justice and Keeper of the Seals, Rachida Dati came to present her wishes to the Muslim community of France. She assured everyone that her ministry "would implement concrete measures in the fight against discrimination", adding that the question of "Muslim prison chaplains would be a priority," according to a communiqué from the mosque.

The president of Senegal, Abdoulaye Wade, on a private visit to Paris, was also present to participate in the Eïd prayers, side by side with the Algerian ambassador to France, Missoum Sbih, and the rector of the Great Mosque, as well as the hundreds of faithful who braved the intense morning cold this first day of the holiday.

Before the press, the Senegalese president insisted on the values of "peace, tolerance and sharing" conveyed by Islam and which should be the guiding light for all Muslims in their lives. He proved to be sensitive also to questions concerning the protection of the environment, a subject in the news now more than ever. (...)

The Ambassador of the United States to France, Craig Stapleton, delivered a message from George W. Bush on this occasion.

That last line is really a killer! What does Bush have to do with a Muslim holiday being celebrated in France???

Anti-Semitic Attack

A reader sent me this item from Yeshiva World. However I am posting another version from EJP (European Jewish Press), and have made a few slight changes to the English text:

The French National Bureau of Vigilance Against Anti-Semitism has denounced a violent anti-Semitic aggression, reported last Saturday in the 10th district of Paris.

Raymond. A, a 17-year-old Jewish man, who wears a skullcap, was waiting on Shabbat for someone to open the door of the building where he lives, on the rue Albert Camus, when around twenty young people described as being of North African and Black origin attacked him violently in the face and body after calling him by name.

One of the aggressors, Raymond reported, was a red-haired man who did not cease swearing on the Koran while beating his victim.

Note: The text said "raid-haired". I assume it's a typo for "red-haired" - possibly dyed hair? But I can't be certain.

Raymond was saved by a Jewish neighbor who went out from his home at the same time.

“He saved my life,” the young man said.

A witness called police which arrived quickly on the spot and tried in vain to chase the aggressors.

Raymond was brought in shock to the hospital with wounds at the face and several bruises on the body.

The victim, who is minor, and his parents, have lodged a complaint.

“We ask police to quickly identify and arrest the authors of this anti-Semitic attack,” the Bureau of Vigilance, which monitors anti-Semitic acts in the country, said in a statement.

According to the bureau, residents of this quarter have repeatedly expressed their irritation at the insecure and anti-Semitic climate.

Last month, a meeting was organized on this issue with the Paris police head and CRIF, the umbrella group of Jewish organizations in France. Another meeting is planned with the Mayor of the 10th district of Paris, Tony Dreyfus, for April 2008, after the municipal elections.

According to CRIF, the closure of a police station allowed the return of drug- trafficking and violent anti-Semitic acts have increased.

The More the Merrier

I'm sure everyone has heard the news of the Schengen Space being extended. I was about to translate an article when a kind reader sent me a link to a substantial English-language version of the event. It begins:

European leaders on Friday hailed the expansion of the Schengen passport-free travel zone to nine mostly ex-East Bloc nations as a landmark moment for the continent's integration.

"This is an historic moment for which we have been waiting for a long time," German Chancellor Angela Merkel said in the small town of Zittau on the German-Polish-Czech border.

Border controls were abolished at midnight as the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia joined 15 nations already in the Schengen Treaty.

The huge expansion means that about 400 million Europeans can now travel from the Arctic Circle in Norway to Portugal without showing a passport.

"To be able to move freely around 24 states ... those of us who are a little older know that such freedom is not something we could take for granted," said Merkel, who grew up behind the Iron Curtain in the former East Germany.

Merkel and her Polish and Czech counterparts watched as a barrier was lifted to signify the scrapping of controls along 1,100 kilometres (680 miles) of shared borders and scores of blue balloons were released into the winter sky.

"This is one further step towards European integration," said Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, whose country's 646-kilometre border with Germany is one of the most bitterly-contested in Europe's history.

Polish President Lech Kaczynski also hailed the Schengen expansion as he attended celebrations at Poland's border with Lithuania at the Budzisko Kalwaria checkpoint.

"This is a huge success for all of us ... Schengen has become a reality," Kaczynski said.

Read the rest of this story at Breitbart, including the concern about crime. Apparently 75% of Austrians polled were against the measure.

