Pave: Ex-Jack, The Adventure Continues XII

Le jour 678 de Sarko

BARACK OBAMA A ÉCRIT À JACQUES CHIRAC
[BARACK OBAMA HAS WRITTEN TO EX-JACK]

19 mars 2009 (Figaro) - Le président américain vient d'adresser une lettre «très sympathique » à Jacques Chirac, selon l'expression de ce dernier. «Je suis certain que nous pourrons au cours des quatre années à venir collaborer ensemble dans un esprit de paix et d'amitié afin de construire un monde plus sûr» , écrit le successeur de George W. Bush au prédécesseur de Nicolas Sarkozy. En évoquant le mot de « paix», Obama rend un hommage implicite à l'action de l'ancien président français qui s'était opposé à la guerre en Irak. Une intervention américaine contre laquelle le futur président américain s'était opposé comme sénateur, lors du vote au Congrès.

[The American president has just written a “very sympathetic” letter to Jacques Chirac, according to the statement of the latter. "I am certain that we will be able to work together, in the coming four years, in a spirit of peace and friendship to build a safer world", writes the successor of George W. Bush to the predecessor of Nicolas Sarkozy. In mentioning the word 'peace,' Obama was offering an implicit homage to the former French president who had opposed the Iraq war. An American intervention that the future US president was himself opposed as senator, at the time of the vote in Congress.]

[Hat tip: Hervé]

We received this story last week. We sat on it because either it was not much of a story or it was a very odd story indeed. But which?

The inference by Figaro was preposterous, "In mentioning the word 'peace,' Obama was offering an implicit homage to the former French president". The editors may infer as well in using the word "friendship" Mr. Obama was hoping to woo Ex-Jack away from Mr. Putin.

Till the end of time France will strain -- as Figaro does above -- to reassure herself that the perpetuation of Iraq under Saddam -- with France's lucrative skim of Pétrole contre nourriture and her failed gamble to upend the American-led invasion -- left the world in "peace". And France in business. Of course today Iraq is an open democracy, one of only two in the Middle East, and it was Then-Jack, Now Ex-Jack who imperiled peace by coddling peaceable nuclear-bent Iran.

Back to the story, which, it turns out, is the story. CSM, after scolding bloggers who took Figaro at its word, reports Mr. Obama did not initiate the correspondence nor did he pay homage.

Another French newspaper, the New Observer, explained that Obama was merely replying to a Chirac letter who was writing him as the head of his foundation — the Jacques Chirac Foundation for sustainable development (and here and here) and cultural dialogue. ... [O]ther French news organizations confirmed with Chirac’s entourage that they believed the reference was not in regards to the Iraq war but to Chirac’s current work as head of the foundation.

The letter is a pro forma courtesy between functionaries who write these things on behalf of a boss. [Pause.] We doubt Mr. Obama read it.

PFFT (What is this?): Pro forma 5 | Beaucoup de bruit pour rien 3½ | Rayonnement français 0