Leading Sycophant

According to La Croix, Minister of the Interior Michèle Alliot-Marie, in an an effusive letter, addressed her warmest wishes to the rector of the Paris mosque, Dalil Boubakeur, on the occasion of Aïd el-Kebir (the festival of the sheep):

In the letter, the minister of religions attempted to "measure the importance of Aïd el-Kebir, the feast of the sacrifice, to all the faithful within the Muslim religion."

In addition, she said she felt that "Aïd, like other religious festivals of various faiths, actively participates in the dialogue among Frenchmen, but also among the foreign Muslims that we welcome to France, and thus contributes to the consolidation of social relations in our country."

Note: the above sentence is awkward to translate, so great is her indulgence in flattery.

If 2007 has been a "rich year of the Islam of France," citing the creation of the Foundation for Charity for Islam, "the year 2008 will not be any less rich," she indicated.

The "election of regional councils of the Muslim religion (CRCM) and of the French Council of the Muslim Religion (CFCM) in the Spring will be a supplementary step in the edification of the Islam of France, that we hope will be placed under the triple banner of representation, moderation and integration," concluded the minister.

It is said that Alliot-Marie is the quintessential sycophant. She provides ample proof of that description in this ridiculous letter to what must be a chuckling Boubakeur.

Note: While I don't have a link handy I see that George Bush has also sent his greetings to the Muslims of the world.

A Cross Not To Bear

While I don't usually even mention beauty contests this one has been talked about at the François Desouche website. It seems that Miss France, a 19-year old from Reunion Island, off the coast of Madagascar, one of France's overseas departments, posed for a photo that has caused much controversy. Is it innocent, tasteless, or a direct insult to Christians? Whatever one's opinion, I think you can't minimize the religious offense. Such a photo should never be used to promote a national figure like Miss France who represents a country that is still majority Christian.

It may seem overly prudent, but I couldn't bring myself to post the picture which you can view here. French readers may want to read the many comments, where some feel the photo is blasphemous, while others stress her youth, innocence and the fact that she may have been duped into posing.

My own feeling (subject to modification) is that anyone who authorizes such a pose knows full well what the repercussions will be, even if the girl does not. It is a cheeky attempt to put Christians to the test - if they condemn the photo, then they have no right to support the Danish cartoons - a flawed, indefensible argument, but the media would enjoy it.

Shifting Gears

Sarkozy's trip to the Vatican is long over, and I'll not dwell on it. At least he didn't cut any deals or sell nuclear reactors to the Pope! He delivered an uncommonly pro-Catholic speech, of which this is a small excerpt published at Le Salon Beige:

It is in the interests of the Republic that there exist also a moral reflection inspired by religious convictions. First because secular morality ("morale laïque") always runs the risk of wearing itself out or changing into fanaticism when it isn't backed up by hope that aspires to the infinite. And then because morality stripped of any ties to transcendence is more exposed to historic contingencies and eventually to facileness. (...) In the end, the danger is that the ethical criterion becomes not to do what one must do, but to do what one can do. It's a great question. In the secular Republic, the political man that I am does not have to make decisions based on religious considerations. But it is important that his thinking and his conscience be enlightened by opinions that reference norms and convictions which are free from immediate contingencies."

It is difficult to recognize Sarkozy in those words. Or in these reported by Yahoo:

"My presence among you this evening is a testimony of France's faithfulness to her history and to one of the major sources of its civilization."

"Faced with the disappearance of values, and with the upheavals our societies are experiencing, I want to say by my presence that we need the contribution of the Catholic Church, as of the other great religious and spiritual doctrines, to enlighten our choices and construct our future."

Before the visit, the presidential spokesman David Martinon had called the Vatican "extremely active and influential" in diplomacy. "It is a partner and an ally of importance on a great number of topics" such as Lebanon and the Israeli-Palestinian crisis, he stressed.

Sarkozy's day in Rome ended with a dinner at Chigi Palace attended by the president of the Italian Council, Romano Prodi and the president of the Spanish government José Luis Rodrigues Zapatero. At the dinner Sarkozy discussed his plans for a Mediterranean Union.

Now THAT sounds more like Sarkozy - a man most definitely influenced by "immediate contingencies."

After Rome, Sarkozy made a quick unannounced trip to Afghanistan to lunch with French soldiers and reaffirm his commitment to assist the Americans.

Now it's on to Egypt.